Q1. What is Python and what are its key features?
Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language known for its simplicity and readability. Key features include dynamic typing, automatic memory management (garbage collection), extensive standard library, support for multiple programming paradigms (object-oriented, functional, procedural), and a large ecosystem of third-party packages.
Q2. What are the advantages of using Python?
Python offers ease of learning and use, rapid development, strong community support, cross-platform compatibility, and versatility across domains like web development, data science, AI, automation, and scripting. Its large standard library and package ecosystem (PyPI) reduce development time.
Q3. Is Python compiled or interpreted?
Python is an interpreted language, but it uses a two-step process: source code is compiled to bytecode (.pyc files), which is then interpreted by the Python Virtual Machine. This combination gives portability while maintaining ease of development.
Q4. What is the difference between Python 2 and Python 3?
Python 3 is the latest version with many improvements: print is a function, integer division returns float, Unicode strings by default, improved syntax, and more. Python 2 is deprecated. Key differences include input handling, exception syntax, and library support.
Q5. What are the applications of Python?
Python is used in web development (Django, Flask), data science and machine learning (NumPy, Pandas, TensorFlow), automation and scripting, desktop applications (Tkinter, PyQt), game development (Pygame), and scientific computing. Its versatility makes it popular across industries.