Data Science Lab
Introduction to Python
DataBase and Data Mining Group Andrea Pasini, Elena Baralis
Summary
▪ Python engine
▪ Basic components and setup
▪ Python language
▪ Data types, object oriented programming
▪ Numpy library
▪ Computation with multi-dimensional arrays
▪ Scikit-Learn library
▪ Machine learning and data science tools
▪ Pandas library
▪ Tabular data and data preprocessing
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Introduction to Python
▪ Python language
▪ Clean and concise syntax
▪ No semi-colons to end instructions
▪ No braces to define if clauses and for loops
▪ No need to specify variable types
▪ ...
Java
List<String> l = new LinkedList<>();
Python
for (int i=0; i<10; i++) {
l = []
l.add(i);
for i in range(0,10):
}
l.append(i)
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Introduction to Python
▪ Python is an interpreted language
▪ Code is not compiled to machine language
▪ However the source code is compiled to an
intermediate level, called bytecode
▪ For this reason, to run Python programs, you need
an interpreter that is able to execute the bytecode
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Introduction to Python
▪ Sequence of operations executed by the
interpreter
Python code (.py)
l = []
for i in range(0,10):
Syntax checker and translator
l.append(i)
Bytecode (.pyc)
Python Virtual Machine (PVM)
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Introduction to Python
▪ A common Python 3 setup on a Linux System
▪ Typically in the usr/bin folder:
▪ “python3” executable: run Python programs
▪ “pip3” executable: install Python packages
▪ “ipython3” executable: run programs line by line
▪ “jupyter” executable: run a jupyter notebook
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Introduction to Python
▪ Executing a Python program
my_script.py
print(“Hello”) ~/Documents/MyScript
▪ Type in your terminal:
▪ cd ~/Documents/MyScript
▪ python3 my_script.py
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Introduction to Python
▪ Running Python line by line with iPython
▪ Type in your terminal:
▪ ipython3 (or ipython, depending on your installation)
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Introduction to Python
▪ Write your program line by line to see the results
step by step...
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Introduction to Python
▪ Python and iPython programs are the core for
executing scripts, but...
▪ There are two typical scenarios:
1. Develop your Python project with an IDE
▪ Example: Visual Studio Code, PyCharm
▪ Debug and run your code inside the IDE
2. Develop and test a Python script with Jupyter
notebook
▪ Inspect step by step the results
▪ Keep the history of the output of the script
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Introduction to Python
▪ Scenario 1: PyCharm (IDE)
Run/Debug commands
Project overview
Code
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Introduction to Python
▪ Scenario 1: PyCharm (IDE)
▪ When you click on the run button, the IDE will
automatically call the “python” command to execute
your script
Run command
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Introduction to Python
▪ Scenario 2: Jupyter notebook
▪ Type in your terminal
▪ jupyter notebook
▪ Jupyter will open on your browser
Click to create a new
notebook
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Introduction to Python
▪ Scenario 2: Jupyter notebook
Markdown cell
Code cell
Result cell
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Introduction to Python
▪ Scenario 2: Jupyter notebook
▪ Based on iPython command
▪ Each code cell can be executed separately by
pressing CTR + ENTER
Code cell 1
Code cell 2
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Introduction to Python
IDE vs Jupyter notebook
▪ IDE
▪ For more complex projects (many files)
▪ More powerful debug commands
▪ More powerful code editing tools
▪ Jupyter notebook
▪ For simple scripts and prototypes
▪ Great visualization tool
▪ Example: report with Python code and text for explanations
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Introduction to Python
▪ Installing libraries
▪ Python language is provided with many useful
libraries:
▪ Numpy, Pandas, Matplotlib, Scikit-learn, SciPy, ...
▪ To use any of them you first have to install it with the
pip command:
▪ pip3 install numpy
▪ pip3 install pandas
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Introduction to Python
▪ Virtual environments
▪ The pip command will associate the libraries to your
default Python installation
▪ A more powerful way of managing libraries is to use
a Python environment (virtualenv)
▪ Designed when you want to design different projects that
use different libraries and configurations (e.g. versions)
• Each projects is associated to a virtual environment
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Introduction to Python
▪ Virtual environments
▪ To create a new environment:
▪ cd ~/Documents/My_project
▪ virtualenv myenv
▪ It will create a new environment in your project folder
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Introduction to Python
▪ Virtual environments
▪ To activate the created environment:
▪ cd ~/Documents/My_project
▪ source myenv/bin/activate
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Introduction to Python
▪ Virtual environments
▪ After activation you can use the terminal to work
within the environment
▪ Install libraries to the current environment
▪ pip3 install my_library
▪ Execute a script/notebook within the environment
▪ python3 my_script.py
▪ jupyter notebook
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