Python is simple to learn, expressive to write, and powerful enough to build systems of any scale — from automation scripts to backend APIs and machine learning pipelines.

This handbook contains 20 concise, developer-friendly chapters, each focusing on practical understanding and working examples.

Chapter 1 — What Is Python & Why It Matters

Python is a high-level, cross-platform, readable language created in 1991.
Its design goals:

• readability
• developer productivity
• “batteries-included” standard library
• large ecosystem of packages

Python powers:

Python is one of the most widely used programming languages today — simple enough for beginners, powerful enough for companies like Google, Instagram, Spotify, and NASA.

This article provides a calm, friendly, and practical introduction to Python in the Birdor style: concise, structured, and useful.

What Is Python?

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language created by Guido van Rossum and released in 1991.
It was designed with a clear goal: