Python is an extensible, interpreted, object-oriented programming

language. It supports a wide range of applications, from simple text

processing scripts to interactive WWW browsers.

While the {\em Python Reference Manual} describes the exact syntax and

semantics of the language, it does not describe the standard library

that is distributed with the language, and which greatly enhances its

immediate usability. This library contains built-in modules (written

in C) that provide access to system functionality such as file I/O

that would otherwise be inaccessible to Python programmers, as well as

modules written in Python that provide standardized solutions for many

problems that occur in everyday programming. Some of these modules

are explicitly designed to encourage and enhance the portability of

Python programs.

This library reference manual documents Python's standard library, as

well as many optional library modules (which may or may not be

available, depending on whether the underlying platform supports them

and on the configuration choices made at compile time). It also

documents the standard types of the language and its built-in

functions and exceptions, many of which are not or incompletely

documented in the Reference Manual.

This manual assumes basic knowledge about the Python language. For an

informal introduction to Python, see the {\em Python Tutorial}; the

Python Reference Manual remains the highest authority on syntactic and

semantic questions. Finally, the manual entitled {\em Extending and

Embedding the Python Interpreter} describes how to add new extensions

to Python and how to embed it in other applications.