Python Resources

I've reviewed these resources and highly recommend them. I periodically update this page, but it may be out of date.

Learning Python

You need to be able to run Python programs. You have three options:

1. Although Python is pre-installed on many computers, you should download and install the Anaconda Python distribution. It has all of the packages you need.
2. Alternatively, you can learn it entirely using web-based Jupyter notebooks.

If you don't know how to program

If you have never programmed with Python before, you may want to start with DataCamp's Learn python by example:

• https://www.learnpython.org, powered by DataCamp. For example, look at the String Formatting lesson

I also recommend:

• Dive Into Python 3 (book, online for free; a little dated.)
• Python for Non-Programmers

If you know how to program

If you know another programming language (e.g. C, C++, FORTRAN, Java, etc.), you can learn Python in about 2 hours.

Start by reading the Python Tutorial:

• Python 3 Tutorial

I then recommend reading the documentation:

• Official Python Documentation. Just read the documentation. Honestly. It's well-written.
• Python Tips (book, online for free)
• Python Google Style Guide.

Using Python

Recommended packages and tools for different tasks

Developer Tools

• PyCharm
• Jupyter Notebook

Numerical Data Processing

• numpy - numeric analysis in python (needed for matplotlib)
• pandas or SparkSQL
• tabulate - create tables easily (but see my tytable replacement)

Date Data

• dateutil, part of Conda
• iCalendar, package for Python, generates calendears

String Formatting

• https://pyformat.info --- Big how-to on using the % and .format() formatting

Image Manipulation

• Use Pillow, the Python2/3 fork of Python Image Library (PIL).

Fun examples:

• http://jeremykun.com/2012/01/01/random-psychedelic-art/
• http://pythonvision.org/basic-tutorial
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/138250/read-the-rgb-value-of-a-given-pixel-in-python-programatically

Text Processing

See Text processing notes.

Graphing

• matplotlib - a handy system for plotting in python. (Short example of using matplotlib within jupyter)
• holoview
• Altair: Declarative Visualization in Python
• geopy - geocoding for Python
• Seaborn. (See Datacamp Tutorial)

Easy Graphics

• Graphics.py: http://mcsp.wartburg.edu/zelle/python/graphics.py http://mcsp.wartburg.edu/zelle/python/ http://mcsp.wartburg.edu/zelle/python/graphics/graphics.pdf
• HTML graphics: http://anh.cs.luc.edu/python/hands-on/3.1/handsonHtml/graphics.html
• http://plotdevice.io/
• http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2013/cs1301_summer/presentations/calico_graphics.pdf

Writing Games

• http://www.pygame.org/ pygame - a Python game development system
• PEAK Easy Install
• Crystal Space 3D
• VPython 3D Programming in Python

Database Access

Python contains built-in support for SQLite3.

For using MySQL, you'll need a connector. There are many available.

Install MySQL connector on anaconda:

   conda install mysql-connector-python

Then you can:

   import mysql.connector as mysql
   c = mysql.connect(host=host,database=db,user=user,password=password)

I generally prefer PyMySQL, as it's pure-python and has fewer dependencies.

Python GUI Options

I need to write some programs that use GUI.

• pyqt - Use PyQT5 (it's part of Anaconda)
• FLTK, the Fast Light Toolkit

However, I strongly recommend writing your python program as a web-based app (see next section)

Building Web Applications

You basically have two options:

• Write a CGI script (slow, but easy. Don't use for more than 1 request every 10 seconds)
• Some sort of Web Server Gateway Interface (WSGI). Options include:
  • Bottle (easy, and the whole thing runs from a single file)
  • Flask (can run on Apache with Passenger, but needs its own domain name)
  • Writing your own (don't do this.)

The WSGI server needs to be run from a program that receives the Port80 connections. The two ways I've done this are:

• mod_wsgi running within Apache. (This works surprisingly well and allows you to run bottle or flask side-by-side other systems)
• CherryPy (Includes its own web server and will hand off to Bottle or Flas.)

For more information, see:

• See also https://wiki.python.org/moin/WebFrameworks
• https://github.com/MichaelPereira/webhooks-demo-application
• https://mattcarrier.com/flask-dreamhost-setup/

If you are using anything other CGI, you need some way to tell the web server to reload your python program. (You don't need to do this with CGI---it reloads Python and your program every time you serve another request. That's why it's so slow...)

To reload your program on Dreamhost with passenger:

   $ touch tmp/restart.txt         # reload your program

To reload your program with mod_wsgi:

   $ touch wsgi_app.py 

Using Passengers on Dreamhost:

• https://www.byteconsole.com/get-flask-up-and-running-on-a-dreamhost-server-with-passenger/
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/215769578-Passenger-overview
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/216137717-Python-overview
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000218612-Installing-a-custom-version-of-Python
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000702772-Installing-a-custom-version-of-Python-3
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/215489338-Installing-virtualenv-and-custom-modules-in-Python
• https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000221112-Using-pip-to-install-Python-modules

Good Tutorials

Writing a full application with Apache, Bottle and MongoDB:

• https://reachtim.com/articles/BAM-Short-Stack.html

Advanced Python

• Fluent Python: Clear, Concise, and Effective Programming (you can get it on Safari)

• Test Driven Development with Python