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What you will learn in Get Programming: Learn to code with Python

Learn to code with Python

by Ana Bell

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Chapter by chapter

Concepts explained in this book

• inputInformation supplied to a program or software component for processing.
• stringA string is a programming-language value representing an ordered sequence of characters or character units as text.
• objectA Python runtime entity that combines associated data with operations for interacting with that data.
• functionA helper function is a supporting function that performs a focused subtask for another function or larger program.
• atomic typeAn object type treated as indivisible because it cannot be separated into smaller object types.
• bindingAn association between a name and the object to which that name refers.
• listA list is an ordered collection of elements arranged in a sequence.
• conditional logicA nested conditional is a conditional statement placed inside another conditional's code block so that its evaluation depends on the outer conditional.
• abstractionAn abstraction is a simplified representation that preserves essential characteristics while hiding unnecessary implementation detail.
• loopA loop is a control-flow construct that repeatedly executes a code block while iterating over values or satisfying a continuation rule.
• testA defined set of inputs and expected results used to evaluate whether software behaves correctly.
• stateState is information or a configuration describing the condition of a system, entity, or computation at a particular time and potentially influencing subsequent behavior or decisions.
• decompositionThe technique of dividing a complex problem, task, or program into smaller, separately manageable parts.
• classA class is a programming-language construct that defines a type’s structure or behavior and provides a basis for creating or representing objects.
• data conversionData conversion is the transformation of a value or data from one type, format, or representation to another, explicitly or implicitly.
• integerint is Python's built-in type and constructor for representing or converting values to integers.
• assignmentAssignment is a programming-language operation that binds or stores an evaluated value in a variable, property, or other assignable location.
• black boxA black box is an abstraction of a system whose internal steps are hidden while its inputs, outputs, and overall behavior remain visible.
• attributeAn attribute is a named property, value, or piece of information associated with an entity, object, or program element.
• applicationA program is an executable sequence of instructions that directs a computer to perform a task.
• tupleA tuple is an immutable Python sequence that can contain objects of different types, including other tuples.
• problem definitionA description of the task a program is expected to accomplish, including relevant inputs, interactions, and outputs.
• indexingIndexing is the organization or use of positions, keys, or lookup structures to identify and retrieve selected data or elements.
• MapA map is an associative data structure that stores key-value pairs and supports retrieving values by key.
• methodA method is a function defined as part of an object type that can operate on the object instance through its parameters.
• PythonA general-purpose, interpreted programming language with dynamic typing and significant standard-library support.
• substringA substring is a contiguous sequence of characters extracted from a string.
• operationAn operation is an action that can be performed by or with a Python object.
• printA print statement is a language construct that sends specified values to a program's output stream.
• statementA complete line or instruction of Python code that the interpreter executes as part of a program.
• expressionA combination of values, names, and operators that evaluates to a single result in a program.
• return statementA statement that terminates a function's execution and optionally supplies a value to its caller.
• floating-point arithmeticA floating-point number is a Python object representing a decimal value using floating-point numeric representation.
• moduleA separable software component, typically a file, that groups code and provides a limited unit of functionality.
• immutable collectionAn immutable collection is a collection whose membership and contents cannot be changed after creation.
• interpreterA Python interpreter is a program that executes programs written in the Python programming language.
• valid wordA valid word is a lexical item included in the allowed vocabulary for the art-themed word-forming task.
• tileA tile is a game piece bearing a letter that can be combined with other letter tiles to form words.
• initializationInitialization is the process of establishing initial values or a starting state for a program entity, component, resource, or computation before subsequent operation.
• aliasAn alias is an alternative name by which an entity, command, parameter, or resource can be referred to.
• SpyderSpyder is an integrated development environment for scientific programming in Python.
• indentationIndentation is leading whitespace or spacing that positions content relative to its surrounding area and can represent hierarchy or structural nesting.
• stackA data structure in which elements are added and removed from the same end, so the most recently added element is removed first.
• implementationAn implementation is the concrete way a task or system is realized through its steps and actions.
• pseudocodePseudocode is an informal notation combining natural language and programming-like constructs to describe the steps of an algorithm without requiring valid executable syntax.
• debuggingThe process of locating, diagnosing, and correcting defects in software.
• nested loopA nested loop is a loop placed inside another loop so that its execution occurs within each iteration of the outer loop.
• referenceA reference is an indirect value or relationship that identifies or provides access to another value, object, resource, or source.
• environmentAn environment is the external context, including its entities and conditions, in which a system, process, or agent exists or operates.
• concatenationConcatenation is the operation of combining values or ordered sequences into a single composite, typically preserving their order.
