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Lecture 1
IPython
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
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Learning Objectives Today
Understanding Python
Understanding IPython
Jupyter Notebook
Help and Documentation in IPython
Keyboard Shortcuts in the IPython Shell
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Python and IPython
3 Python is a popular programming language. It was created by
Guido van Rossum and released in 1991.
It is used for:
Web Development (server-side)
Software Development
Mathematics
System Scripting
IPython (Interactive Python) is a powerful interactive Python
interpreter
More interactive compared to IDLE (Python’s Integrated
Development and Learning Environment) and the standard
interpreter
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Python and IPython
4 Ipython is a command shell for interactive computing in
multiple programming languages, originally developed for
the Python, that offers introspection, rich media, shell
syntax, tab completion, and history
Key Differences Between IPython and Python
Interactive Environment
Rich Media Integration
Notebook Architecture
Additional Magic Commands
Parallel Computing
Extensibility and Integration
Installing Ipython
pip install ipython
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
IPython
5 What is Shell?
The shell is a way to interact textually with computer
Computers primarily were used to be controlled through sequences of text
input
At the prompt, the user would type a command, and the computer would
do what the user told it to.
Jupyter Notebooks
A browser-based graphical interface to the IPython shell and builds on it a
rich set of dynamic display capabilities
A community standard for communicating and performing interactive
computing
As well as executing Python/ IPython statements, allows the user to include
formatted text, static and dynamic visualizations, images, mathematical
equations, JavaScript widgets, rich media representations of objects and
much more
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Jupyter Notebook
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Installing the classic Jupyter Notebook
pip install notebook
To run the notebook
jupyter notebook
Installing JupyterLab
pip install jupyterlab
Once installed, launch JupyterLab
jupyter lab
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Jupyter Notebook and Jupyter Lab
7 Components of a notebook
A Jupyter Notebook consists of three main components: cells, a
runtime environment, and a file system.
Cells are the individual units of the notebook, and they can contain
either text or code.
JupyterLab is one interface used to create and interact with Jupyter
Notebooks.
JupyterLab
A next-generation web-based user interface for Project Jupyter.
Enables to work with documents and activities such as Jupyter
notebooks, text editors, terminals, and custom components in a
flexible, integrated, and extensible manner.
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
IPython: Help and Documentation
8 Every Python object contains the reference to a string,
known as a docstring, which contains a concise summary
of the object and how to use it.
For example, to see the documentation of the built-in len() function:
In [1]: help(len)
Help on built-in function len in module builtins:
len(...)
len(object) -> integer
Return the number of items of a sequence or mapping
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
IPython: Help and Documentation
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IPython introduces the ? character to access this
documentation and other relevant information:
In [2]: len?
Type: builtin_function_or_method
String form: <built-in function len>
Namespace: Python builtin
Docstring:
len(object) -> integer
Return the number of items of a sequence or mapping
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Jupyter Notebook: Common commands
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Navigation: Use Enter, Shift-Enter, Up/k, and Down/j
Cell creation: Use a to insert a new cell above the current
cell, and b to insert a new cell below
Cell editing: Use x, c, v, d, and z
Cell deletion: Use d + d to delete the current cell
Cell type change: Use m to change the current cell to
Markdown, and y to change it back to code
Cell output toggle: Use Esc + O
Find and replace: Use Esc + f
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
Jupyter Notebook: Common Commands
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Cell splitting: Use Ctrl + Shift + - to split the current cell
into two
Cell running: Use Ctrl + Enter to run the selected cells,
Shift + Enter to run the current cell and move to the next
cell, and Alt + Enter to run the current cell and insert a
new cell below
Cell selection: Use Ctrl + A to select all
Cell undo: Use Ctrl + Z to undo
Cell redo: Use Ctrl + Shift + Z or Ctrl + Y to redo
Cell start: Use Ctrl + Home to go to cell start
Cell
Dr. S M Rafizul Haque, CSE, KU
end: Use Ctrl + End to go to cell end
