Effective Computation in Physics: Field Guide to Research with Python

More physicists today are taking on the role of software developer as part of their research, but software development isn€t always easy or obvious, even for physicists. This practical book teaches essential software development skills to help you automate and accomplish nearly any aspect of research in a physics-based field.

Written by two PhDs in nuclear engineering, this book includes practical examples drawn from a working knowledge of physics concepts. You€ll learn how to use the Python programming language to perform everything from collecting and analyzing data to building software and publishing your results.

In four parts, this book includes:

• Getting Started: Jump into Python, the command line, data containers, functions, flow control and logic, and classes and objects
• Getting It Done: Learn about regular expressions, analysis and visualization, NumPy, storing data in files and HDF5, important data structures in physics, computing in parallel, and deploying software
• Getting It Right: Build pipelines and software, learn to use local and remote version control, and debug and test your code
• Getting It Out There: Document your code, process and publish your findings, and collaborate efficiently; dive into software licenses, ownership, and copyright procedures