The Jython Tutorial¶
| Release: | 2.5 |
|---|---|
| Date: | March 02, 2011 |
Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to object-oriented programming. Python’s elegant syntax and dynamic typing, together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms.
The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely available in source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python Web site, http://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site also contains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules, programs and tools, and additional documentation.
The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also suitable as an extension language for customizable applications.
Jython is an implementation of Python for the JVM. Jython takes the Python programming language syntax and enables it to run on the Java platform. This allows seamless integration with the use of Java libraries and other Java-based applications. The Jython project strives to make all Python modules run on the JVM, but there are a few differences between the implementations. Perhaps the major difference between the two implementations is that Jython does not work with C extensions. Therefore, most of the Python modules will run without changes under Jython, but if they use C extensions then they will probably not work. Likewise, Jython code works with Java but CPython does not. Jython code should run seamlessly under CPython unless it contains Java integration.
This tutorial references the Jython wiki at this time. The most up-to-date references and examples reside on the wiki at this time. Over time, the Python tutorial will be reconstructed to show Jython examples. However, at this time the wiki and the open source Jython book are the most current references for 2.5 and previous releases.
The glossary is also worth going through.