Python – History and Versions
Python was developed by Guido van Rossum (a Dutch programmer) in the late 1980s and early nineties at the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands.
History of Python
Python is derived from many other languages, including ABC, Modula-3, C, C++, Algol-68, SmallTalk, and Unix shell and other scripting languages. Guido van Rossum wanted Python to be a high-level language that was powerful yet readable and easy to use.
Who Invented Python?
Python was invented by a Dutch Programmer Guido Van Rossum in the late 1980s. He began working on Python in December 1989 as a hobby project while working at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in the Netherlands. Python’s first version (0.9.0) was released in 1991.
Evolution of Python – The Major Python Versions
Following are the important stages in the history of Python:
- Python 0.9.0: Released in February 1991, included classes, inheritance, and core data types like lists and dictionaries.
- Python 1.0: Released in January 1994, added functional programming tools and a module system.
- Python 2.0: Released in October 2000, introduced list comprehension, garbage collection, and Unicode support.
- Python 3.0: Released in December 2008, included major syntax changes and improved integer division.
Current Version of Python
As of date, Python 3.11.2 is the current stable version, released in February 2023. This version boasts significant improvements in speed, with up to 60% better performance than Python 3.10, alongside enhanced exception messaging and new modules like tomllib for parsing TOML files.
Python in the Future
Python is evolving rapidly, with Python 3.x versions receiving regular updates. It remains highly popular in fields such as machine learning, AI, and data science, ensuring that Python’s future is bright. It is also becoming the first programming language taught in many schools and universities worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Python History
- Who created Python? Python was created by Guido Van Rossum, a Dutch Programmer.
- Why Python is called Python? The name of Python was inspired by the British Comedy Group Monty Python.
- When was Python’s first version released? Python’s first version was released in February 1991.
- What was the first version of Python? Python’s first version was Python 0.9.0.
- When was Python 3.0 version released? Python 3.0 version was released in December 2008.