Python Version History

Python Version History

1. Python 1.0 (January 26, 1994)

• Python 1.0 was the first official release of Python.
• It introduced the core features of the language, including functions, exception handling, and modules.

2. Python 2.0 (October 16, 2000)

• Python 2.0 brought several important changes, such as list comprehensions, garbage collection improvements, and Unicode support.
• Example:

python
# List Comprehension Example
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
squared_numbers = [x**2 for x in numbers]
print(squared_numbers)  # Output: [1, 4, 9, 16, 25]

3. Python 2.7 (July 3, 2010)

• Python 2.7 was the last release of the Python 2.x series before transitioning to Python 3.x.
• It included various backports of features from Python 3.x to ease the migration to the newer version.

4. Python 3.0 (December 3, 2008)

• Python 3.0 was a major milestone in the language's development, introducing many backward-incompatible changes for the sake of improving language design and fixing inconsistencies.
• Key changes included print function becoming a function, integer division behavior, and Unicode string representation.
• Example:

python
# Integer Division Example
result = 7 / 3
print(result)  # Output: 2.3333333333333335
result = 7 // 3
print(result)  # Output: 2

5. Python 3.6 (December 23, 2016)

• Python 3.6 introduced f-strings (formatted string literals) and dictionary ordering preservation.
• Example:

python
# f-string Example
name = "Alice"
age = 30
print(f"My name is {name} and I am {age} years old.")
# Output: "My name is Alice and I am 30 years old."

6. Python 3.8 (October 14, 2019)

• Python 3.8 brought features like the walrus operator (:=) and positional-only parameters in function definitions.
• Example:

python
# Walrus Operator Example
x = 10
if (y := x) > 5:
    print(y)  # Output: 10

7. Python 3.10 (October 4, 2021)

• Python 3.10 introduced pattern matching (PEP 634) and other enhancements to improve developer productivity.
• Example:

python
# Pattern Matching Example
def identify_number(number):
    match number:
        case 0:
            return "Zero"
        case n if n > 0:
            return "Positive"
        case _:
            return "Negative"

Please note that the examples provided are for illustrative purposes and may require a Python interpreter to execute.