Python for Data Analysis

accompanying materials: link

2022-02-18

1. Preliminaries

• NumPy - container for data passed between algorithms and libraries.
• pandas - DataFrame and Series
• matplotlib - library for producing plots and 2D data visualizations.
• SciPy - collection of packages for problem domains in scientific computing.
• scikit-learn - machine-learning toolkit for python.
• Updating conda packages with pip might result in environment problems. Best update with conda first (when using Anaconda/Miniconda).

2. Python language basics, IPython, and Jupyter Notebooks

• %run [.py] - (in IPython) execute the code in .py file in the same process.
• tab completion works both in IPython and Jupyter.
• introspection - put ? after object or function.
  • ?? after name of a function will show the function’s source code.
  • Can be combined with wildcard.

2022-02-26

• assigning a variable (or name) is creating a reference to the object on the righthand side of the equals sign.
• when passing objects as arguments to a function, new local variables are created referencing the original objects without copying them.

2022-02-28

• to check if two references refer to the same object, use is. Use is not if you want to check that two objects are not the same.
• list always create new Python list (copy).