Core Python Programming is a textbook on the Python programming language, written by Wesley J. Chun. The first edition of the book was released on December 14, 2000. The second edition was released several years later on September 18, 2006.

Core Python Programming is targeted mainly at higher education students and IT professionals. With each printing, the book is updated and errors are corrected. The official site has updates and errata for those with the older printings as well as changes since the last printing. As of February 2011, this edition was in its fifth printing. Core Python Programming has been translated into French, Chinese (simplified) and Hindi. Core Python Programming is divided into two parts with a total of 23 chapters, as well as an index.

The first part of Core Python Programming, Core Python, deals with the basic aspects of the Python programming language. Chapters One and Two, named What is Python? and Getting Started respectively, give instructions on how to install and configure Python, as well as detailing the basic operators and simple statements. Part One continues to cover Sequences (Lists, Strings and Tuples), Built-in Functions and creating functions, Loops (for-loop, while loop and if-statement being the most common); Modules, a full explanation on what Object Oriented Programming is; and syntax. Part Two, Advanced Topics, contains information the more complex aspects of Python, such as GUI programming.

Other topics covered include regular expressions, network programming, multithreaded programming, web programming and database programming. Core Python Programming has been generally well received by reviewers. Jeremy Turner, from www. freesoftwaremagazine.

com, rated Core Python Programming 10 out of 10, stating: “You should buy this book because it is the best reference guide and learning material on the Python programming language. The book is easy to follow and is an excellent place to start or brush up on your Python skills. “ On the other hand, he also stated that: “Python pros, or those looking for answers and examples to specific problems may not enjoy this book. The book is also not a complete reference of the Python language, but does do a very good job of explaining it.

“Michael Baxter, in a review of the first edition of Core Python Programming on Linux Journal, was also very positive about the book. .