Why does python use two underscores for certain things?

Question

I\'m fairly new to actual programming languages, and Python is my first one. I know my way around Linux a bit, enough to get a summer job with it (I\'m still in high school)

Answer 1

They are used to specify that the Python interpreter should use them in specific situations.

E.g., the __add__ function allows the + operator to work for custom classes. Otherwise you will get some sort of not defined error when attempting to add.