Book excerpt: Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language that was created by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s. It has gained immense popularity due to its simplicity, readability, and versatility. Python is an open-source language, which means its source code is freely available, and it has a vibrant community of developers who contribute to its continuous improvement. Python’s Design Philosophy and Guiding Principles: Python follows a design philosophy that emphasizes code readability and simplicity. This is often summarized in the Zen of Python, a collection of guiding principles for writing Python code.