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养花风水

5 hours ago

Today, the most vital task is considered to be web development, and Python, with all its advantages, is a great language for constructing sites. Out of the many frameworks available for Python, Flask is quite famous due to its simplicity and flexibility. The framework is quite simple and, with little effort from the developer, allows one to create great site applications. This article will provide further detail on the main concepts related to web applications with the Flask framework including the creation of a simple application in Flask, the use of templates, and routing.

The Flask Application

Flask is a web framework for the Python programming language, which has the main goal to be user-friendly and easy to extend. In a distinct variety of other frameworks, Flask does not consist of many tools or libraries integrated within the framework. Instead, it contains many basic features which enable users to develop web apps and then users can build on top of them according to their promotion goals. Thus, Flask is great for small scale applications as well as for different developers that wish to make use of a lot of components for their applications. Flask supports the WSGI (Web Server Gateway Interface) specification, which allows Python-based web applications to interact with web servers. It also supports the Jinja2 template engine which is useful in rendering dynamic HTML content.

Getting Started with Flask

You can use Flask by first installing it. You can install Flask in the simplest way through Python's package manager `pip`. In case you don't have Flask on your machine you can install it by running one of the commands below.


pip install flask

After the Flask framework is installed, you can commence web application development. Create a Python file such as app.py where you will write your code. So the first thing you'd do is import the Flask class, and then create an instance of the class:


from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

The core of the application is the `Flask` class, and the parameter `__name__` allows Flask to locate the application. Once the application instance is created, you are ready to implement routes and views.

Routing in Flask

Routing is arguably one of the most crucial aspects of web development as it is the process of linking URLs with specific functions of your application. Flask makes creating routes very simple, the routes can be created using the routing mechanism which utilizes the `@app.route` decorator to link the function which is to be called when a user visits the link with the link itself. For how a route can be set in Flask, consider the following:


@app.route('/')
def home():
    return "Hello, World!"

In the example above, the `@app.route('/')` decorator maps the home url '(') which is also the base url of the application to the function home. Therefore, whenever a user goes to the base address of your application, the home function will be invoked and it shall output on the browser `Hello, World!`. Routes can also be made additionally by writing a new function which has a new url:


@app.route('/about')
def about():
    return "This is the About page."

Running the Application

With your routes set, you will now need to run the application using the run method on the app object to start the Flask application. Calling that method will run a dev web server on your PC and it will allow you to test the web app on your web browser.


if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(debug=True)

Because the `debug=True` flag is on, I can gain insights into what went wrong while also being able to make changes and automatically reload the application. The code specified will execute on port 5000, to check whether the application has worked I can visit `http://127.0.0.1:5000/` which is the output location of the routes seeded earlier.

Flask allows the use of Templates

Thus serving web pages that vary in content ('of different data or variables from users' input)' is the norm in a 'web development' context. Rather more useful is the feature that allows for the generation of multiple webpages that are instead solely based on a few templates. Jinja2 is the templating engine for flask, meaning it provides the capability to write python code within an HTML file. Of note, an important aspect in regard to templates would be the prerequisite of creating a `templates` folder that will contain files pertaining to the above context. As an instance make an `index.html` file under the templates folder as follows:


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>My Flask App</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Welcome to my Flask app, {{ name }}!</h1>
</body>
</html>

Bartering string with '{{ name }}' is a feature in the HTML file above that can be replaced by the python application with a value that has been programmed in. Next, update your code by modifying the function as follows:


from flask import render_template

@app.route('/')
def home():
    return render_template('index.html', name="John Doe")

Keep in mind that `name` can be any name that is suitable in your context as `render_template` replaces it with the actual name provided in the template. Therefore, upon calling the above function flask will load an index.html file passing the value name as "John Doe" to this particular template.

Processing Forms and User Commends

In addition, when a request is made and it is accompanied by form data, the flasks request object will have the form data. The following example will show you how to incorporate that feature. For example, you might have a form that requests a user's name, in which case you could implement it with an HTML form as follows:


<form action="/submit" method="POST">
    <label for="name">Name:</label>
    <input type="text" id="name" name="name">
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

The action which is a tag attribute `/submit` defines the endpoint to which the form data will be directed on submitting the form and how it will be sent across, in this case it will be directed to the submit route and the data will be sent as a POST request. In your code written in Python, at the time of form submission, you can perform the following actions:


from flask import request
@app.route('/submit', methods = ['POST'])
def submit():
    name = request.form['name']
    return f"Hello, {name}!"

So here with the help of `request.form['name']` the data that is filled out in that form is called. This means that the user's provided name is included in the response.

Conclusion

Using Flask makes it easy and comfortable for you to create web applications using Python. It provides developers with efficient means for defining routes, rendering templates and obtaining input from the users. The simple structure of Flask makes it suitable for different types of applications but especially small and medium projects where developers need the flexibility to implement only the required components. Hence, you are armed with the basic knowledge of Flask and would now very easily be able to create applications using Python and the web.

Article

养花风水

5 hours ago

Whenever one talks about data harvesting, the term web scraping pops up as that has become popular in recent years. With the great resources available online, web scraping has become the go to tool for most people. Owing to its ease and considerable amount of libraries, Python has also grown to be one of the most preferred languages for scraping websites. In this context, one of the most efficient and widely employed libraries is BeautifulSoup. This article is intended to grasp the concept of web scraping focusing on the Python language and the BeautifulSoup library with the aim of extracting and processing data from web pages.

How Do You Define Web Scraping

To put it simply, web scraping is the extraction of data from websites. Content on many sites is presented in HTML, which is a format created for people to read. But HTML can also be created for machines and algorithms to read, which facilitates web scraping. In simple words, web scraping is the process of compiling the data found on various pages and saving in the desired format for analysis, research or any other use in the future. Even if web scraping appears to be remarkably beneficial, it should be used responsibly. Certain websites explicitly refuse scraping in their Terms of Use, so always be sure to comply with the posted rules of the site you are scraping data from.

Introduction to BeautifulSoup

BeautifulSoup is a library available in Python that does the parsing and navigation of HTML documents in a faster and easier way. It provides easy and usable methods for moving around in the webpage's HTML tree, making it easier to extract certain pieces of information. You may also use BeautifulSoup to manipulate scripts of Java that dynamically creates HTML content. One of the reasons a lot of people are able to use Broudie Soup is its ease of use and user interface. A handful of command text is sufficient for you to start scraping. It also resolves most common problems such as broken or non-standard HTML pages. There are many HTML parsers, and BeautifulSoup is said to be functional with these, but most of the time, it is fine with the inbuilt one.

