welcome
Thank you for purchasing the MEAP for The Quick Python Book, 4th edition. To get the most benefit from this book, you’ll want to have some established skills in programming, either in Python or in another programming language like Java, C++, Ruby, Javascript, or something similar. Since this book assumes an understanding of common data types and flow control structures, experience with only HTML or SQL may not be a good fit.
The first edition of this book was written over 25 years ago, so it has stood the test of time. Over that time Python has evolved enormously from the version 1.5 of the first edition. When I took over as author of the 2nd edition, covering Python 3.1, I was stunned at how many details had changed, even while the overall feel of Python had stayed the same. While the changes in the third edition (for Python 3.6) and this edition (Python 3.13) have been more manageable, Python has continued to develop, with the addition of new control structures, libraries, and more.
In addition to the changes in the language, we have also worked to improve the format of the book itself, adding quick check questions to test your knowledge, chapter labs and a case study to help consolidate your learning, and in this edition, a critical discussion of how to use and evaluate AI code generation as part of the labs and case study.