Python plays a vital role in the overall genre of network programming. The standard library comprises of a full support of networking concepts including several network protocols and prospects of encoding or decoding of data. Writing network programs in python is somewhat similar to that of writing in C++.
Before moving on to check out the network programming concerned with Python, here are some of the basics that you would need to keep in mind:
- Data encoding
- Low-Level Programming by using sockets
- High-Level client modules
- HTTP and web-programming
- Basic networking terms and their concepts
A lot of people have got a fear about programming for they think that it might prove to be too difficult for them since they have had no experience in either OOPs or JAVA, However, let me tell you that this might not be the case for you, so why would you prefer to back out without even giving a try? All that you would just need is to have a steady walk through the language at just the right speed. You ought to structure and organize the course in your own way and then start off with it. You can also find several eBooks available on the internet or opt for courses dealing in Python programming. Certainly, I won’t deny to the fact but these courses may prove to be helpful to a lot of pupils.
Read: Best Python IDE
Before you jump on to learn Python network programming, at first you need to understand what are sockets. If you already own any networking experience, you must be aware of sockets from beforehand and in that case, Python programming would not appear to be that difficult for you. Sockets are basically used to connect two or more PCs or laptops together in order to commands or instructions in between them. There are limitless possibilities through which you can use your computers together once they get connected to one another.
Just as you cannot agree to the fact of learning to play a guitar or a piano overnight, the same thing goes with network programming as well. While playing the musical instrument you had to know about the keys or the chords so as to understand the tune or composition, right? In the same way, you need to clear out your basics at first and then hover upon the steps of programming. Start with the perspective of extending your horizon of knowledge and you will slowly be able to understand the language as a whole. Once you understand, you would be able to do programming as well.
Learning Python network programming from the scratch isn’t impossible. You can gradually take your steps to learn the language, provided that you have the skill to understand and determination to continue. Even though you have got no knowledge in programming, you can still look forward to use your skills and knowledge to build some cool networking apps and other interesting stuffs with Python.
Here, in this piece of content, I am looking forward to share some of the basic ideas of Python Network programming:
Key functions from socket – Low-level networking interface:
socket.socket(): This function is used to create a new socket by making use of the given socket type, address family and protocol number.
socket.bind(address): This function is used to bind the socket to the address.
socket.listen(backlog): This function listens for connections that are made to the socket. Here, the backlog argument is used to specify the maximum number of queued connections. The maximum value of queued connections is system-dependent (generally estimated to be 5), while, on the other end, the minimum value is forced to be 0.
socket.accept(): The return value of this function is a pair (that is, conn & address). Conn is a new socket object that is used to send and receive data on the connection. However, address is the address that is bound to the socket on the other end of the connection.A new socket is created at accept(), which is distinct from that of the named socket. It is particularly used for the purpose of communication with a particular client.
socket.send(bytes[, flags]): This function is used to send data to the socket. Here, in this case, the socket should be connected to a remote socket.
This function returns the number of bytes that are sent. To check that all the data has been sent; there are applications that are held responsible for the same. The application needs to attempt for the delivery of the remaining data in case if only some of the data was transmitted.socket.colse(): This function is used to mark the socket closed. That means that all the future operations on the socket object has to fail from that time onwards. The remote end will also receive no more data once after the queued data is flushed. Sockets are closed automatically when they are garbage-collected, however, it is usually recommended to make sure that the users close() them explicitly.
The main job of the server socket is to produce client socket. It does not take any data itself. Now, you may ask that why are these client sockets produced. Well, the answer to your query is that these client sockets are typically created in response to the other client sockets. They are further meant to connect() to a host and the port. Listening to more connections come up as soon as we create the client socket.
There are a lot more about Python network programming but these were the fundamentals. As you keep dealing with the programs and do more and more assignments with the same, you will be able to come up with new and modern things of your own. There’s no such end of any programming language; it totally depends upon you to polish your skills and implement them in your own way. However, logic should complement creativity in every project to make it a successful one.