Professional IronPython™

Chapter 1. Discovering IronPython

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Understanding why you want to add IronPython to your developer toolbox

• Obtaining and installing IronPython on your machine

• Understanding some underlying basics of how IronPython works

• Using IronPython at the console and within a window

• Designing and building a simple application

IronPython: It sounds like some kind of metal snake infesting your computer, but it isn't. IronPython is the .NET version of the open source Python language (http://www.python.org/). Python is a dynamic language that can greatly enhance your programming experience, help you create applications in less time, and make the applications you create significantly more responsive to user needs. Of course, you've heard these promises before from other languages. This chapter helps you understand how IronPython delivers on these promises in specific situations. The smart developer soon learns that every language serves specific needs and might not work well in others. So this chapter isn't here to blow smoke at you — once you complete it, you'll understand the strengths and weaknesses of IronPython.

Of course, you'll need to obtain a copy of IronPython before you can use it because Visual Studio doesn't include IronPython as part of the default installation. This chapter helps you get IronPython installed on your system and tells you about some options you may want to install as well.

Once you have IronPython installed, you'll want to know a little about how it works. ...