Python was invented in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer. Here is a complete guide on the history and evolution of Python:
Inception of Python:
Guido van Rossum started working on Python in December 1989 at the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI) in the Netherlands. He wanted to create a programming language that was easy to read, write, and understand. He drew inspiration from various programming languages, including ABC, Modula-3, and C.
Python's Early Years:
Python's development continued through the early 1990s, with Guido van Rossum releasing the first version, Python 0.9.0, in February 1991. The language gained popularity among the programming community for its simplicity, readability, and focus on code clarity. Guido van Rossum published the Python Language Reference Manual (commonly known as the "Python Bible") in 1991, which served as the definitive guide to the language.
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Python 2.x:
Python 2.0, the first major release, came out in October 2000. It introduced several significant improvements, including a garbage collector, list comprehensions, and support for Unicode. Python 2.x continued to evolve with regular updates, reaching version 2.7, which became widely adopted and remained in use for many years.
Python 3.x and the Great Schism:
In December 2008, Python 3.0 (also known as Python 3000) was released. Python 3.x was a major overhaul of the language, introducing backward-incompatible changes and improvements to address certain design flaws in Python 2.x. However, this led to a division within the Python community, as the transition from Python 2.x to Python 3.x was not straightforward for existing codebases. Many developers continued using Python 2.x due to the compatibility issues.
Python's Rise in Popularity:
Despite the initial challenges with the transition, Python continued to gain popularity and a strong developer community. Its simplicity, readability, and versatility made it a preferred choice for various domains, including web development, data science, machine learning, and automation.
Python Software Foundation (PSF):
In 2001, the Python Software Foundation (PSF) was established as a non-profit organization to promote, protect, and advance the Python programming language. PSF supports the development and maintenance of Python, organizes conferences (PyCon), and provides grants and resources to support the Python community.
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Recent Developments:
Python has seen significant advancements and updates in recent years. Regular releases of Python 3.x have brought numerous improvements, new features, and performance enhancements. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the latest stable version was Python 3.9.x.
Python's popularity has soared due to its vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, such as Django, Flask, NumPy, Pandas, and TensorFlow. It has become one of the most widely used programming languages across various domains.
In conclusion, Python was invented by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s and has evolved into a powerful, versatile, and community-driven programming language. Despite the challenges faced during the transition from Python 2.x to Python 3.x, Python continues to thrive and remains a popular choice for developers worldwide. To learn this this programming language visit the Tutorials Freak's Python Tutorial for Beginners.