Setting Up The Necessary Libraries

As noted earlier, before starting to deal with web scraping through BeautifulSoup, one has to get the appropriate libraries. The two big libraries you will need first are `requests` and `beautifulsoup4`. `requests` library makes it possible for you to obtain the contents of the web and `beautifulsoup4` serves the purpose of parsing and traversing through the HTML. To set up these libraries, you can use the command below in your terminal or command prompt:


pip install requests beautifulsoup4

As soon as you install that, it's time to start coding in python to crawl through sites.

Getting Contents of The Web

The first step of any web scraping activity is getting the page of the site you wish to scrape. And to do this, you employ the use of the `requests` library. `requests.get()` issues an HTTP GET request to the designated universal resource locator (url) and brings back the page's html. Use the code below to see how to make requests and get a webpage:


import requests

url = "https://example.com"

response = requests.get(url)

html_content = response.text

In this example, `response.text' has the HTML of the page. Now that you have this HTML, you can pass it to Beautifulsoup which will begin parsing and extracting data.

BeautifulSoup HTML Parsing

When you HTML content of a page, it is not useful in such a state as it needs to be parsed in order to be worked with. To assist you in this regard, BeautifulSoup is provided. The `BeautifulSoup` class takes in the html content as its argument and then constructs a parse tree which helps you in searching and traversing the html. Wondering how to create a soup? Here's how:


from bs4 import BeautifulSoup

soup = BeautifulSoup(html_content, 'html.parser')

In this code, … tells BeautifulSoup which parser to employ. Other parsers can be obtained, yet the standard one suffices for the majority of tasks

How to Move in the HTML

An HTML file is made in the form of a tree having a set of elements arranged in a hierarchical form. BeautifulSoup also has some functions that allow you to navigate and search through this tree. One can search for specific tags, get content enclosed within those tags or get the attributes of those tags.

Searching for an Exact Tag

Whenever you require an extraction of a particular HTML element tag, you simply apply the `find()` function. For example, in order to get the content of the first header on the page, now using h1 we can use:


h1_tag = soup.find('h1')
print(h1_tag.text)

So here in `soup.find('h1')` the first item in the list generated by the tag '< h1 >' is searched and then by the use of '.text', the textual content within the tag is retrieved.

Bulk retrieving of tags

If you further want to enhance the search, like looking to search for all the anchor tags < a > on the page, you can simply apply the find_all method. This method simply returns the entire match result of the applied tag as an array.


a_tags = soup.find_all('a')
for a in a_tags:
     print(a.get('href'))

For instance, in this example, `soup.find_all('a')` clicks on all the anchor items in the list whilst a.get('href') then picks the href address of individual links in the list.

Extracting Information inside the Tags

Many HTML tags come with additional information within them that might be helpful in accomplishing certain tasks. An example being: anchor tags which will come with an `href' tag, which would specify the link's website. And to achieve this, the `get()` method will do the trick For instance, if you wish to retrieve the src from an image tag code, which possesses the URL of an image, then it can be done in the following way.


img_tag = soup.find('img')
img_url = img_tag.get('src')
print(img_url)

This will yield the URL of the image, that of the src of the first image tag found on the page.

Traversing the HTML Document

Traversing the HTML Document is one of the defining characteristics of BeautifulSoup. As we all know every tag in the Html document is associated with a lot of attributes and methods that enable one to traverse through the tree structure. For example, Accessing the parent, child or sibling elements of a given tag. Suppose you want to know the parent element of a given tag, then you can execute the following code.


child_tag = soup.find('p')
parent_tag = child_tag.parent
print(parent_tag)

This will indeed print the first parent tag of the first p tag available on the webpage.

Looking up Content that is Dynamically Loaded

There are many websites in this world that are using JavaScript and therefore the site content has to be loaded up. Beautiful soup unfortunately is not able to help out here and render the content as it only parses the content of the static HTML documents. Yes, but you can use the Python libraries for example Selenium or Playwright to load Java scripts and fetch the HTML content that the script will be offering. Once you have the final HTML in your hand, you can forward it to BeautifulSoup for fresh parsing.

Conclusion

Let's face it, Web scraping is probably one of the most powerful ways to collect data from the web, not to mention that Python has an assistance called the BeautifulSoup library which gives functionality to easily navigate or parse through cluttered HTML content. BeautifulSoup in combination with the requests library empowers you to visit web pages, find them useful and edit content for other purposes. As you will delve into the topic of web-scraping, you will come across more sophisticated ways like filling out forms and sending them, sending, and receiving cookies, and sending requests using AJAX.

Article

养花风水

5 hours ago

In today's technologically advanced world, it has become a common necessity for many professionals to be able to extract and utilize information from different providers and platforms. For coders, especially those starting with Python, learning how to interface with APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) is a must. APIs are used to enable the interaction between computer software applications for the purpose of exchanging data and functionality. As a popular and multipurpose programming language, Python has great libraries and tools that make it more convenient to work with APIs. In this article, we will cover the A-Z of working with APIs in Python, including how to make calls to the API, receive responses to the API calls, and incorporate the features into your programming.

Understanding APIs

How about looking at APIs in a whole new light? or should I say taking a fresh start looking at something new. Before exploring what Python can do, let's take a look at how an API functions. APIs make it feasible for two different software systems to communicate. It's like when you're in a restaurant ordering food. The menu lists your options (the API), the waiter places your order (the request), and when it's ready, he/she delivers it to you (the response). So, if you look at it, requesting something using an API is no different. One sends the request and in return, the API provides the information in the format requested, mostly in JSON or XML. Modern day programming is filled with APIs from obtaining weather information, working on social networks, sending emails and even operating cloud services. APIs can also be used with the programming language Python to work with other data and develop custom applications.

Configuring Your Python Environment for API Use

When working with APIs in Python, the first step is to set up the required libraries. To make HTTP requests, the first thing to have is the `requests` library which makes it easier to send HTTP requests and manage responses. To do this, you must install the 'requests' library if it is not already installed on your system. You can do this through the following command:


pip install requests

When this is done, you can use the `requests` package in your Python program to send HTTP requests to any API server. An example of how to include the library and make a basic GET request is provided below:


import requests

response = requests.get("https://api-example.com/data")

Making API Calls

To make use of an API, you need to make an HTTP call to it, most of the requests made are of the following types: - GET: Used for getting information from a server. - POST: Generally used for sending files or information when filling forms to a server. - PUT: Used to make modifications on the already existing information of a server. - DELETE: A request specifically used for the removal of information from the server. Let's begin with the GET request, which is frequently utilized for getting data from APIs. A straightforward GET request is made by utilizing the `requests.get()` method as we have seen in the previous example. This makes a request to the server and gets back a response. As an example, querying an API that provides data about books may make use of the following code.


import requests
response = requests.get("https://api.example.com/books")

Here, the `response` object encompasses the information provided by the server including its status code, headers and the body part of the request.

