What is ArcPy?

ArcPy is a Python site package that provides a useful and productive way to perform geographic data analysis, data conversion, data management, and map automation with Python.

This package provides a rich and native Python experience offering code completion (type a keyword and a dot to get a pop-up list of properties and methods supported by that keyword; select one to insert it) and reference documentation for each function, module, and class.

The additional power of using ArcPy is that Python is a general-purpose programming language. It is interpreted and dynamically typed and is suited for interactive work and quick prototyping of one-off programs known as scripts while being powerful enough to write large applications in. ArcGIS applications written with ArcPy benefit from the development of additional modules in numerous niches of Python by GIS professionals and programmers from many different disciplines.