If you’ve ever worked with lower-level languages like C or C++, then you may have heard ofpointers. Pointers are essentially variables that hold the memory address of another variable. They allow you to create great efficiency in parts of your code but can lead to various memory management bugs.

You’ll learn aboutPython’s object model and see why pointers in Python don’t really exist. For the cases where you need to mimic pointer behavior, you’ll learn ways to simulate pointers in Python without managing memory.

In this course, you’ll:

• Learn whypointers in Python don’t exist
• Explore the difference betweenC variables andPython names
• Simulate pointers in Python
• Experiment with real pointers usingctypes

What’s Included:

• 12 Lessons
• Video Subtitles and Full Transcripts
• 2 Downloadable Resources
• Accompanying Text-Based Tutorial
• Q&A With Python Experts: Ask a Question
• Certificate of Completion

Downloadable Resources:

• Course Slides (.pdf)
• Sample Code (.zip)

Related Learning Paths:

• Understand CPython

Pointers and Objects in Python

12 Lessons 47m

1. 1. Pointers and Objects in Python (Overview)01:48
2. 2. Pointers in C09:15
3. 3. Pointers Analogy03:10
4. 4. Python Doesn't Have Pointers02:56
5. 5. Immutable vs Mutable Objects03:45
6. 6. Variables in C vs Python06:06
7. 7. Intern Objects02:54
8. 8. Object Passing in Python05:54
9. 9. Simulated Pointers With Mutable Types01:37
10. 10. Simulated Pointers With Classes02:34
11. 11. Real Pointers With ctypes06:25
12. 12. Pointers and Objects in Python (Summary)00:59

AboutAustin Cepalia

Austin is a video tutorial author at Real Python. He graduated with a BS in CS from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2023, and now he writes software to support the semiconductor industry.

» More about Austin

Each tutorial at Real Python is created by a team of developers so that it meets our high quality standards. The team members who worked on this tutorial are:

Christopher

Joanna

Sadie

Tappan

Logan

Brad

Aldren

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