ReferenceBooks¶
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The following books aim to be definitive references, either by publishing the Python documentation or by writing new reference-style material, and therefore should be useful throughout your Python programming career.
Most of these books will contain short, highly condensed introductions to Python, and if you’re an experienced programmer these titles may be all you need. See the list of IntroductoryBooks if you’d prefer a book with more examples and a slower pace.
The Quick Python Book, 4th Edition
By Naomi Ceder
Manning Publications Co
ISBN 9781633436336 580 pages
Publication Feb, 2025
Sample chapters, liveBook, and source code available on the Manning Publications web site: The Quick Python Book, 4th Edition
Book overview:
For over 25 years, The Quick Python Book has been one of the best Python books money can buy. It concisely covers programming basics, while introducing Python’s comprehensive standard library and unique features in depth and detail. In this fourth edition, you’ll find new coverage of AI coding tools like Copilot and Google’s Colaboratory (Colab), and develop a mindset that can make the most of AI.
The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition includes:
Python syntax, data structures, and best practices
Python as an object oriented language
Common Python libraries
Basic data handling with Python
Using AI code generation tools with Python
Whether you’re new to Python or looking to advance your basic skills, The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition will get you writing effective Python code fast. Python authority and former Chair of the Python Software Foundation Board or Directors Naomi Ceder has returned to author this extensively revised fourth edition. With the personal touch of a skilled teacher, Naomi beautifully balances details of the language with the insights and advice you need to handle any task.
Who this book is written for:
This book is for someone who knows how to program, who whats to learn Python quickly and efficiently.
Python Phrasebook
Brad Dayley
ISBN: 0672329107
Sams Publishing, 275 pages (November 2006)
Essential Code and Commands Python Phrasebook gives you the code phrases you need to quickly and effectively complete your programming projects in Python.
Concise and Accessible Easy to carry and easy to use—lets you ditch all those bulky books for one portable guide.
Flexible and Functional Packed with more than 100 customizable code snippets—so you can readily code functional Python in just about any situation.
The Python Language Reference Manual (version 3.2)
Guido van Rossum, and Fred L. Drake, Jr. (Editor)
ISBN: 1906966141
Network Theory Ltd, 120 pages (Revised November 2006)
This is a printed edition of the official Python language reference manual by Guido van Rossum. For each copy sold $1 will be donated to the Python Software Foundation.
Home Page (includes electronic version)
Python Essential Reference
David Beazley
ISBN: 0672329786
Addison-Wesley Professional; 717 pages (July, 2009)
The fourth edition that cover up to Python 2.6 language features and a variety of new modules added to the standard library; there are 17 pages on Python 3.0.
Note: a 5th edition which updates to Python 3.7 is in development with a hoped for publication date in late 2019.
The comments below apply to the 1st and 2nd editions.
A concise reference for Python 2.1, about as close as you can get to the K&R for Python. The first hundred pages are a complete but very compressed introduction to the language; the rest of the book is reference material on all of the standard library modules.
The reviews below are for earlier editions of the book.
Review by Jonathan Corbet Review by Phil Hughes Review by AMK Review by Danny Yee
Simplifying Regular Expression Using Python
ISBN: 1094777978
April 2019, 79 pages
A concise reference book, awarded as one of the best regular expression books in the year 2020 and 2021, is written in a very friendly manner to teach and practice regular expression easily and efficiently. The codes and examples are written using Python 3.7.
Recommended By: bookauthority.org
Links:
Python Pocket Reference, 5th Edition
Mark Lutz
ISBN: 1449357016
O’Reilly Media, February 2014, 264 pages
A reference-only book, designed to serve as a companion to both Learning Python and Programming Python. This edition is updated to cover both Python 3.X and 2.X. It is specifically based on 3.4 and 2.7, but is applicable to other releases.
Python in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition
ISBN: 144939292X
O’Reilly Media, May 2017, 654 pages
A concise desktop reference for Python 3/5 and 2.7 (with mention of 3.6 features). Covers the language itself, built-in types and functions, the standard library, and crucial third-party extensions such as Numeric, Tkinter, twisted.internet, Cheetah. Also covers Extending and Embedding Python, with C, Java, and other languages and tools.
The reviews are for earlier editions of the book.
Review by Cameron Laird Review by Danny Yee Reader reviews at amazon.com Publisher’s page, with a link to the sample chapter &c Publisher’s page for the second edition, with a link to the sample chapter Slashdot discussion
Python 2.1 Bible
Dave Brueck and Stephen Tanner
ISBN: 0764548077
Wiley, June 2001, 731 pages
Contains detailed descriptions with examples on a number of advanced topics such as networking, threading, XML, Tkinter, wxPython, image processing, embedding, NumPy, win32all, and others. Has a section for introducing Python, but really this is ideal for more advanced users.
Recommended by: MichaelChermside, Todd Mitchell
Note there are other unrelated books that go by some version of the title “Python Bible”.
Python 3 Standard Library by Example
Doug Hellman
ISBN: 9780134291055
Addison-Wesley Professional; June 11, 2017; 1456 pages
The meat of the book is a compendium of articles that were written by Doug over an extended period for the Python 3 Module of the Week website.
Design Patterns in Python: Common GOF (Gang of Four) Design Patterns implemented in Python
Sean Bradley
ASIN : B08XLJ8Z2J / B08Z282SBC
Independently published (February 27, 2021); 238 pages
This book is about the 23 common GOF (Gang of Four) Design Patterns implemented in Python.
A Design Pattern is a description or template that can be repeatedly applied to a commonly recurring problem in software design.
You will find a familiarity with Design Patterns very useful when planning, discussing, developing, managing and documenting your applications from now on and into the future.
You will learn these Design Patterns.
Creational
Factory
Abstract Factory
Builder
Prototype
Singleton
Structural
Decorator
Adapter
Façade
Bridge
Composite
Flyweight
Proxy
Behavioural
Command
Chain of Responsibility
Observer Pattern
Interpreter
Iterator
Mediator
Memento
State
Strategy
Template
Visitor
If you want a break from your computer and read from a book for a while, then this book is for you.
Links:
Design Patterns in Python : Paperback