PYTHON PROGRAMMING
GETTING STARTED WITH PYTHON
BASICS OF PYTHON
CONTROL FLOW STATEMENTS
FUNCTION
Exceptions and Errors

Setting Up Python Programming Environment

As of this writing the current stable version of python is: 3.12.1. Setting up a Python environment involves installing the Python interpreter and managing dependencies. The process varies slightly depending on the operating system. Below are general guidelines for setting up a Python environment on different operating systems:

Windows:

Installing Python:

  • Visit the official Python website (https://www.python.org/downloads/) and download the latest version of Python for Windows.
  • Run the installer, ensuring that you check the option to add Python to the system PATH during installation.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  • Verifying Installation:

Open the Command Prompt and type python --version or python -V to check if Python is installed.

  • To access the Python interactive shell, type python in the Command Prompt.

macOS:

Installing Python:

macOS typically comes with a pre-installed version of Python. However, it's recommended to use a package manager like Homebrew for a more up-to-date version.

  • Open Terminal and install Homebrew by following the instructions on the Homebrew website.
  • Once Homebrew is installed, use the command brew install python to install the latest version of Python.
  • Verifying Installation:

In Terminal, type python3 --version or python3 -V to check if Python is installed.

  • Access the Python interactive shell by typing python3 in Terminal.

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

Installing Python:

  • Open the terminal and run the following commands to update the package list and install Python:
sudo apt update

sudo apt install python3
  • Verifying Installation:

In the terminal, type python3 --version or python3 -V to check if Python is installed.

  • Access the Python interactive shell by typing python3 in the terminal.

Integrated Development Environment for Python

Several popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) are widely used for Python development. Each has its own set of features and strengths, catering to different preferences and project requirements. Here are some of the well-known Python IDEs:

PyCharm:

Description: Developed by JetBrains, PyCharm is a powerful and feature-rich IDE specifically designed for Python. It offers advanced code analysis, debugging, and integration with popular frameworks.

Features:

  • Intelligent code completion and suggestions.
  • Built-in visual debugger.
  • Integration with popular web frameworks (Django, Flask).
  • Version control system integration.
  • Database tools and support.

Visual Studio Code (VSCode):

Description: A lightweight, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft, VSCode has become immensely popular for Python development due to its extensibility and a wide range of available extensions.

Features:

  • Powerful IntelliSense for code completion.
  • Integrated Git control.
  • Extensive extension support for Python and other languages.
  • Built-in terminal.
  • Debugging support with breakpoints and variable inspection.

Jupyter Notebooks:

Description: Jupyter Notebooks provide an interactive computing environment that allows mixing code, visualizations, and documentation. It's commonly used in data science and scientific computing.

Features:

  • Interactive code cells.
  • Rich text support for documentation.
  • Integration with data visualization libraries (Matplotlib, Seaborn).
  • Easily shareable and exportable notebooks.
  • Support for various programming languages.

Spyder:

Description: Spyder is an open-source IDE designed for scientific computing and data analysis. It provides a MATLAB-like environment and is part of the Anaconda distribution.

Features:

  • Integrated IPython console.
  • Variable explorer for data inspection.
  • Built-in profiler and debugger.
  • Support for NumPy, SciPy, and Matplotlib.
  • Extensible through plugins.

IDLE:

Description: IDLE (Integrated Development and Learning Environment) comes bundled with the standard Python distribution. It is a simple IDE suitable for beginners and smaller projects.

Features:

  • Basic code editor with syntax highlighting.
  • Integrated shell for interactive Python sessions.
  • Debugger with breakpoints.
  • Suitable for learning and educational purposes.