Feb 20, 1991 — The First Public Release of Python

On February 20, 1991, the first public version of the Python programming language was released.

It was not yet the global language we know today. It was a small, practical tool created by one person who wanted to make programming simpler and more human.

The Beginning
Python was created by Guido van Rossum at the Dutch research institute Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam.

Guido had previously worked on a language called ABC. ABC was designed to be easy to learn, but it had limitations. Guido wanted something more flexible — a language that was simple, readable, and powerful.

He started working on Python during the Christmas holidays in 1989. By early 1991, he shared the first version publicly on the Usenet newsgroup alt.sources.

What Was in Version 0.9.0?
The first public release was version 0.9.0.

It already included many features that define Python today:

Classes with inheritance

Exception handling

Functions

Core data types like lists, strings, and dictionaries

Modules

Most importantly, Python focused on readability. Indentation was not just style — it was part of the syntax. That decision made Python code look clean and structured.

Why the Name “Python”?
The name does not come from the snake.

Guido was a fan of the British comedy group Monty Python. He wanted a short, unique, and slightly playful name. “Python” felt simple and memorable.

A Different Philosophy
In the early 1990s, many programming languages were complex and formal.

Python took a different path. It valued clarity over cleverness. It encouraged writing code that other humans could read easily.

Years later, this philosophy would be summarized in The Zen of Python, written by Tim Peters.

From a Small Release to a Global Language
The 1991 release was just the beginning.

Python 1.0 would appear in 1994. Python 2.0 in 2000. Python 3.0 in 2008.

Today, Python is used in web development, automation, scientific research, artificial intelligence, education, cybersecurity, and much more.

But everything started on February 20, 1991 — with a simple announcement on Usenet.

A small release that changed the future of programming.