Python
Python is an interpreted, general-purpose high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive. Its use of indentation for block delimiters is unique among popular programming languages.
Python supports multiple programming paradigms, primarily but not limited to object-oriented, imperative and, to a lesser extent, functional programming styles. It features a fully dynamic type system and automatic memory management, similar to that of Scheme, Ruby, Perl, and Tcl. Like other dynamic languages, Python is often used as a scripting language, but is also used in a wide range of non-scripting contexts.
The reference implementation of Python (CPython) is free and open source software and has a community-based development model, as do all or nearly all of its alternative implementations. CPython is managed by the non-profit Python Software Foundation.
Python interpreters are available for many operating systems, and Python programs can be packaged into stand-alone executable code for many systems using various tools.
Usage
Python is often used as a scripting language for web applications, e.g. via mod_wsgi for the Apache web server. With Web Server Gateway Interface, a standard API has been developed to facilitate these applications. Web application frameworks like Django, Pylons, TurboGears, web2py, Flask and Zope support developers in the design and maintenance of complex applications. Libraries like NumPy, SciPy and Matplotlib allow Python to be used effectively in scientific computing.
Python has been successfully embedded in a number of software products as a scripting language, including in finite element method software such as Abaqus, 3D animation packages such as Houdini, Maya, MotionBuilder, Softimage, Cinema 4D, BodyPaint 3D, modo and Blender and 2D imaging programs like GIMP, Inkscape, Scribus and Paint Shop Pro. GNU GDB uses Python as a pretty printer to show complex structures such as C++ containers. ESRI is now promoting Python as the best choice for writing scripts in ArcGIS. It has even been used in several video games, and has been adopted as first of the three available programming languages in Google App Engine (as of May 2011), the other two being Java and Go.
Because of its similarities to Lisp, Python has also been used in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
For many operating systems, Python is a standard component; it ships with most Linux distributions, NetBSD, OpenBSD and with Mac OS X and can be used from the terminal. A number of Linux distributions use installers written in Python: Ubuntu uses the Ubiquity installer, while Red Hat Linux and Fedora use the Anaconda installer. Gentoo Linux uses Python in its package management system, Portage and the standard tool to access it, emerge. Pardus uses it for administration and during system boot.
Python has also seen extensive use in the information security industry, including exploit development.
Among the users of Python are YouTube and the original BitTorrent client. Large organizations that make use of Python include Google, Yahoo!, CERN, NASA, ILM, and ITA. Most of the Sugar software for the One Laptop per Child XO, now developed at Sugar Labs, is written in Python.