Receiving Responses

With the request already dispatched, there is the need to tackle the response. In Python, the 'requests' library boasts several techniques for manipulation of response data. For instance, the status code can be verified to establish if the request succeeded. A code of 200 is a clear indication that the request was properly executed. Consider this example,


import requests

response = requests.get("https://api.example.com/books")

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Request was successful")
    print(response.json())   Python dictionary representation of the response 
else:
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code}")

Calling the `json()` method can convert the information contained in the API that was sent in the form of JSON into a dictionary in Python facilitating its manipulation.

Extracting API Data Alright, Now What?

When retrieving API data, chances are that you will have to perform a good deal of extraction and modification of data for the sake of the application. Most APIs, if not all, send JSON files which consist of key, and value pairs. In Python, this can be classified as a dictionary type structure which is quite common and simple to use. For the sake of this example, let us suppose the API issues a following request for book data in a JSON format.


{
  "books": [
    {"title": "The Great Gatsby", "author": "F. Scott Fitzgerald"},
    {"title": "1984", "author": "George Orwell"}
  ]
}

In this case, each of the books would be able to be retrieved as follows:


import requests

response = requests.get("https://api.example.com/books")

if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    books = data["books"]
    for book in books:
        print(f"Title: {book['title']}, Author: {book['author']}")

Lets Discuss API Call Errors

When it comes to APIs, there are likely situations and times when errors and exceptions may arise, and it is advisable that one prepares for such circumstances. There are numerous reasons as to why one may encounter an error, for example the URL endpoint which is being hit is inactive, you are sending a corrupted request, or the endpoint, in this case a server, decides to send an error back. In the case of these events occurring, in Python you are able to catch them by simply wrapping the piece of code in "try" and "except" blocks. For instance:


import requests

try:
    response = requests.get("https://api.example.com/books")
    response.raise_for_status()   Handles errors, if there are any
    data = response.json()
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error making request: {e}")
except ValueError:
    print("Error processing JSON response")

With the help of exception class, you can avoid application crashes in case of an error.

Conclusion

There is a wide range of opportunities for developers with the use of APIs in Python. You may be retrieving information from a location on the web or other services, the ability to make requests, work through responses and return the data in a required format is a useful point. Using the `requests` library makes the work with APIs far easier and allows developers to create more sophisticated and interesting applications. With a basic understanding of the concepts and principles provided in this article, you can start using APIs in your own Python applications and develop your programming skills further.

Article

养花风水

5 hours ago

When it comes to working with data while programming, the Pandas library in python is one of the most popular and sought after libraries. It aims at making good structures that can be relied on to be flexible and fast for interacting with structured data. If you are a data analyst, data scientist or engineer for any company cleaning, transforming or analyzing data with the help of pandas becomes quite crucial. Pandas is an extension of another popular library that is, NumPy, however it has a more advanced approach when it comes to manipulating the data whether it is in the form of tables, time series or even CSV and Excel files. Two of the most significant data structures in Pandas are Series and DataFrame. Thanks to these structures you will be able to carry out numerous data manipulation tasks quite effortlessly.

The Pandas Library

In order to start using Pandas, first it is important to import the library. This is usually done using the following import command:

import pandas as pd

In most conventions , Pandas is imported using an alias 'pd' which simplifies the calling of the pandas functions in your program.

Pandas Data Structures

In Pandas, the two primary data structures are Series and DataFrame. It is important to note these structures as they are the basis for most of the data manipulation process in Pandas.

Series

A Series can be defined as a one-dimensional array. It can include any type of data including integers, strings, and other objects. A Series resembles a list in python, but in addition to the data, it also contains labels (called indices). This allows for fast and easy access to data or the ability to modify it.

import pandas as pd

data = [1, 2, 3, 4]

series = pd.Series(data)

print(series)

DataFrame

In broad terms a DataFrame is a two dimensional structure containing tabular data. It contains rows and columns, just like a table or excel spreadsheet. Columns can be of various data types. It is very advantageous especially when dealing with data that has more than one variable.

data = {'Name': ['Alice', 'Bob', 'Charlie'], 'Age' : [24, 27, 22]}
df = pd.DataFrame(data)
print(df)

Methods to Import Data

In the corporate world there are a plethora of file formats and one of them includes CSV, Excel, JSON, and SQL databases. These file formats are in fact easy to import especially with the help of Pandas. This ability to read data from different prominent reasoning of why Pandas is very popular in data analysis Bring that fun to read data into different formats of file even more interesting In the below example as an illustration I am pulling in some data from a CSV file into a defined structure `DataFrame in a Pandas read times as written by Alok Sanwalpour To do this use: Remember to replace 'data' and subsequently 'data' file as it pertains to your case. Note that the type of data is contained in the tag following the quotation marks. So for instance zero data type container is not allowed.

df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')

This means once you load all the required data into the structure DataFrame you will start modifying and transforming it is based on your requirement

Practical Perspective on the Data Manipulation Techniques

When data is loaded in a DataFrame manipulating it as desired by the user is possible by a range of operations cleaning transformations and analyzing of one's data One of the top objectives is pulling together and construction of a range and variety of data matrix Ø Selecting Data One of the early on of the approach targeted to the structural changes on a data frame or matrices is enabling selecting shaping data which is represented by pointed out column lines or reaching specific digits - If you want to specify a column, use the column name, for example,

age_column = df['Age']

- To select a row by its index, use the `loc[]` or `iloc[]` methods, for instance,

row_by_index = df.loc[0]  Selecting first row

- If you only need a certain value by telling which row and column name you want to locate that specific value in using `loc[]`,

value = df.loc[0, 'Name']  It is a value which is in first row and 'Name' column

Selecting Data

You can also select data on certain criteria, for instance, we can select all rows that have the 'Age' column value greater than '25' as shown below,

filtered_data = df[df['Age'] > 25]

Sorting Data

Dataframes can also be sorted by numerous columns, and this can either be in ascending or descending order.

sorted_df = df.sort_values(by='Age', ascending=False)

Dealing with NaN values

The common term which is used to refer to null values is NaN. NaN very often appears in dataset in real life situations. There are certain functionalities that are provided by Pandas to deal with such data. - When you want to look for any data that is not present, apply the `isnull()` method:

df.isnull()

- In case the null values exist in any row and you want to get rid of those rows, use the dropna() method:

df_cleaned = df.dropna()

- Or else, you can replace the null values with 0 using the `fillna()`:

df_filled = df.fillna(0)

