standard prompt the basics language semantics the python language design is distinguished by its emphasis on readabilitysimplicityand explicitness some people go so far as to liken it to "executable pseudocodeindentationnot braces python uses whitespace (tabs or spacesto structure code instead of using braces as in many other languages like rc++javaand perl take the for loop in the above quicksort algorithmfor in arrayif pivotless append(xelsegreater append(xa colon denotes the start of an indented code block after which all of the code must be indented by the same amount until the end of the block in another languageyou might instead have something likefor in array if pivot less append(xelse greater append(xone major reason that whitespace matters is that it results in most python code looking cosmetically similarwhich means less cognitive dissonance when you read piece of code that you didn' write yourself (or wrote in hurry year ago!in language without significant whitespaceyou might stumble on some differently formatted code likefor in array if pivot less append(xelse greater append(xthe basics www it-ebooks info