help: confused about python flavors....

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:06:37 -0800, amar Singh wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I am confused between plain python, numpy, scipy, pylab, matplotlib.

Python is a programming language. It comes standard with many libraries 
for doing basic mathematics, web access, email, etc.

Numpy is a library for doing scientific numerical maths work and fast 
processing of numeric arrays.

Scipy is another library for scientific work. It is separate from, but 
uses, Numpy.

Matplotlib is a project for making graphing and plotting of numeric data 
easy in Python.

Pylab is a project to be Python's version of Matlab: it intends to be an 
integrated bundle of Python the programming language, Numpy, Scipy, and 
Matplotlib all in one easy-to-use application.


> I have high familiarity with matlab, but the computer I use does not
> have it. So moving to python.
> What should I use? and the best way to use it. I will be running
> matlab-like scripts sometimes on the shell prompt and sometimes on the
> command line.

Pylab is intended to be the closest to Matlab, but I don't know how close 
it is. Also, Pylab is NOT compatible with Matlab: its aim is to be an 
alternative to Matlab, not to be a clone. So it cannot run Matlab scripts.

You might also like to look at Sage:

http://www.sagemath.org/

Sage is a Python project aimed to be an alternative to Mathematica.


Ultimately, you will have to look at the packages, see their features, 
perhaps try them for a while (they are all free software, so the only 
cost is your time), and decide for yourself which one meets your needs. 
We can't answer that, because we don't know what you need.


-- 
Steven