Transforming Information of a Frame

In case you would like to filter some data, or sort it, you will still be able to update the data present in the DataFrame. For instance, if you wish you can create new columns, or adjust the ones already present, or even use some function to change some values in several columns. - Creating and populating a new column:

df['Salary'] = [50000, 60000, 55000]

- Creating and populating a new column:

df['Age'] = df['Age'].apply(lambda x: x + 1)

Aggregating Information

If you wish to do some operation over the data set created, for instance, if you want to do aggregation replacing certain values, you can always make the use of grouping. Grouping a Pandas DataFrame is possible through one or more columns and afterwards some of the aggregation functions that can be defined include sum, mean, count, and others.

grouped_data = df.groupby('Age').sum()

Combining Data

Since files are saved into multiple tables or into different files, those tables are sometimes called as datasets. These datasets are combined by merging in Pandas forms. The merging of DataFrames is done by the `merge()` method in which one or more columns are common.

df_merged = pd.merge(df1, df2, on='ID')

Tables with various dimensions

Pandas tables also contain specific functionality that allows to create dimensional tables also called pivot tables which are useful for making summaries and analysis of data. You can make pivot tables by the method `pivot_table()`.

pivot_df = df.pivot_table(values='Salary', index='Age', aggfunc='mean')

Compendious review of fundamental steps

Now with the help of Pandas, you can perform several other data manipulation activities such as; - Uploading files from a range of types - Data selection or filtering and sorting of data - Removing null values of datasets - Changing the datasets' value, raising new datasets or functions. - Segmenting the data and combining it. - Also joining data tables and dimensional tables. All of these activities are critical in the processing of the data from its raw form for purposes of analysis. Indeed, with the power of deploying complex algorithms on vast datasets with a swiftness that's quite remarkable, it's no wonder that Pandas is an invaluable resource to any data scientist and analyst. Whether you're in the business of wrangling data, reshaping or transforming it in order to analyze or visualize the data, definitely there are ways in which one can handle data with the help of pandas.

Article

养花风水

5 hours ago

When talking about Python programming, one of the most essential libraries for numerical computation is NumPy. Understandably, NumPy is an abbreviation for Numerical Python. It is an important library that is widely used in mathematics and business computing. It is more efficient when it comes to storing and manipulating large quantities of data. In case you work with arrays, matrices, linear algebra, statistical computations, or Fourier-transforms, NumPy is definitely the application that you will turn to. What is more, thanks to NumPy, numerical calculations in Python can be done much quicker and with better use of memory than what is done using native Python lists. It allows the programming of complex equations without an unreasonable amount of pain to implement the equation manually.

What is NumPy?

The NumPy® stands for Numerical Python that can support fruition of an open-source library that allows the development of multi dimensional arrays along with matrices. But the most interesting fact lies in the fact that a vast range of operations can be performed using mathematical functions on the made arrays. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that, while Python's normal lists can be described as multi-purpose data containing a variety of types, a NumPy array is a single type array. This feature gives NumPy an edge on enhanced performance and reduced memory usage, this now makes it possible for scientific computation and statistical to assist in complex calculations and better prediction models. Arrays are the core object of NumPy which provides the base and foundation of the library; A good comparison of this is to use Python and its list type but now imagine a list that is much larger where stored lists can perform high-speed operations. Data manipulation also became easier, whereas before, constructs and slices were not allowed for ordinary lists. Every NumPy array can be indexed, sliced and each section can be reshaped with ease.

Creating NumPy Arrays

In order to use NumPy for the first time, it is necessary to prepend the library. After that, there are different modes in which you can create arrays. One of the most common ones is transforming any given list into any given NumPy array with the help of the np.array() function call. Let's see how to use NumPy by importing it and creating a basic array.

import numpy as np

arr = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4, 5])

print(arr)

This initializes a one dimensional NumPy array with elements ranging from 1 to 5. Creating arrays with specific values is also possible in NumPy using their many built in functions. For instance, there are configurations such as: an array of zeros, an array of ones or even an array of a certain range of numbers.

zeros_array = np.zeros((3, 4))   3x4 Array with zeroes

ones_array = np.ones((2, 2))     2x2 Array with ones

range_array = np.arange(0, 10, 2)   Output: [0 2 4 6 8]

These custom functions are helpful to easily create arrays containing required specific numbers without going through the trouble of inputting every number.

Array Operations

One of the reasons why NumPy has a wide usability is the fact that it allows for vectorized operations. Nowadays, most computers have a large amount of memory which allows for vectorization. In layman's terms, it is when you are able to operate on whole arrays, without needing to iterate through every element. You can, for example, carry out arithmetic directly with NumPy arrays as such:

arr1=np.array([1,2,3])

arr2=np.array([4,5,6])

sum_array = arr1 + arr2  Array adding the two arrays element wise

print(sum_array)

Also, NumPy accepts addition and some other operations, e.g., multiplication and division, to each element of an array without the use of loops explicitly. It, hence, increases the efficiency of a task that would have otherwise been executed in Python lists quite dramatically due to inefficiencies in the language.

product_array = arr1 * arr2  Multiplication of two arrays

print(product_array)

Apart from simple arithmetic we also have their complex equivalents built as sine, cosine and other trigonometric functions aside from logarithms and exponentials, i.e.

sin_array = np.sin(arr1)  Each element has a sine function applied to it

log_array = np.log(arr1)  Apply the natural logarithm

These are highly optimized as they involve millions of such calculations which explains why the use of NumPy is recommended.

Multi-dimensional Arrays

The claim that Python is a one-dimensional language is without merit as one of its salient features is the existence of multi-dimensional arrays. Such arrays have found a useful application in the analytics of data, machine learning, and the computation of scientific calculations. A 2D array can be considered to be a matrix which consists of rows and columns. You can create a 2D array as follows:

arr2D = np.array([[1, 2, 3],[4, 5, 6]])

print(arr2D)

Using indexing and slicing, it is possible to reach various elements in a multi-dimensional array. One method to reach a particular element in the 2D array is to define the index of the row and the column. The example below illustrates this:

element = arr2D[1, 2] Selecting the 2nd row, 3rd column element

print(element)

It is also possible to copy portions of an array, or subarrays through slicing, in the same way as is done with lists:

subarray = arr2D[0:1, 1:3] Copies elements of first row, 2nd to 3rd column

print(subarray)

NumPy will allow you to create arrays that have more than two dimensions. In addition to arrays of more than two dimensions, indexing and slicing will remain consistent across any array shapes.

Changing the Shape of an Array

arr1D = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])

arr2D = arr1D.reshape((2, 3))   Two dimensional array of two rows and three columns

print(arr2D)

In simpler terms, reshaping an array increases the performance of certain algorithms which require data to be in a certain format else the data will be wasted.

