The Python interpreter
CSE 140
University of Washington
Michael Ernst
Two ways to run Python
• The Python interpreter
– You type one expression at a time
– The interpreter evaluates the expression and prints its
value
• Running a Python program
– Python evaluates all the statements in the file, in
order
– Python does not print their values (but does execute
print statements)
• Writing an expression outside a statement (assignment,
print, etc.) is useless, unless it is a function call that has a
side effect
The Python interpreter
The interpreter is a loop that does:
– Read an expression
– Evaluate the expression
– Print the result
If the result is None, the interpreter does not print it
This inconsistency can be confusing!
(Jargon: An interpreter is also called a “read-
eval-print loop”, or a REPL)
How to launch the Python interpreter
Two ways to launch the interpreter:
– Run IDLE; the interpreter is called the “Python shell”
– Type python at the operating system command line
• Type exit() to return to the operating system command line
These are not the same:
• Operating system command line, or “shell” or “command
prompt” (cmd.exe under Windows) or “terminal”
– Runs programs (Python, others), moves around the file system
– Does not understand Python code like 1+2 or x = 22
• Python interpreter
– Executes Python statements and expressions
– Does not understand program names like python or cd
Running a Python program
• Python evaluates each statement one-by-one
• Python does no extra output, beyond print
statements in the program
• Two ways to run a program:
– While editing a program within IDLE, press F5 (menu
item “Run >> Run Module”)
• Must save the program first, if it is modified
– Type at operating system command line:
python myprogram.py
Python interpreter vs. Python program
• Running a Python file as a program gives different results
from pasting it line-by-line into the interpreter
– The interpreter prints more output than the program would
• In the Python interpreter, evaluating a top-level expression
prints its value
– Evaluating a sub-expression generally does not print any output
– The interpreter does not print a value for an expression that
evaluates to None
• This is primarily code that is executed for side effect: assignments,
print statements, calls to “non-fruitful” functions
• In a Python program, evaluating an expression generally
does not print any output
Side effects vs. results
• Some Python code is executed because it has a useful value
(72 – 32) * 5.0 / 9
math.sqrt(3*3 + 4*4)
• Some Python code is executed because it has a side effect
print “hello”
x = 22
• A function (call) can be of either variety
– Think Python calls a function that returns a value a “fruitful
function”
– A function that only prints some text is non-fruitful
– A function should either return a value, or have a side effect
• It is bad style for a function to do both
– Printing a value is completely different from returning it
• When the code is executed for side effect, its value is None
