Book recommendation? For getting up to date

[Jan Erik Moström]

I'm looking for a book that would teach me the lastest and greatest parts of Python, does anyone have any recommendations?

I've looked at python.org and pythonbooks.org but I couldn't decide which one to get.

I used to be fairly good at Python, but I haven't done any serious programming in the last 10 years or so. So I would like something that got me up-to-date with the latest features.

I don't need anything that would teach me OOP, functional programming, etc (unless there is a new feature). In other words I'm looking for something that concentrates language specific changes that has happened the last 10 years or so.

= jem

[Stefan Ram]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
book that would teach me the lastest and greatest parts of Python

Maybe,

The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition. by Naomi Ceder

(I haven't seen this myself, it's an "indirect" recommendation) or

Effective Python by Brett Slatkin

(indirect, too). BTW: Some of the news are:

async, await, f-strings, data classes, walrus operator,
match statement (structural pattern matching), pathlib,
type annotations, and pyproject.toml for distribution.

[Mats Wichmann]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I'm looking for a book that would teach me the lastest and greatest parts of Python, does anyone have any recommendations?
I've looked at python.org and pythonbooks.org but I couldn't decide which one to get.
I used to be fairly good at Python, but I haven't done any serious programming in the last 10 years or so. So I would like something that got me up-to-date with the latest features.
I don't need anything that would teach me OOP, functional programming, etc (unless there is a new feature). In other words I'm looking for something that concentrates language specific changes that has happened the last 10 years or so.
= jem

Possibly scan through the "What's New in ..." pages for Python 3, to
give you descriptions of new stuff that you can then use as search terms
for further research.

https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/index.html

[rbowman]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I used to be fairly good at Python, but I haven't done any serious
programming in the last 10 years or so. So I would like something that
got me up-to-date with the latest features.

David Beasley's 'Python Distilled'. The author doesn't enumerate Python 3
features specifically but as the title suggests hits the important
concepts.

https://www.dabeaz.com/python-distilled/

[Jan Erik Moström]

Post by rbowman
David Beasley's 'Python Distilled'. The author doesn't enumerate Python 3
features specifically but as the title suggests hits the important
concepts.

Thanks, I'll take a look

= jem

[Salvador Mirzo]

Post by Jan Erik Moström

Post by rbowman
David Beasley's 'Python Distilled'. The author doesn't enumerate Python 3
features specifically but as the title suggests hits the important
concepts.

Thanks, I'll take a look

I can reinforce this recommendation. I haven't read the entire book,
but I'm reading it slowly. The beauty of this book is that it's very
concise without being just a reference. Since you're familiar with
Python already, this is likely a good match to you.

[Mats Wichmann]

Post by Salvador Mirzo

Post by Jan Erik Moström

Post by rbowman
David Beasley's 'Python Distilled'. The author doesn't enumerate Python 3
features specifically but as the title suggests hits the important
concepts.

Thanks, I'll take a look

I can reinforce this recommendation. I haven't read the entire book,
but I'm reading it slowly. The beauty of this book is that it's very
concise without being just a reference. Since you're familiar with
Python already, this is likely a good match to you.

It's what one might call the "spiritual successor" to Dabeaz's earlier
Python Essential Reference, which for years (early 2000's) was the one
book I referred to frequently.

[dn]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I'm looking for a book that would teach me the lastest and greatest parts of Python, does anyone have any recommendations?
I've looked at python.org and pythonbooks.org but I couldn't decide which one to get.
I used to be fairly good at Python, but I haven't done any serious programming in the last 10 years or so. So I would like something that got me up-to-date with the latest features.
I don't need anything that would teach me OOP, functional programming, etc (unless there is a new feature). In other words I'm looking for something that concentrates language specific changes that has happened the last 10 years or so.

When stop to think about it, this is quite a request:
don't give me what I do know,
do give me what I don't know!

That said, you are correct: the bulk of new publications seem to (still)
aim at the Beginner end of the continuum (see later comments).


Over the period mentioned, Python has changed a great deal - Python 3
(largely) replacing Python 2 was only the most-notable! Another
explosion has been the sheer variety of application-domains where Python
is happily applied: web, data science, machine learning, geo-spatial,
natural language - and good, old, math/stats (and more...)

Accordingly, most books aim at 'getting started' (Learn?Master Python in
the time it takes to eat an apple - hint: the apple is probably better
value), or one specific domain, eg Python for Econometrics.


Books published in 2024 (which I may not have read from cover to cover -
yet):

Effective Python: 125 Specific Ways to
Write Better Python, 3rd Edition
Brett Slatkin
Addison Wesley
- probably some good 'reminders' for you, to bring Python back-to-life
in your mind, plus (some of) the updated information and more-advanced
considerations requested


Hypermodern Python Tooling
Building Reliable Workflows for an Evolving Python Ecosystem
Claudio Jolowicz
O'Reilly
- per the title, majors on testing and projects rather than the language
per-se (still haven't found git in-detail though - YMMV)


Powerful Python
Aaron Maxwell
O'Reilly
- starts with generators (which you likely haven't met before) and goes
'up' from there (am still biting-off chunks of this one, rather than
reading serially)


Given Python's rapid development (a new point-upgrade version released
in October every year - many thanks to the 'Python Gods' who invest
hard-work in such!), it's a tremendous challenge to write a book (also
involving considerable time and effort) which will return value for more
than a few years - particularly at the advanced levels!

