Programming Glossary
This is a glossary of the more technical terms used on About.com's Python site.
Modules
Modules are small pieces of pre-written Python code that you can import into your programs. Using the 'import' command, you can effectively "cut and paste" all or part of a module. Regardless of whether the module is from the Python library or another program, the computer does not see a difference between the module and your program.Protocol
A protocol is simply a set format for exchanging information. When you dial a telephone number, the number must be in a set format to be understood. In one group of countries (the US and Canada), that format is "(123) 456-7890", but in others it is "01234 567890" (the UK) or "01 23 45 678" (Switzerland). Like dialling a telephone number, a program must relay information in a certain format to be understood by other programs on other computers. These formats are called protocols.
String
A string is the smallest type of variable that holds non-numeric data. Word, phrases, lines of a file, and full sentences are examples of string values. In Python, a string can also hold a number, but it does so as a non-numeric value. That is, it treats it as a character rather than a operand of arithmetic.
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