Other Significant Features of Numpy

There is a powerful feature called broadcasting in NumPy. As a result, NumPy has an inherent advantage because an operation can be done on two arrays of different sizes without the need to change the size of one of the two dimensions. Suppose we are given a 2D array and a single number, and we wish to add that single number to all elements of that array. Broadcasting lets us do this – there is no need to loop through the array.

arr2D = np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]])

result = arr2D + 5   Add 5 to every element in the array

print(result)

As seen above, NumPy automatically expands the single number across the entire array which makes this operation straightforward and quick to perform.

Conclusion

Numerous functions would benefit from the inclusion of NumPy as it is an important library which needs to be included in the arsenal of anyone who is working with any data which is numerical in nature. It contains useful data structures, sophisticated array control, and many mathematical functions. In the case that you wish to work with one or more arrays or matrices or perform highly complex mathematical calculations, then you will be pleased to know that NumPy addresses the annoyance of using Python unnecessarily for those tasks. Learning this library will prepare students for working on problems related to data science, or machine learning in particular.

Article

养花风水

5 hours ago

When writing software, one of the best practices is to avoid unnecessary duplication of work and instead, use what has been accomplished previously. This is where modules and libraries come in. These are the concepts that are very important in any programming language including Python. They enable you to harness previously written code so that you do not have to write everything from scratch. This is beneficial because it saves you time and effort and you will produce quality codes. So understanding how modules and libraries work in Python should help you write neater and less complex codes than before.

What is a Module?

A module is basically a python file that is used to store python codes. This file can have a number of definitions such as variables, functions and classes so that the defined elements can be used by other programs. Splitting the program into smaller components and creating such modules will help to keep the program neat so that each component will manage only a specific set of definitions. To be more precise, any file that has been saved with the .py extension is a module. A module's primary objective is to make it possible to set some functionalities that can be imported into other python programs without having to write them out again. This helps in code duplication and also prevents redundancy in a program. For instance if you have created a module entitled math_operations.py which includes many functions designed to fulfill different math tasks, this module can be imported to other programs and used instead of creating a tedious code again. Consider this as the most simple example of a module:

Math Operations Module Example

def add(a, b):
    return a + b;
def subtract(a, b):
    return a - b;

To use its functions this module can now be imported in a different python file:

Main Program Example

import math_operations
result = math_operations.add(5, 3)
print(result)  Output: 8

In the above example, `math_operations` is a module and it has two functions, `add` and `subtract`. This module can be imported in any other python file like `main_program.py` and its functions can be executed.

Importing Modules

There are many ways to import modules in Python. Import only a whole module, or particular functions or classes from it. 1. Importing the whole module: You say a module contains many variables and functions, including their definitions. Hence you do not have to redefine or call any function from the module.

Module Import Example

import math_operations
result = math_operations.subtract(10, 5)

2. Importing selected functions: To import only specific functions or classes from a module you call them directly.

Specific Function Import Example

from math_operations import add
result = add(3, 4)

3. Importing under a name: Where this feature is mostly useful is when the module is very long along with its function. The user is able to give a short name to a module or function according to his/her choice.

Alias Import Example

import math_operations as math_ops
result = math_ops.add(7, 8)

It's a good idea to import only specific sub-parts of a module which will make your code clearer and more user friendly.

What is a Library?

A library is a set of related modules that implement a certain functionality. Without the need to implement those yourself, libraries make it easy to add complex and advanced operations into your programs. Libraries may be created by third parties or by the python community, they are often used to enhance features of the python. For instance, the Python standard library, as the name suggests, is a free collection of modules that are included with Python such as those used for network communication, math, or file handling. As libraries are usually delivered as a set of modules, it is made very simple to carry out many tasks. For that, you may need to import only those libraries, their modules or their functions. Python has thousands of libraries that might assist you in nearly every aspect of your work with data, in web or application development, machine learning, or even in graphics.

The standard library in Python

In Python, such a version exists and it is called the standard library. It is composed of a series of modules that cover a broad scope of tasks such as: - Handling files and file systems using `os` and `shutil` - Performing operations involving math through `math` and `maths` - Employing instances of dates and time and time through `datetime` and `time` - Managing multiple communications through computer networks using `socket` and `requests` - Finding strings that conform to a pattern with the use of `re` Installing the standard library is perhaps one of the gains of'such a package as it is packaged together with python. This means when you install python, these modules are automatically available without the need to download and install additional packages. In working with time and dates for instance, you will utilize the `datetime` module such as shown in the following example.

DateTime Module Example

import datetime
current_time = datetime.datetime.now()
print(current_time)

The purpose of this module is to provide classes and functions for dealing with dates and times so that you make time functions in your programs easily.

Third-Party Libraries

Python is not limited only to its standard libraries; there also exists a whole range of third-party libraries. These libraries are developed either by the community or organizations to extend the default features offered by the core library. The installation of these libraries can easily be carried out through the Python package manager `pip`. For instance, for the case of requesting an internet resource in a more sophisticated manner, the third party library `requests` can be installed via the command below:

Package Installation Example

pip install requests

The moment you complete the installation, you may easily include and utilize the `requests` module within the code as shown below:

Requests Module Example

import requests
response = requests.get("https://www.example.com")
print(response.text)

Prominent examples of third-party libraries:

- NumPy is a widely used library for precise numerical computation and array operations - Pandas is effective in data analysis and data set manipulation and extraction - Matplotlib has a strong focus on data representation through various charts and graphs - Flask is a very famous framework for constructing web-based applications. - TensorFlow is best for artificial intelligence and deep learning jobs One of the benefits of these libraries is that they can greatly reduce the amount of code that needs to be underwritten while making it less complex to offer sophisticated features in your applications.

Handling Libraries with Virtual Environments

Sometimes it becomes necessary for libraries used in a project to be maintained at a particular state, so even though Python makes it very easy to install third party libraries, one common practice is to use virtual environments. A virtual environment is a directory that has its own python executable and libraries and allows to maintain dependencies for different projects separately. Virtual environments also help by providing isolation when libraries require different versions of python or other dependencies. You can create a virtual environment using the venv module:

Virtual Environment Creation Example

python3 -m venv myenv

Now, you can use this virtual environment and run the commands to install libraries within that environment:

Virtual Environment Activation Example

source myenv/bin/activate   On macOS/Linux
myenvScriptsactivate   On Windows
pip install requests

In this way it brings consistency to your project by making sure all the dependencies required are available without interference from other projects that you are working on.

Article

养花风水

6 hours ago

Programmers who engage in using Python must be well aware that it is an entirely object oriented programming language which has some unique facts around it. Python as stated above is an object-oriented programming which supports different paradigms programming including procedural programming and import features of OOP. This makes it far easier for writing complex and large software programs. This article will entail the introduction and the basic blocks of OOP in Python such as classes, objects, inheritance, and encapsulation.