• modularityModularity is the organization of software into separate components with distinct responsibilities and interfaces.
• NoneNone is Python's special singleton value representing the absence of a value.
• think-code-test-debug-repeat cycleAn iterative programming workflow of understanding a problem, implementing a solution, testing it, debugging defects, and repeating until the solution works.
• circleCircle is a book-defined Python class whose instances represent circles with a radius data attribute and operations for changing or retrieving that radius.
• keyAn immutable object used to identify and retrieve a corresponding value in a dictionary.
• callA function call is an invocation of a function that executes its body with supplied arguments and produces a result.
• code readabilityCode readability is the ease with which human readers can perceive and understand source code, including its structure and intent.
• scopeThe set of rules and region of a program that determine where a name can be accessed and which binding it refers to.
• subtaskA subtask is a smaller task that forms part of a larger computational or organizational task.
• docstringA string associated with a code component that documents its inputs, behavior, and outputs.
• loop variableA loop variable is a variable that receives successive items from a sequence during loop execution.
• copyCopying is the creation of a distinct object by transferring the elements or state of an original object.
• behaviorAn object behavior is an operation that defines how objects of a type can act or interact.
• valueA concrete item of data representing a result, state, or piece of information in a program.
• nested tupleA nested tuple is a tuple whose elements include one or more tuples as subordinate collections.
• text editorA text editor is software for creating and modifying text files, including plain-text documents and source code.
• blockA code block is a grouped region of code treated as a unit, with boundaries and scope or execution behavior determined by its language or context.
• findfind is a Python string method that returns the lowest index of a specified substring or -1 when the substring is absent.
• IPythonThe IPython console is an interactive command-line shell for executing Python code and displaying results.
• len()len is a Python built-in function that returns the number of items in an object, including the number of characters in a string.
• file objectA named unit of data stored on a computer and read or written by software.
• number roundingA Python built-in function that returns a number rounded to a specified precision or to the nearest whole-number value by default.
• dotted notationDot notation is Python syntax that accesses an operation or attribute through an object by placing a dot between the object and the member name.
• boolean operationA logical operator is an operator that performs logical combination or negation of Boolean or truthy and falsy operands.
• repetitionRepetition is the performance of a task or sequence of steps more than once.
• similarity metricSimilarity is the degree to which two texts or other objects share comparable characteristics.
• slicingSlicing selects or partitions a portion of an indexed sequence or multidimensional array, often along specified indices or dimensions.
• function declarationA function definition is a Python construct that declares a function's name, parameters, and executable code block.
• stopping criterionA Boolean-valued test that determines which execution path a conditional construct should take.
• string replacementString replacement is the operation of substituting selected or all occurrences of text within a string with other text.
• data structureA data structure is an organized representation for storing and accessing information in a particular format.
• independenceIndependence is a property of a software task or component that allows it to operate without relying on another task or component.
• dependencyTask dependency is a relationship in which one task cannot begin until another task has completed.
• splitsplit is a Python string method that divides a string at occurrences of a separator and returns the resulting parts as a list.
• conditional groupA conditional group is an associated if statement with zero or more elif clauses and an optional else clause that selects at most one branch for execution.
• elif clauseelif is a Python keyword that introduces an alternative condition checked only when preceding conditions are false.
• else clauseAn else clause is an optional alternative branch that executes when preceding conditions are false or protected code completes without an exception.
• break statementbreak is a Python control-flow statement that immediately terminates the innermost enclosing loop.
• continue statementcontinue is a Python control-flow statement that skips the remaining statements in the current loop iteration and proceeds to the next iteration.
• taskA task is a unit of work performed through a sequence of actions or steps to achieve a goal.
• dataData is information represented in a form that can be stored, processed, analyzed, or transmitted by a computer.
• one-element tupleA singleton tuple is a tuple containing exactly one element and indicated by a trailing comma.
• rangeA range expression is a Python expression that produces an arithmetic progression of integers, typically starting at zero and ending before a specified endpoint.
• read_fileread_file is a book-specific function that reads friend names and phone numbers from a file and returns them as grouped tuples.
• programmer mindsetA programmer mindset is a systematic way of reasoning about problems, instructions, and computational solutions.
• operatorAn operator is a symbolic element of Python syntax that specifies an operation on one or more values or objects.
• identityObject identity is the property that distinguishes one particular Python runtime object from every other object.
• logical AND operatorA logical AND operator is a Boolean conjunction that produces true exactly when all operands have true truth values.
• operator precedenceOperator precedence is the set of rules that determines the order in which operators and their operands are evaluated in an expression.
• name mashupA name mashup is a constructed name formed by combining parts of two or more existing names.
• reuseCode reuse is the practice of incorporating existing software components into new programs instead of reimplementing their functionality.
