About Learning Python, 4th Edition

[September, 2009] I'm happy to announce the release of the 4th Edition of the book Learning Python.

This new edition has been thoroughly updated and expanded to cover both Python 3.1 and 2.6, and present features that appear in each Python line. Whether you're using Python 2.X, using Python 3.X, or stuck somewhere in between, you'll find this new edition tailored to your current and future needs.

In addition to language changes, this edition has been augmented with a new OOP tutorial chapter derived from live classes, as well as new advanced topic chapters that explore Unicode processing, managed attributes, decorators, and metaclasses. As such, it is a substantially more complete text.

As before, this book is designed to be an in-depth introduction to the core Python language, and work much like a self-paced class on Python fundamentals. Learning Python 4th Edition is available now, from all the usual places. O'Reilly's page listed below also offers it in a variety of searchable electronic forms -- PDF, .epub, Kindle-compatible .mobi, and the Safari online catalog.

Resources

I maintain the errata and updates page for the book here.
The book's examples source code distribution package.
For more details on the changes in this edition, see the early draft excerpt from its Preface.
For further book details see O'Reilly's web page for this book.

Related Books

For a reference companion to this book, see also the new book Python Pocket Reference, 4th Edition, released shortly after the new Learning Python. This book has been similarly updated for both Python 3.1 and 2.6, and serves as supplemental reference material.

We won't be updating the related book Programming Python again until the libraries it employs become available in Python 3.X form. For now, that book's current edition is usable by Python 2.X programmers as is, and by Python 3.X programmers in conjunction with the new 4th editions of Learning Python and Python Pocket Reference.

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