1.1. Python Setup & IDEs

June 17, 2025 · Robert DeVore

Overview

Welcome to your Python journey! Before we dive into writing code, we need to set up your development environment properly. Think of this as preparing your workspace—just like a carpenter needs the right tools and a clean workbench, you need Python installed and a good code editor to write, run, and debug your programs effectively.

In this chapter, you'll learn how to:

By the end of this section, you'll have a fully functional Python development environment and the confidence to start coding immediately.

Installing Python

Python is free and available for all major operating systems. Let's walk through the installation process for each platform.

Windows Installation

Step 1: Download Python

  1. Visit the official Python website: python.org
  2. Click "Downloads" and then "Download Python 3.x.x" (where x.x represents the latest version)
  3. The website automatically detects your operating system and suggests the right version

Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Once downloaded, run the installer file (usually named python-3.x.x-amd64.exe)
  2. Important: Check the box "Add Python to PATH" at the bottom of the installer window
  3. Click "Install Now" for a standard installation, or "Customize installation" if you want specific options
  4. Wait for the installation to complete

Step 3: Verify Installation

  1. Open Command Prompt (press Windows + R, type cmd, press Enter)
  2. Type python --version and press Enter
  3. You should see something like Python 3.11.5 displayed

macOS Installation

Method 1: Official Installer (Recommended for Beginners)

  1. Visit python.org and download the macOS installer
  2. Run the downloaded .pkg file
  3. Follow the installation wizard (default settings are usually fine)
  4. Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal)
  5. Type python3 --version to verify installation

Method 2: Using Homebrew (For Advanced Users) If you have Homebrew installed:

brew install python

Note: macOS comes with Python 2.7 pre-installed, but you want Python 3.x for modern development. Always use python3 command on macOS.

Linux Installation

Most Linux distributions come with Python pre-installed, but it might be an older version.

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

CentOS/RHEL/Fedora:

sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip

Verify installation:

python3 --version

Python Version Considerations

Choosing an IDE or Editor

An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or code editor is where you'll write your Python code. Here are the most popular options for beginners:

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) - Recommended for Beginners

Why VS Code?

Installation:

  1. Download from code.visualstudio.com
  2. Install the Python extension by Microsoft
  3. Install the Python Indent extension for better code formatting

Setting up VS Code for Python:

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "Python" and install the official Microsoft Python extension
  4. Optionally install "Python Indent" and "Python Docstring Generator"

PyCharm Community Edition

Why PyCharm?

Installation:

  1. Download from jetbrains.com/pycharm
  2. Choose Community Edition (free)
  3. Follow the installation wizard

Thonny - Best for Absolute Beginners

Why Thonny?

Installation:

  1. Download from thonny.org
  2. Install and run—it comes with Python built-in!

Other Popular Options

Making Your Choice

For beginners, I recommend this progression:

  1. Start with Thonny if you're completely new to programming
  2. Move to VS Code as you become more comfortable
  3. Consider PyCharm when working on larger projects

First Script: "Hello, World!"

Now let's write your first Python program! This is a tradition in programming—every programmer's first program displays "Hello, World!" on the screen.

Using Your Chosen Editor

Step 1: Create a New File

  1. Open your chosen editor (VS Code, PyCharm, Thonny, etc.)
  2. Create a new file
  3. Save it as hello.py (the .py extension tells the computer this is a Python file)

Step 2: Write Your First Code Type the following code exactly as shown:

print("Hello, World!")

Step 3: Run Your Program

In VS Code:

  1. Open the terminal (Terminal → New Terminal)
  2. Type python hello.py (or python3 hello.py on macOS/Linux)
  3. Press Enter

In PyCharm:

  1. Right-click on your file and select "Run 'hello'"
  2. Or press Ctrl+Shift+F10 (Cmd+Shift+R on macOS)

In Thonny:

  1. Click the green "Run" button or press F5

Expected Output:

Hello, World!

Congratulations! You've just written and executed your first Python program!

Understanding Your First Program

Let's break down what happened:

Experiment with Variations

Try modifying your program:

print("Hello, World!")
print("Welcome to Python programming!")
print("My name is", "Python Student")

Or with variables:

name = "Python Student"
print("Hello, my name is", name)

Command Line Basics

The command line (also called terminal, command prompt, or shell) is a text-based interface for interacting with your computer. While modern computers rely heavily on graphical interfaces, the command line remains essential for programming.

