Python Standard Library is an essential guide for serious Python programmers. Python is a modular language that imports most useful operations from the standard library (basic support modules; operating system interfaces; network protocols; file formats; data conversions; threads and processes; and data storage). You can't really program in Python without using it. In this book, author Fredrik Lundh, creator of the Python Imaging Library (PIL), delivers tested, accurate documentation of all the modules in the Python Standard Library, along with over 300 annotated example scripts using the modules. Python Standard Library renders this valuable information in a clean, easy-to-read format, yet doesn't talk down to readers. This accurate and complete reference documentation is for the Python programmer who wants the facts and little else. The book is based on the author's work with the Python newsgroup: he reviewed more than 2500 questions and answers to that newsgroup in order to make sure the book covered what Python users really wanted to know. An earlier version of this book has been available electronically for over a year, so the material has been tested by Python programmers in real-life applications. This version of Python Standard Library covers all the new modules and related information for Python 2.0, the first new major release of Python in four years.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 9 Ratings

Nice Supplemental Text - 2001-06-29
Reviewer Rating:
This is a nice supplemental text for the Standard Library documentation. Sometimes you find yourself puzzled as to how a module is to be used, even after reading the documentation. This book provides a little extra help in that regards by providing concise examples that point you in the right direction.

I can't give it five stars because it is a little sparse for the price. Please be warned, the book is almost all code. Don't expect a great deal of explanatory text.

Has been superceeded - 2006-01-26
Reviewer Rating:
I bought this book in 2004 when I was just starting to learn Python. I never once used it. Its not a bad book, just less useful now than in 2001.

The book covers Python 2.0. Anything before 2.2 for any Python book is probably not worth the trouble in 2006 and beyond.

When looking for information about a Python module I look in Alex Martelli's Nutshell book(2.2) and the go to the online Library Reference. The nutshell is good for background and examples and the Library Reference brings things up to 2.4.

If I am not quite sure what I am looking for then the Python Cookbook (2nd edition) is the most help.

Mark Pilgram's Dive into Python is a great, in-depth look at some of the more useful standard library modules.

I hope Alex Marelli updates his Nutsehell book for 2.4.

There are other good books for learning Python but the Nutshell(O'Reilly), Cookbook(O' Reilly), Library Reference(python.org), and Dive into Python(online or an Apress book) do the best job of covering the standard library,

Interesting, but not necessary - 2001-08-13
Reviewer Rating:
I was hoping for something along the lines of the book the "Standard C Library" book by P.J. Plauger. Unfortunately, this book is nowhere near as complete. Still, there are interesting and useful bits here and there, and it does serve as a decent supplement to the Python library book included in the distribution itself.

Good guide but not really a reference - 2001-06-21
Reviewer Rating:
This book isn't really a reference for the Python standard library - David Beazley's "Python Essential Reference" probably fills that gap better - but it is a very useful guide to what the library can be used for, with a comprehensive and motivated selection of code examples.

One of the less useful books on Python, for me. - 2002-02-13
Reviewer Rating:
I am a relatively new programmer, who has used only Python and PHP to any significant extent, so ...

I have Python Essential Reference (1st. edition) and this book side-by-side on my shelf at work. I use Python Essential Reference and the online module documentation almost equally, and I almost never pick up this book.

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