Embarking on Your Programming Journey

Evolution of Programming Languages

Programming Paradigms

Structured Programming:

• Structured programming is all about breaking down a program into smaller, manageable functions or procedures.
• It follows a linear or top-down approach, ensuring a clear sequence of execution.
• This paradigm is renowned for its simplicity and is well-suited for smaller, less complex applications.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP):

• OOP is centered on the concept of “objects,” which represent instances of classes or templates encapsulating data and behavior.
• It encourages organizing code around objects and their interactions, simplifying the modeling of real-world entities.
• OOP languages like Java, C++, and Python facilitate the creation of reusable and modular code through classes and objects.
• It excels in handling complex applications, allowing the modeling of real-world entities and their relationships effectively.

Common Programming Constructs

# In Python, text preceded by a # becomes a comment. Comments are used for documentation and are ignored during code execution.
a = 1  # Comments can also appear after a line of code. Here, "a" is a variable with a value of 1.
b = 2
print("a = " + str(a))  # Text can be built up in Python using the + symbol; this is known as concatenation.
print("b = " + str(b))
c = a + b
print("a + b = " + str(c))
# It's important to note that text is considered a string, while numbers are of various types (e.g., integers).
# Mixing data types can yield unexpected results. For instance, 1 + 2 = 3, but "1" + "2" = "12."
# To concatenate different data types using the + sign in Python, we typically use the str() function to convert integers to strings

Repetition: Repetition, often referred to as looping, is a fundamental concept that enables the execution of a specific block of code multiple times. In this section, we’ll focus on the “While” Loop, but rest assured, we’ll delve into other looping constructs in subsequent lessons. Create a “repetition.py” file to experiment with this concept, running it with the command docker-compose run my-environment python repetition.py either from the command line, or your VS Code terminal.

# Demonstrating the application of a while loop to count from 0 to 19
# It is important to emphasize that in programming languages, delineating the boundaries of code blocks is imperative.
# In Python, we signify the commencement of a block by concluding the preceding line with a colon (:) and then aligning all the code within the block with a four-space indentation.
count = 0
while count < 20:
    print(count)
    count += 1  # Incrementing the count by 1 during each iteration. This is equivalent to count = count + 1.

Selection: Selection involves decision-making and executing specific code blocks based on particular conditions. It adds flexibility and responsiveness to your code’s behavior. Create a “selection.py” file to practice this concept, running it with the command docker-compose run my-environment python selection.py either from the command line, or your VS Code terminal.

# Demonstrating the application of an "if" statement to determine if a number is even or odd
# In programming, "if" statements are employed to evaluate conditions and execute specific code blocks based on the outcome.
# In most languages, the % operator, known as modulus, returns the remainder of a division operation.

number = 7  # You can modify this number to observe different results
if number % 2 == 0:  # Note the use of ==; it's used for value comparison, while a single = is for assignment.
    print(f"{number} is even.")  # In Python, f-strings provide an elegant way for string concatenation and handle datatype conversion automatically when possible.
else:
    print(f"{number} is odd.")

Congratulations