Well, the meaning of Python, anyway. In the introduction to this book I promised that wed return to the issue of Pythons roles after seeing how it is used in practice. So in closing, here are some completely subjective comments on the broader implications of the language.
As I mentioned in the first chapter, Pythons focus is on productivity and integration. I hope that this book has demonstrated some of the benefits of that focus in action. In this conclusion, lets now go back to the forest -- to revisit Pythons roles in more concrete terms. In particular, Pythons role as a prototyping tool can profoundly affect the development cycle.
Introducing Python
Part I: System Interfaces
System Tools
Parallel System Tools
Larger System Examples I
Larger System Examples II
Part II: GUI Programming
Graphical User Interfaces
A Tkinter Tour, Part 1
A Tkinter Tour, Part 2
Larger GUI Examples
Part III: Internet Scripting
Network Scripting
Client-Side Scripting
Server-Side Scripting
Larger Web Site Examples I
Larger Web Site Examples II
Advanced Internet Topics
Part IV: Assorted Topics
Databases and Persistence
Data Structures
Text and Language
Part V: Integration
Extending Python
Embedding Python
VI: The End
Conclusion Python and the Development Cycle