How do Objects Help in Class Creation?

The ideal situation would be to migrate everything in life to oo programming,however when we deal with oo programming, the main focus is bestowed upon Through Programming. - The Rules, in other cases, define the approach for the objects on how to behave or how they should be programmed. In easier terms, the rules lay out how objects will look and be designed from the aspect of characteristics and functions. Would aid in deriving objects later on. The information you provided seems to be a good and clear explanation of Objects and Classes in Python. However, I might ask additional questions regarding the SNCC. My first question would be, if every program needs to contain Objects and classes, why is it not necessary to define a class in python first? An object is an instantiation of a class. An object is a real world item that possesses characteristics and behaviors as specified by its class. All the created objects of a class have data unique to itself and can call its class methods. In python, classes are defined by using the class keyword. Here's a basic illustration of python classes:

Class Definition Example

def __init__(self, name, age):
    self.name = name
    self.age = age
 function that rudimentary implements the characteristics of a dog 
def speak(self):    
return f"{self.name} says woof!"

In this example the contents of class Dog has been described. It has 2 variables which are name and age, there is also a member function speak() within it, which returns a string value when executed. Now whenever we create an object out of this class dog, it will have name and age all set to certain values defined in it. Every class has its unique mechanism to ascertain the objects and attributes associated with it. Each class has a method called a constructor or an initiation method, this method is referred to as __init__. In the above example, we created a new `Dog` object and the parameters `name` and `age` were added due to `__init__`. As stated, the `self` array is related to the object, and it also includes the access of the object attributes and methods.

Object Creation Example

dog1 = Dog("Buddy", 3)
print(dog1.name)   Output: Buddy
print(dog1.speak())  Output: Buddy says woof.

Instance vs Class Variables

The variables that belong to the objects are referred to as instance variables in python, while the ones that belong to the class itself are referred to as class variables. - Instance variable is a variable defined in a class and it is specific to the object of the class. Such variables are usually specified in the `__init__` method and may vary for each object created. - Class variables are those which are laid down within the class and outside all methods of the class, and all objects of the class share the same attribute.

Here is the example of class variable:

Class and Instance Variables Example

class Dog:
    species = "Canine"   Class variable
 
    def __init__(self, name, age):
        self.name = name   Instance variable
        self.age = age     Instance variable

Here, the `species` is a class variable, while the `name` and `age` are instance variables. And that's because all the 'Dog' objects have the same value of `species`, however every one of them has its different `name` and `age`.

Inheritance in Python

The OOP paradigm has what is called inheritance. Inheritance essentially means that a class may be able to use both the properties and features of the previously existing class. In other words, it enables the reuse and extension of code whenever necessary. Another class or subclass is able to overwrite or implement additional behaviors on top of what the parent class allows. The parent class is called a superclass or base class. Let's understand it through an example of Inheritance;

Inheritance Example

class Animal:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name
    def speak(self):
        return f"{self.name} makes a sound."

class Dog(Animal):   Dog is a subclass of Animal
    def speak(self):   Overriding the speak method
        return f"{self.name} barks."

class Cat(Animal):   Cat is a subclass of Animal
    def speak(self):   Overriding the speak method
        return f"{self.name} meows."

As illustrated above, both `Dog` and `Cat` can be said to be subclasses of class `Animal.` Both of them possess the `__init__` method upon inheriting from `Animal`, in addition to which they also have their own implementations of the `speak()` behavior. Inheritance is one of the key concepts that allows one to derive more specialized classes without changing the general pattern and functionality of the parent class.

Encapsulation in Python

Encapsulation is yet another crucial idea in OOP. It is the practice of hiding the internal workings of a class from other classes. In this way, the class itself governs how its data may be viewed or altered. Encapsulation in python is mostly done with the use of private and public attributes. It is the convention that attributes which are to be kept private (that is, not to be accessed directly from outside the class) will be prefixed with a double underscore sign `__`. For instance, let's examine an inheritance:

Encapsulation Example

class BankAccount:
    def __init__(self, owner: str, balance):
        self.owner = owner
        self.__balance = balance   Private variable    

    def deposit(self, amount):
        if amount > 0:
            self.__balance += amount 

    def withdraw(self, amount):
        if amount > 0 and amount <= self.__balance:
            self.__balance -= amount

        def get_balance(self):
        return self.__balance

Here, in this example, the balance is encapsulated within the class. It is also clear that the balance is not accessible directly from outside the class, instead, it is access controlled by `deposit`, `withdraw`, and `get_balance` functions.

Article

养花风水

6 hours ago

There is no perfect coder; everyone makes mistakes every now and then from a missing semicolon to errors in logic to even deeper issues in the code. These issues are very common in python coding and thus skills in error handling and debugging are very important for a programmer. Failing to handle errors properly and not knowing how to debug code efficiently can result in inefficient programs and wastage of time in the end. This article aims to approach these problems from a novice perspective making it more understandable: Understanding how to handle error messages while coding and how to fix those issues when they crop up.

Common Errors in Python

For error handling to be effective, the first step is to know the various types of errors that occur when a python program is run. Someone who is new to coding might wonder what these errors are, well these errors can be categorized into two broad classifications: Syntax errors and Exceptions. 1. Syntax errors: As the name suggests, these errors occur due to the failure in syntax comprehension regarding the code's intended structure by the Python parser, such as missing colons at the end of an 'If' statement or omitting closure for parentheses. Probably, these types of errors are the easiest to correct because, whenever they occur, Python informs the user by display of the line number where the error occurred and gives a brief description of the error. 2. Exceptions: The term refers to error which takes place when the unit program is running something goes wrong and the operation cannot be completed successfully. These errors are the ones happening while executing the program such as division by zero, targeting a file that does not exist, trying to call in a variable that has not been defined. Python's exception system is designed in a manner that enables a programmer to detect and respond to errors before a program crashes.

Error Handling in Python

The features of Python are such that it enables catching and managing exceptions through the `try`, `except`, and `else` blocks. `Try` block is the piece of code that might cause an exception and `except` is where things break, and these exceptions are caught. Perhaps an optional 'Else' block is where the execution flow jumps if all preceding conditions fail or in this case error free code is executed. Let us start with an exception handling example in Python, which can be implemented in the following way:

Basic Exception Handling Example

try:
     This code could potentially lead to an Exception 
    risky_code ( )
except ExceptionType:
    print("An error occurred.")
else:   
    print("Did something go wrong?")