• handlerAn event handler is a function or code unit that runs in response to an interaction or other event generated by a user-interface component.
• NoneTypeThe Python type of None, representing the absence of a value.
• flowchartA flowchart is a diagram that represents instructions and decision paths using connected steps and branches.
• special methodA special method is a Python method with a predefined double-underscore name that is invoked implicitly by language syntax or explicitly as a regular method.
• self parameterself is the conventional first parameter of a Python instance method that refers to the instance on which the method is called.
• input()The input function is a Python built-in function that displays an optional prompt, waits for user text, and returns the entered text as a string.
• reusable subtaskA reusable subtask is a task whose steps can be applied with different inputs to produce different outputs.
• cardA playing card is a game object identified by a rank and a suit.
• random modulerandom is a Python standard-library module that provides facilities for generating pseudorandom values and making random selections.
• random numberA random number is a number generated by a random-generation process so that its specific value cannot be predicted deterministically in advance.
• buttonA button is a graphical user-interface widget that can be activated to initiate an action.
• name-value pairA name-value pair is a data association in which an identifying name or key corresponds to a value.
• primitive data typeA primitive data type is a fundamental, language-provided type for representing a basic value, rather than a composite of multiple values.
• unittestunittest is Python's standard-library framework for defining, running, and reporting unit tests.
• packageA software package is a named grouping of modules or components, often with related resources and metadata, organized for import, reuse, distribution, or management.
• widgetA widget is a graphical user-interface component that displays information or accepts user interaction within a window.
• inner functionA function defined within the scope of an enclosing function.
• programming languageA programming language is a formal language for expressing instructions and computations for execution by a computer.
• branchA branch is an alternative program-execution path selected by the result of a condition.
• remainder operationA Python operator that computes the remainder after division of one numeric operand by another.
• lowercaseLowercase conversion is the transformation of alphabetic text so that its letters are represented in lowercase form.
• tuple indexingTuple indexing is the operation of retrieving an element from a tuple by its position, including through nested tuple levels.
• membership operatorA membership operator is a language construct that tests whether a specified value or property is present in a supported collection, range, or object.
• replace methodreplace is a Python string method that returns a string with occurrences of one substring substituted by another substring.
• rfindrfind is a Python string method that returns the highest index at which a specified substring begins or -1 when the substring is absent.
• keywordA keyword is a reserved word in a programming language with a predefined syntactic meaning.
• global variableA global variable is a variable bound in the global scope and accessible from code whose name resolution reaches that scope.
• sortedA Python built-in function that returns a new list containing the items of an iterable in sorted order.
• text boxA text box is a graphical user-interface widget that allows a user to enter or edit text.
• mutationMutation is an alteration to an existing value, state, data structure, or representation.
• promptA prompt is text displayed by a program to request information from a user.
• frequency dictionaryA dictionary that maps each distinct item to the number of times it occurs.
• debuggerA software tool that pauses program execution and exposes execution state, such as variable values, while code runs.
• queueA queue is a data structure in which elements are added at one end and removed from the other, so the earliest added element is removed first.
• canvas elementThe HTML canvas element is a scriptable bitmap drawing surface in a web document for rendering graphics.
• permutationA permutation is an arrangement of selected items in which order distinguishes the arrangement.
• unit typeAn empty tuple is a tuple containing no elements.
• newlineA newline is a character or character sequence that marks the boundary between consecutive lines of text.
• trimA Python string method that returns a string with specified characters removed from its beginning and end.
• type functionA Python built-in function that returns the type of an object.
• tkintertkinter is Python's standard-library interface to the Tcl/Tk toolkit for building graphical user interfaces.
• labelA label is a graphical user-interface widget that displays non-editable text or other descriptive content.
• multiline stringA multiline string is a string literal or value whose text or source representation spans multiple lines.
• windowA window is a bounded region of a graphical interface in which an application displays content and controls.
• breakpointA marked location in program code where a debugger pauses execution for inspection.
• rubber duckingA debugging technique in which a programmer explains code and its intended behavior aloud in plain language to expose mistakes.
• Step IntoA debugger execution command that enters the called function and advances through its statements.
• import statementAn import statement is a source-code declaration that makes names or definitions from another module, package, or namespace available in the current scope.
• constructor methodA Python special method that is automatically invoked to initialize a newly created instance.
• coordinateA coordinate is a numerical value specifying a position along an axis in a coordinate system.
• data analysisThe systematic examination of stored data to derive summaries, comparisons, or other information from it.
• square bracketsSquare bracket notation is Python syntax that places an index or slice specification inside brackets to access part of a sequence.
• openopen is Python's built-in function for opening a file and returning a file object.

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