Python essential reference
by David M. Beazley · first published 2000
67% recommend33% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Compact, well-organized Python reference that opens with a short, fast tutorial on the basics, then covers the standard library in depth. Suits programmers who already know another language and want a desk copy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This is the eBook version of the printed book.Python Essential Reference, 3rd Edition, is a comprehensive reference to the Python programming language. The focus of this latest edition is to add coverage of significant new features and new library modules added to the language over the past five years. Clearly written with concise organization, the new features covered include new style classes, unification of types and classes, xmlrpclip, intertools, bz2 and optparse, making it the most up-to-date Python book on the market.
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…books, but none of them really answer the author's question. In particular, Learn Python the Hard Way is pretty much the exact opposite of what he is looking for. The closest thing to K&R C for python is Python Essential Reference by Beazley. The structure mirrors K&C. The first chapter is a "tutorial introduction", basically a quick survey of the language, followed by about 150 page explaining the language. It is dense and terse…
on “Ask HN: ______ is to Python as K&R is to C?” ↗Here are some that I really liked, which aren't "here's how to program" type books. I'm not going to repeat books that were mentioned in the OP, except to say...The Algorithm Design Manual. 1. Python Essential Reference - Beazley 2. Modern C++ Design - Alexandrescu (mind-blowing; he now works on the D language) 3. Internet Core Protocols: The Definitive Guide - Hall (not a work of any particular genius, but this is…
on “Code Interview Reading List” ↗…(and often even in the beginning) I find well-written, well-organized reference material to be more useful than a tutorial guide. I did not use Lutz to learn python, for example, I used David Beazley's Python Essential Reference. He includes a brief tutorial of the implementation and basic language features and moves to a large selection of the python standard library. My favorite C book is the reference by Harbison and Steele,…
on “Blunt and necessary review of programming language books.” ↗Python: http://www.amazon.com/Python-Essential-Reference-David-Beazl... Java: http://www.amazon.com/Java-Language-Specification-The-Editio... What do you mean you can't find them?
on “Books Programmers Don't Really Read But Recommend” ↗I'm using Python: Essential Reference by David M. Beazley(Third Edition) to learn Python. It's got a no-nonsense tutorial that plows through all the basics first, then has a large reference for the Standard Library. The reference is very…
on “How long does it take you to learn a new programming language (on average)?” ↗…either for beginners or journeymen. Python in a Nutshell is more suitable as reference book, although I suppose you could use it to learn Python. For a Python reference book, I found David Beazley's Python Essential Reference to be more informative and better organized: http://www.amazon.com/Python-Essential-Reference-Developers-... As other people have mentioned, Guido's online tutorial is pretty good, and you don't really…
on “What did you use to teach yourself Python?” ↗David Beazley's Python Essential Reference. you can do chapter 1 examples with the python basics in the interpreter and go from there. by far the easiest and best programming book I've ever come across. All the basics in one remarkably short…
on “What did you use to teach yourself Python?” ↗Core Python Programming (2nd Edition) by Wesley Chun (http://python.net/crew/wesc/cpp/) is very good. It's somewhat dated now, but is very readable. Once you've learned the language, David Beazley's Python Essential Reference (4th Edition) (http://www.dabeaz.com/per.html) is excellent.
on “Ask HN: How to learn Javascript and HTML for devs coming from C++/Java/Python?” ↗Yes, Python Essential Reference by David M. Beazley is great. If you already know how to program, this is the one to buy and keep on your desk.
on “Ask HN: ______ is to Python as K&R is to C?” ↗Though I have yet to come across book titled "Effective Python", books like "Python Essential Reference" by David Beazly and "Python Cook Book" covers lot of ares that you mention above.
on “Improving Your Python Productivity” ↗…programmer, be sure to check out his most recent book,“Python Distilled”[3]! [1] https://dabeaz-course.github.io/practical-python/ [2] https://www.dabeaz.com/courses.html [3] https://www.amazon.com/Python-Essential-Reference-Developers...
on “Advanced Python Mastery – A Course by David Beazley” ↗…Library Reference book (if I remember the name correctly) was one of the best software reference books that I bought and read. I googled, and this seems to be the current edition: https://www.amazon.in/Python-Essential-Reference-Essentia-De...
on “Advanced Python Mastery – A Course by David Beazley” ↗…is among the more recommended books after you have started out, and for the sake of time and your wallet avoid oreily's python books as they are about 700 pages over length. You might want to give the Python Essential Reference a try instead as it is quite a good reference and something like the first 6 chapters are a nice quick tutorial, though it probably is more high level than you want (probably read it in a store first).…
on “Ask HN: Am I learning Python the right way?” ↗Learning Python first is a good step. There are lots of good books for Python. I liked the book "Python Essential Reference", but there are many tutorial style books that might be better for you. Once you have the basics of Python in hand, then you can move on to Django. Unfortunately, all of the books on Django are hopelessly…
on “How To Become a Successful Freelance Web Developer (and Not Kill Your Career)” ↗If you aren't new to programming at all, then I'd suggest Python Essential Reference. Otherwise, I'm still recommending against learning Python the hard way. That might depend on a person, but I don't think typing some samples can make an interesting task, and AFAIKT doing things that…
on “Dive Into Python 3 (online book)” ↗