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If you want to document Blender 2.5 features please edit pages under Doc:2.5/Manual.

If a "2.5" page doesn't exist please copy the text from 2.4x Manual and edit the new page (i.e. you should paste the wikitext from this 2.4x page to this new 2.5x page and then update the latter with 2.5 features)

Manual - Blender 2.49

[edit] Python Scripting

Blender has a very powerful yet often overlooked feature. It exhibits an internal fully fledged Python interpreter. This allows any user to add functionalities by writing a Python script.

Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. It incorporates modules, exceptions, dynamic typing, very high level dynamic data types, and classes. Python combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It was expressly designed to be usable as an extension language for applications that need a programmable interface, and this is why Blender uses it.

Of the two main ways of extending Blender, the other one being binary plugins, Python scripting is more powerful, versatile yet easier to comprehend and robust. It is generally preferred to use Python scripting than writing a plugin.

Actually Python scripting had somewhat limited functionalities up to Blender 2.25, the last of NaN releases. When Open Sourcing Blender many of the new developers gathered around the Foundation elected to work on it and, together with UI change, Python API is probably the single part of Blender which got the greatest development. A full reorganization of what existed was carried out and many new modules added.

This evolution is still ongoing and even better integration is expected in forthcoming Blender versions.