Points to note regarding the use of these Keywords: - `try`: This is where a risky code segment is implemented and the chance of an exception being generated is likely. - `except`: After executing the try block, if an exception is raised, this block defines actions against the occurred exception. All exceptions can be caught, amongst `ValueError` or `FileNotFoundError`. - `else`: This block further executes only in a scenario where the try block was successful. Using a catchAll clause such as an `except` clause is not as ideal as handling exceptions because every type of error can be dealt with appropriately.

Explaining the Catching of Specific Exceptions

Depending on the number of 'except' clauses, you may be able to catch several types of exceptions. A good example would be permissible values when a user is reading a file: one may want to deal with a permissive error differently from what file not found suggests. This is how to capture the meaning of certain exceptions;

Specific Exception Handling Example

try:
    a = 1
    5/0
except NameError:
    print('Exception occurred')

Hence, a user can retrieve and respond to the circumstance in a more effective way instead of issuing a blanket statement.

Explaining the Use of the finally Block

The other useful feature of Python error management is the block 'finally'. This block will run when an exception is raised and also when it is not. However, this is against its normal usage where it is reserved for clearing codes: Releasing resources or closing a file.

Finally Block Example

try:
    a = 0
    if a == 0:
        raise ZeroDivisionError("Division by zero")
    else:
        2/a
except ZeroDivisionError:
    print ('error is raised')
finally:
    print ('Don't divide a number by zero')

As you may have guessed, the contents inside the "finally" block will run and yes the file will be closed irrespective of an exception being raised or not. This is one of the basic tasks to ensure resources are available.

The Python Debugging Techniques

Debugging is the only way to check for any faults or mistakes in your code. As coders, it goes without saying that we are bound to make errors while writing code. Thankfully Python has a number of tools and techniques which help make matters easier by rectifying errors in the code.

1. Using Print Statements

Inserting print statements when debugging makes this technique quite effective when solving errors. It is easier to identify bugs or faults in the code by inserting print statements in the program at specific points and printing out variable values and intermediate results. However, this method tends to be quite effective especially during large programming tasks. Moreover, when debugging has been finalized, coders tend to forget to delete print statements making their programs much larger than required.

2. Implementing a Debugger

Another debugging method which comes built-in with Python is called `pdb`. With the help of the `pdb` module, you can set breakpoints in your code and then execute your program line by line. This helps in determining the variables used in that specific line and other components of the code. Add the following line at the location where you want the debugger to activate:

PDB Debugger Example

import pdb; pdb.set_trace()

This command makes the program halt at that specific location therefore allowing you to access the command prompt and enter pertinent details related to the program. Once you end the debugging session, the program continues to execute from the point where it was interrupted.

3. IDE Debuggers

For those who use Integrated Development Environment (IDE) tools such as PyCharm or Visual Studio Code, or any of the most common Python IDEs, a debugger is included as part of the program. These debuggers provide a graphical tool which enables the user to step through the code, change the value of a variable or watch the program execution process. These tools are easier to use than the command-line debugger and are recommended for use in large scale projects.

4. Logging

Debugging using logging is quite effective as well. The Python `logging` module provides a means of determining how the program is executing and how errors occur in a more formalized way than using print statements. While print statements do aid in forming the cause of the error in code, they are limited in that they cannot be retained after the program is run unlike logging which is saved on a separate file thus assisting more in debugging processes.

Logging Example

import logging
  
 Setting up the logging configuration
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

 Logging a debug message
logging.debug("This is a debug message.")

 Logging an info message
logging.info("This is an info message.")

Article

养花风水

6 hours ago

File management is an essential functionality in a program. It encompasses reading from, writing to as well as changing files. In python programming, file management functionality is quite easy because of the functions that have been set aside for this purpose. These functions allow one to load files into the programs like other pieces of data that are not contained in the program. This paper will seek to demonstrate file management in python with particular attention to reading, writing and file appending. It will explain steps necessary to read the content of a file, to change its content and to add contents to a file without deleting its previous contents.

Concepts Introduction

File management functionality in python starts by opening a file, performing the required activity on the file such as appending or modifying the file and then shutting the file. The files are affixed off the program in most cases within the disk storage and in performing such functions python provides syntax for inputting them into the program using open command. Opening any existing file requires the same two basic attributes; its title and the appropriate mode. The mode controls the intended action for that particular file to be carried out. There are three basic modes of operation. The most common modes are: - `'r'` for reading The file is available for reading, should the file not exist an error is returned. - `'w'` for writing This mode is often used when a new document must be created. If a document with the same name exists, it will be deleted and replaced by this one. - `'a'` for appending This mode is used when existing documents must be updated rather than replaced. It simply creates a new document if none are found with the same name. Existing documents remain intact and the new information is added at the end of such documents.

Reading from a File

When the file's content is required, it can be simply opened in read mode (`'r'`), numerous other methods are available in python as well. All of these methods are file handling solutions. The `read()` function extracts data from the file and returns it as one single large chunk of text. There's more: if you only want to read 'n' characters from that file, you would just call `read(n)` where 'n' would be the number of characters to be read. In order to read a file, line by line, `readline()` would be helpful, this method reads an individual line of text inside the file. Another method is `readlines()`, which reads all lines in a file and returns them as an array of strings in which each element of the array represents a line inside the file. If you don't want to use a file anymore, then you should properly close it by calling the `close()` method on the file object. This makes sure that all the resources are freed and the file is safely closed.

Writing to a File

In python, files can be written to by opening the file in write mode ('w'). This means that all previous content of the file can either be erased or if the file doesn't exist, then a new file is created. The `write()` method allows you to store a variable string in a file. In order to save in, say, a notepad, you can invoke the `write()` function many times or employ the `writelines()` method which is capable of writing every line of a list in one go. It is critical to understand that when you open a file in write mode, the content that exists therein is completely removed. If, however, you only wish to add new data and keep the prior data intact, you have to select the file in append mode.

Adding More Content to The File

You can add more information to a certain file if you select the appropriate file in append mode. This mode is also much like write mode, except rather than erasing the previous content of the file, it saves its content in an unused space to the furthest end of the document. When attaching new information within an existing document, the content currently inside the document cannot be removed or over-written, and so it must be kept in mind. Attachments take place without any influence on the current content of the file. In order to add more content to any file, you may use the 'write() function, just as you would use for any other writing task but note this time that the content is saved inside the file in append mode so all new content will always be saved at the end of the file.