An alternative-approach which may take your fancy, is online courses
(many of which can be taken for $free). Their self-paced nature has the
advantage of enabling the skipping-over of repetitive content (and the
repeating of points which don't immediately 'sink in'). You will find
many examples on Coursera* and edX*.

- on Coursera am sad to advise avoiding U.Mich courses - they tend to be
re-worded Java (I think) content, don't follow PEP-008 and 'miss' Python
idioms
- disclaimer: my work uses the edX platform (not Python)

[rbowman]

Post by dn
- on Coursera am sad to advise avoiding U.Mich courses - they tend to be
re-worded Java (I think) content, don't follow PEP-008 and 'miss' Python
idioms

The edx CS50 Python from Harvard is decent. It does start with the basics
but overall I enjoyed it.

[Jan Erik Moström]

Post by dn
don't give me what I do know,
do give me what I don't know!

😜

Post by dn
That said, you are correct: the bulk of new publications seem to (still) aim at the Beginner end of the continuum (see later comments).

Yep, I threw away several beginners books in Python last week (they were a bit dated).

My work used to be (and still is, to a small degree) to teach programming to novice students. So, I feel I can skip the basics and go on to the intermediate/advanced stuff.

Post by dn
Over the period mentioned, Python has changed a great deal - Python 3 (largely) replacing Python 2 was only the most-notable!

Yep, that shift was interesting when teaching novices Python!!

Post by dn
Effective Python: 125 Specific Ways to
Write Better Python, 3rd Edition
Brett Slatkin
Addison Wesley
Hypermodern Python Tooling
Building Reliable Workflows for an Evolving Python Ecosystem
Claudio Jolowicz
O'Reilly
Powerful Python
Aaron Maxwell
O'Reilly
- starts with generators (which you likely haven't met before)

I have done so ... to be really honest, it was when I couldn't remember how to create an iterator for a class I was writing, that I realized that I needed a refresher.

Post by dn
it's a tremendous challenge to write a book (also involving considerable time and effort) which will return value for more than a few years - particularly at the advanced levels!

True, I'm quite amazed that people write books since it takes such an effort with little, my guess, reward for doing it

Post by dn
An alternative-approach which may take your fancy, is online courses (many of which can be taken for $free). Their self-paced nature has the advantage of enabling the skipping-over of repetitive content (and the repeating of points which don't immediately 'sink in'). You will find many examples on Coursera* and edX*.

My plan is to find one or two books that seem suitable, when I've looked at those then I'm going online for the rest.

Thanks for the suggestions: I think I now have 2-3 books that I should look into in more detail.

= jem

[rbowman]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I have done so ... to be really honest, it was when I couldn't remember
how to create an iterator for a class I was writing, that I realized
that I needed a refresher.

Most of my Python was related to Esri's ArcGIS version. Up until a few
years ago installing their product would install Python 2.7. With Esri 11,
they moved to Python 3. Modifying my scripts wasn't difficult but I
thought I should expand my Python knowledge. There were quite a few
features like list comprehensions I'd never used. I also appreciated f
strings when they were introduced, the walrus operator, and other
enhancements.

Another part of my renewed interest was the advent of many
microcontrollers capable of running MicroPython, which is a subset of
Python 3.x.

[Thomas Passin]

Post by Jan Erik Moström

Post by dn
don't give me what I do know,
do give me what I don't know!

😜

Post by dn
That said, you are correct: the bulk of new publications seem to (still) aim at the Beginner end of the continuum (see later comments).

Yep, I threw away several beginners books in Python last week (they were a bit dated).
My work used to be (and still is, to a small degree) to teach programming to novice students. So, I feel I can skip the basics and go on to the intermediate/advanced stuff.

Post by dn
Over the period mentioned, Python has changed a great deal - Python 3 (largely) replacing Python 2 was only the most-notable!

Yep, that shift was interesting when teaching novices Python!!

Post by dn
Effective Python: 125 Specific Ways to
Write Better Python, 3rd Edition
Brett Slatkin
Addison Wesley
Hypermodern Python Tooling
Building Reliable Workflows for an Evolving Python Ecosystem
Claudio Jolowicz
O'Reilly
Powerful Python
Aaron Maxwell
O'Reilly
- starts with generators (which you likely haven't met before)

I have done so ... to be really honest, it was when I couldn't remember how to create an iterator for a class I was writing, that I realized that I needed a refresher.

Post by dn
it's a tremendous challenge to write a book (also involving considerable time and effort) which will return value for more than a few years - particularly at the advanced levels!