Opening the Command Line

Windows:

macOS:

Linux:

Essential Commands

Here are the most important commands you'll need:

Navigation:

# See your current location
pwd                    # "print working directory"

# List files and folders
ls                     # macOS/Linux
dir                    # Windows

# Change directory
cd Desktop            # Go to Desktop folder
cd ..                 # Go up one level
cd /                  # Go to root directory (macOS/Linux)
cd \                  # Go to root directory (Windows)

File Operations:

# Create a new directory
mkdir my_python_projects

# Create a new file (macOS/Linux)
touch hello.py

# Create a new file (Windows)
type nul > hello.py

Running Python:

# Run a Python file
python hello.py        # Windows
python3 hello.py       # macOS/Linux

# Start interactive Python
python                 # Windows
python3                # macOS/Linux

# Exit interactive Python
exit()

Interactive Python Shell

The Python shell (REPL - Read-Eval-Print Loop) lets you type Python code and see results immediately:

$ python3
Python 3.11.5 (main, Aug 24 2023, 15:18:16)
>>> print("Hello from the shell!")
Hello from the shell!
>>> 2 + 3
5
>>> name = "Python"
>>> print(f"I'm learning {name}!")
I'm learning Python!
>>> exit()

This is excellent for testing small pieces of code and learning Python interactively.

Troubleshooting Setup Issues

Even with careful installation, you might encounter some common issues. Here are solutions to the most frequent problems:

Problem 1: "python is not recognized" or "command not found"

Symptoms:

Solution: This means Python is not in your system's PATH.

Windows:

  1. Search for "Environment Variables" in Start menu
  2. Click "Edit the system environment variables"
  3. Click "Environment Variables"
  4. Under "System Variables," find "Path" and click "Edit"
  5. Click "New" and add the Python installation directory (usually C:\Python3x\ and C:\Python3x\Scripts\)
  6. Click OK and restart your command prompt

macOS/Linux: Add this line to your .bashrc or .zshrc file:

export PATH="/usr/local/bin/python3:$PATH"

Problem 2: Multiple Python Versions

Symptoms:

Solution: Use specific version commands:

python3 --version    # For Python 3
python2 --version    # For Python 2 (if installed)

Always use python3 for your development work.

Problem 3: Permission Errors

Symptoms:

Solution:** Windows:** Run Command Prompt as Administrator macOS/Linux: Use sudo carefully:

sudo python3 -m pip install package_name

Better solution: Use virtual environments (covered in later chapters).

Problem 4: IDE Not Recognizing Python

Symptoms:

Solution:** **VS Code:

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on macOS)
  2. Type "Python: Select Interpreter"
  3. Choose the correct Python installation

PyCharm:

  1. Go to File → Settings → Project → Python Interpreter
  2. Click the gear icon and "Add"
  3. Select your Python installation

Problem 5: Firewall or Antivirus Blocking

Symptoms:

Solution:

  1. Temporarily disable antivirus during installation
  2. Add Python to your antivirus exceptions
  3. Check if corporate firewall is blocking downloads

Getting Help

When you encounter issues:

  1. Read error messages carefully - they often contain the solution
  2. Check the official Python documentation at docs.python.org
  3. Search Stack Overflow - most Python questions have been asked before
  4. Use Python's built-in help: Type help() in the Python shell
  5. Ask for help on Python communities like Reddit's r/learnpython

Verifying Your Setup

Before moving on, let's make sure everything is working correctly:

Checklist

  1. Python Installation:

    python --version        # Should show Python 3.8+
python3 --version       # On macOS/Linux

  2. Package Manager (pip):

    pip --version           # Should show pip version
pip3 --version          # On macOS/Linux

  3. Your Editor:

    • Can create and save .py files
    • Syntax highlighting works
    • Can run Python scripts

  4. Command Line:

    • Can navigate directories
    • Can run Python files
    • Can access interactive Python shell

Final Test Script

Create a file called test_setup.py and add this code:

import sys
import os

print("Python Setup Test")
print("=" * 20)
print(f"Python version: {sys.version}")
print(f"Python executable: {sys.executable}")
print(f"Current directory: {os.getcwd()}")
print(f"Platform: {sys.platform}")
print("=" * 20)
print("Setup test completed successfully!")

Run this script. If it executes without errors and shows your Python version information, your setup is complete!

Next Steps

Congratulations! You now have a fully functional Python development environment. Here's what you've accomplished:

In the next section (1.2 Syntax & Data Types), you'll start learning Python's core language features. You'll discover how to work with different types of data, create variables, and write more complex programs.

Recommended Practice:

Remember: every expert programmer started exactly where you are now. The key is consistent practice and patience with yourself as you learn. You've taken the most important step—you're ready to code!