File Handling with the help of Context Managers

You can control your files by opening and closing them via their respective methods `open()` and `close()`, however it is best practice to utilize a context manager. Whenever delving into file operations in Python, a context manager is an instance that handles the functionality for you by opening and closing files as required without the need for you to do it manually. The common practice of file handling using context managers is through the use of a 'with' statement. Once a file is opened with 'with', Python takes care of the closing even if the operation encounters an error. This also lowers the chances of a user ending up with an unclosed file and toppers the needed management of the resources. Here's a basic example of how to read from a file using the `with` statement:

File Reading with Context Manager Example

with open('example.txt', 'r') as file:
    content = file.read()
    print(content)

In this case, the file will still be closed at the end, no matter if an error occurred before that time or not. The only thing with which the file would close prior to, if all the code within the statement had executed and thus the resources could be required to be freed.

File Read related Errors

When dealing with files, one should always be prepared to meet the errors and problems that the operations can encounter. Such as, an already missing file which is required for one to open, or a missing file permission. Python has exception handling for this purpose. And there are `try` and `except` blocks for that too. Here's an example:

File Error Handling Example

try:
    with open('example.txt', 'r') as file:
        content = file.read()
        print(content)
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The file does not exist.")

So even if the file does not exist the program does not stop and the user is simply told about the problem.

Conclusion

You have an understanding of how to open files in different modes as well as functions like `read()`, `write()`, `append()`, so working with files in Python should not be a problem. The use of context managers, as well as proper error handling help make your code cleaner and more dedicated to the task.

Article

养花风水

6 hours ago

An extremely important term in programming languages is collections. In Python, collections are regarded as fundamental structures that allow programmers to bundle multiple items together. These multiple items can also be thought of as values. These collections—lists,tuples; dictionaries are the basic methods of structuring and processing data in python. Each collection type comes with different features and fulfills different roles, giving you the opportunity of selecting the most appropriate one for your needs. This article explains what collections in Python are, what the difference between them is, how they can be used, what their characteristics are (as well as their applications) with the help of examples, focusing on lists, dictionaries, and tuples.

What Are Collections in Python?

A collection is defined as an object or structure that contains a set of other objects. In programming, a collection is a container that contains multiple units. In Python, collections can be described as powerful instruments in programming that permit the user to store data in one variable, thus enabling the user to handle several data values at once. The role of collections in programming is crucial as it enables programmers to organize the data systematically for easy retrieval, modification, such as sorting, adding, deleting items in the collection, or changing the selected item. Among the most used types of collections in Python include collections of lists, tuples, and dictionaries. Every collection has its own characteristics, features, benefits, and disadvantages depending on the area which you are using it in.

Lists: A Collection That Is Dynamic and Changeable

A list is one of the most frequently used types of collection in Python. It is a sequence which is a representation of a collection of items which is changeable and ordered. Being a sequence, Lists are flexible because elements in them can be added, removed, or changed. Possible elements of a list are numbers, strings, and other lists. Lists are created by writing the items to be contained in it inside square brackets, `[]` separated by commas. Lists are indexed i.e., every item in a list is positioned (or indexed) such that the first item has an index of 0. You can access any item in a list by specifying the respective index of that item. The list is carefully built which has one of the most fundamental attributes, which is, it's mutable. This means that elements of the list can be changed even though the list has already been built. You can put items in the list that were not there before, remove items that are in the list, or update items that are already in the list. Here's an example of a list:

List Manipulation Example

fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
fruits.append('orange')   Adds 'orange' to the end of the list
fruits[1] = 'blueberry'   Changes 'banana' to 'blueberry'

In this example, the `fruits` list was first said to contain 3 elements, however, it was changed through the addition of an item at the end and the modification of one of the factions `elements` lists. Also, lists support slicing, i.e., you can select a subsection of elements contained within the list by using a start and end index point. For example ':' means all columns from index one through index three excluding index three, meaning that the selection will be made from the first element up to the second. This returns a sub list with all elements from index one through , but not including index three.

Tuples — Non-Changeable and Sequenced Objects

Another collection type in Python is tuples, this is very similar to a list except that there's one major difference – it is tuples which are extremely economic in structure. Once a tuple is created no further edits can be made: elements can neither be changed nor be added nor anything be removed. When a program is run, it can therefore make use of a collection of data without worrying of the data changing at any time during the program.

For creating a tuple you would simply require an opening bracket as opposed to a square bracket. They can still incorporate the same functionality as a list in that they are able to hold numerous items which can be of various types but when a tuple is created, that's it the contents cannot be changed. A simple example of a tuple is shown below.

Tuple Example

colors = ('red', 'green', 'blue')

From this example it is easy to see that tuples, like lists, are ordered, meaning that the items in a tuple have a defined position or place in the tuple and can be retrieved by their index. However, in contrast with lists, once an element is assigned in a tuple such an element cannot be changed. If one tries to do so, an error occurs. For example:

Tuple Immutability Example

colors[1] = 'yellow'  This will cause an error since the tuples have been assigned and are thus immutable

Although it has the disadvantage of being immutable, a construct of type tuple can be best suited for the work where it should be ensured that the data would not be changed by mistake. An illustrative example would be a fixed set of coordinates or an RGB representation of a color. Also due to the fact that constant elements are present in tuples, they are usually faster and use less memory than lists. These are often employed in Python when there is a need to safeguard the data and when speed is important.

Dictionaries: Storing value against a unique key!

A specific type of structured data storage with the name of dictionary stores elements in the form of key-value relationships. In contrast to lists and tuples where elements/indexes are leveraged to reach an element, retrieval of values from a custom key to rather a value is possible in a dictionary. This characteristic of dictionaries renders them a suitable candidate to use in any situation where data has to be pulled based on a unique identifier, quickly. A dictionary in python can be created by enclosing the key-value pairs in curly brackets, each pair being separated by a colon symbol. Key in regards to a particular value acts as a unique reference and each value represents data related to that specific key. For instance consider a case of a simple python dictionary which describes attributes of a person:

Dictionary Example

person = {'name': 'John', 'age': 30, 'city': 'New York'}
print(person['name'])   Output will be 'John'

It is important to notice here that a dictionary type in python is an unordered collection, therefore its members or items are not arranged in a specific order like lists or tuples which hold data in an orderly manner. However, from version 3.7 onwards if the order of insertion of the items is maintained, only then the order of the items in the dictionary will be the same as their order of addition. Providing fast lookup is one of the primary advantages of dictionaries. Knowing its key allows you to know its value almost instantly, which makes dictionaries suitable for use in areas requiring fast searching – for example a database or a data mapping. You can change dictionaries also by inserting new elements or modifying the old ones:

Dictionary Modification Example

person['age'] = 31  Sets the value of age to 31
person['job'] = 'Engineer'  Sets the job for the person as a key-value pair

In addition, you can specify items to be removed from the dictionary: sectors can be deleted from the dictionary using `del` or using the `pop()` method:

Dictionary Deletion Example

del person['city']   The key city and its value are removed

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