Python

[Marko]

Hi Folks,

I want to learn programming. Should I choose to learn Python first then C++ for future quant finance/FE courses? I know many will tell me C++ but I want to hear from the floor about Python.

Thanks,
M

 

[Sanket Patel]

Hi Folks,

I want to learn programming. Should I choose to learn Python first then C++ for future quant finance/FE courses? I know many will tell me C++ but I want to hear from the floor about Python.

Thanks,
M

C++ then Python. If you go the Python -> C++ route, you'll risk becoming a lazy programmer. This is not to say that Python programmer are lazy but those who have used Python will know what I'm talking about. Learning C++ first, if you do it correctly, will also force you to learn 'how to program properly.'

Not to mention, it will much easier going from C++ to Python than the the reverse.

 

[Satnam]

Can anyone recommend any good books or websites for "Python for Financial Modeling"? Amazon has one book on this topic, but the reviews were not very good.

Thanks.

 

[Sanket Patel]

I don't know of any Python books geared towards financial modeling off the top of my head but you can probably just pick up any good Python book to learn the language then just play around with some models. The key will be learning the SciPy and NumPy libraries.

 

[quantstart]

Learning Python by Mark Lutz, 4th Edition is a fantastic book and will help you get familiar with the language. His other book, "Programming Python" is more application specific.

I also recommend starting C++ first though, as it will teach you about memory management (VERY important for optimisation) - something that Python keeps hidden from you.

 

[Marko]

Thanks

Learning Python by Mark Lutz, 4th Edition is a fantastic book and will help you get familiar with the language. His other book, "Programming Python" is more application specific.

I also recommend starting C++ first though, as it will teach you about memory management (VERY important for optimisation) - something that Python keeps hidden from you.

Folks,

Thank you and thank you so much. I am learning c++ from Primer Plus for C++ now. I will stick to C++ and Python. Actually I like Python.

Cheers,
M

 

[quantstart]

Python is great for getting stuff built very quickly. It has a lot of "batteries included". C++ is great for optimising code to be extremely fast. However, Python is quickly catching up on the speed front!

Try downloading IPython, it's an interactive Python shell - extremely useful for all sorts of reasons.

 

[M Souto]

I need to create an executable in phyton,does anyone know any good Python compiler?

 

[anujjain]

Download Python

 

[Alejandro Canete]

Hi M Souto

Why do you need to create an executable?

Do you want more performance? or do you want to hide the code when delivering it?

Thanks

I need to create an executable in phyton,does anyone know any good Python compiler?

 

[bigbadwolf]

Can anyone recommend any good books or websites for "Python for Financial Modeling"? Amazon has one book on this topic, but the reviews were not very good.

I recommend Langtangen's A Primer on Scientific Programming with Python (Springer, 2009). It has two or three financial applications as exercises but the true value of the book is its coverage of topics like difference equations, differential equations, integration, and Monte Carlo methods. It's not an expensive book, as books go these days.

 

[Gawdany]

Heres a free online book where you can learn Python efficiently.

http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english2e/

 

[M Souto]

Great online book Gawdany!
I want to make the .exe because I want a program able to run in any pc without Python intalled.

 

[hugo]

Try py2exe