In this chapter, we covered the basics of various terminology that we will use while performing network automation. This chapter also introduced the readers to some basic aspects of programming to help build the logic of a program.

This chapter also explained why to write a good program and how to write one, along with some reference points for scripting languages. There was also a brief discussion about the current scripting languages, their basic usage, and writing a very basic program in two of the most popular scripting languages (Python and PowerShell).

Finally, we summed it all up by introducing the REST framework, which included a discussion about APIs, how to call them, and an explanation of XML and JSON as inter-platform data exchange languages.

The next chapter will go deeper into how to write scripts using Python, with relevant examples in PowerShell to ensure the reader becomes familiar with both Python and PowerShell. There will be tips and best practices as well.