Why considering Python

The Why

http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/the-2017-top-programming-languages

The Why

Here are some reasons why you might want to dive into Python:

• The syntax is sleek and object oriented
• It is fast for a scripting language (a lot of C bindings)
• It scales up to large data pretty easily (RAM, multiprocessing and native integration of main big data tools)
• It is ubiquitous
• It is well-suited for geoprocessing
• Great and large community and open source

Scientific Python

• Convenience of use: IPython and Jupyter notebooks
• SciPy.org
• NumPy, Matplotlib, SciPy library, Sympy, Pandas and statsmodels
• Data visualization: matplotlib, pandas, seaborn, ggplot
• Interactive data viz: bokeh, plotly, pygal, and d3py

Scientific Python

• Machine learning: scikit-learn and mlpy
• Image processing: scikit-image
• Data liberation: requests and BeautifulSoup
• Text mining: NLTK

Geospatial

• Spatial analysis: PySal,osgeo
  
• Working with vector data: Shapely, Fiona, ogr bindings and GeoPandas
• Working with raster data: gdal bindings, GRASS bindings, georasters, pygeoprocessing, rasterio, PyNIO for hierarchical data
• GIS software bindings: PyQGIS and ArcPy
• geodata viz: basemap, Kartograph, mapnik, Descartes, PyNGL, geoplotlib

Demo!

References

• Python for R users: https://github.com/NCEAS/training-jupyter-notebook/blob/master/python4Rusers.md
• Quick intro to Jupyter notebooks: https://github.com/NCEAS/training-jupyter-notebook/blob/master/jupyter-notebook-overview.md
• Ipython
• Official Python Tutorials
• video: 10-minute tour of pandas
• The Hitchhiker’s guide to Python
• How To Think Like a Computer Scientist
• Dive into Python
• Python Glossary

Python Distributions

For Windows users:

• WinPython
• Anaconda
• miniconda
• Canopy

Note for ArcGIS users

IMPORTANT: If you install anaconda on your machine and ArcGIS is already installed, please do the following to avoid breaking ArcGIS, uncheck the checkboxes:

1. make Anaconda the default Python
2. add Anaconda’s Python to the PATH.

Python Distributions

For Mac users:

• Homebrew: http://python-guide-pt-br.readthedocs.io/en/latest/starting/install3/osx/