True, I'm quite amazed that people write books since it takes such an effort with little, my guess, reward for doing it

Post by dn
An alternative-approach which may take your fancy, is online courses (many of which can be taken for $free). Their self-paced nature has the advantage of enabling the skipping-over of repetitive content (and the repeating of points which don't immediately 'sink in'). You will find many examples on Coursera* and edX*.

My plan is to find one or two books that seem suitable, when I've looked at those then I'm going online for the rest.
Thanks for the suggestions: I think I now have 2-3 books that I should look into in more detail.

I don't have a book for them but I think you should look into the
(relatively new) type annotation system, as well as asynchronized
programming. The latter is especially of interest because the older
techniques have been removed and replaced with a different approach
(asyncio having replaced asyncore). Both of these will probably be new
to you, and both are important to know about.

[Jan Erik Moström]

I don't have a book for them but I think you should look into the (relatively new) type annotation system, as well as asynchronized programming. The latter is especially of interest because the older techniques have been removed and replaced with a different approach (asyncio having replaced asyncore). Both of these will probably be new to you, and both are important to know about.

Thanks, I will.

= jem

[Damien Wyart]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I'm looking for a book that would teach me the lastest and greatest
parts of Python, does anyone have any recommendations?

Wider than that, but could still fit the bill: Fluent Python
https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/fluent-python-2nd/9781492056348/

[Mike]

Post by Jan Erik Moström
I'm looking for a book that would teach me the lastest and greatest parts of Python, does anyone have any recommendations?
I've looked at python.org and pythonbooks.org but I couldn't decide which one to get.
I used to be fairly good at Python, but I haven't done any serious programming in the last 10 years or so. So I would like something that got me up-to-date with the latest features.

Great question.  But also not a simple question.

Great new promising developments are not only happening in core Python
libraries, but also in some great external libraries, most targeted for
ML/data science things.

Recently I re-ordered my collection on open access Python Book. I also
was, and still am, searching for good quality books for 'professionals'
that cover the latest developments good.

I tried to create an hard copy of parts of the Python documentation.
E.g. to study on paper some exiting new things that are created in
Python 3.13 like CPython’s global interpreter lock (“GIL”) changes. But
the PDF was over 3000 pages, so not practical for creating a hard copy
version.

Modern Python parts should imho cover changes  to libraries and give
good guidance on how to really use the latest PEPs. Things like handling
Hatch (the new tool for packaging), when to use latest options in the
Pandas library (and NOT)  should minimal be covered if you want to do
Python today.

My current best collection for online quality open access Python Books
is on:
https://nocomplexity.com/documents/pythonbook/generatedfiles/overview.html#books


Some of these books can be ordered as hard copy.

Regards

 - Mike

[songbird]

Mike wrote:
...

Post by Mike
My current best collection for online quality open access Python Books
https://nocomplexity.com/documents/pythonbook/generatedfiles/overview.html#books

thanks!

no need for me to print any programming books.

some old textbooks are still useful, but many programming books
are outdated and are more historical artifacts at this point.


songbird

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by songbird
no need for me to print any programming books.

I gave up on paper-based programming documentation a long time ago. There
is way too much of it that I need, and it changes too fast. So I keep it
all online now.

[Salvador Mirzo]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by songbird
no need for me to print any programming books.

I gave up on paper-based programming documentation a long time ago. There
is way too much of it that I need, and it changes too fast. So I keep it
all online now.

It's much more pleasurable (to me) to read books off-screen.

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by Salvador Mirzo
It's much more pleasurable (to me) to read books off-screen.

You can’t do searches, though.

[rbowman]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Salvador Mirzo
It's much more pleasurable (to me) to read books off-screen.

You can’t do searches, though.

For non-fiction a decent index does wonders. A good layout and talble of
contents also helps. Decorators? Chapter 14, page 254, all you ever wanted
to know about them.

[Salvador Mirzo]

Post by rbowman

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Salvador Mirzo
It's much more pleasurable (to me) to read books off-screen.

You can’t do searches, though.

For non-fiction a decent index does wonders. A good layout and talble of
contents also helps. Decorators? Chapter 14, page 254, all you ever wanted
to know about them.

Well said. But I still like the full-text search because very often I
want to cite a book and I remember the wording more or less, so I'm
looking for that exact point, which is easiest found by a full-text
search. It's bloody useful to have an ebook form of the book. It's
just not pleasant to read it. I like to sort of lay back to read a book
and I can't quite do that on a desk. I don't use computers off of
desks. I don't care for phones or tablets. Phones have a too small
screen and tablets are too big, too warm, don't bend like paper and are
just plain annoying, too. :) Paper is so much more concrete than a
screen. No need to recharge them and so on. Omg, I didn't know there
were so many reasons... Funny is that the only real reason I really
have for no reading on-screen is that I just don't want to.

[Salvador Mirzo]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Salvador Mirzo
It's much more pleasurable (to me) to read books off-screen.

You can’t do searches, though.

That's quite right, which is why I also love to have an ebook form of
them.