Beyond being a programming language, Python comes with a powerful and broad standard library. Part of the Python philosophy is "batteries included", meaning that you can use Python for many complex, real-world tasks out-of-the box, with no need to install third-party packages. This is not only extremely convenient, but it means that
it's easier to get started learning Python by using interesting, engaging examples – something we aim for in this book!

Another great effect of the "batteries included" approach is that it means that many scripts – even non-trivial ones – can be run immediately on any Python installation. This removes a common, annoying barrier to installing software that you can face with other languages.

The standard library has a generally high level of good documentation. The APIs are well documented, and the modules often have good narrative descriptions with quick start guides, best practice information, and so forth. The standard library documentation is always available online, and you can also install it locally if you want to.

Since the standard library is such an important part of Python, we'll be covering parts of it throughout this book. Even so, we won't be covering more than a small fraction of it, so you're encouraged to explore it on your own.