Lesson 1 - Python Environment Setup

Learning Objective

Install VS Code and Python on your computer, configure them to work together, confirm the installation works from the terminal, and run your first Python script.

Introduction

Before writing any code, you need two things:

1. A code editor where you’ll write your programs.
2. The Python interpreter that executes your code.

In this course, we’ll use Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as our editor and Python 3 as our programming language. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a complete development environment ready to write and run Python programs.

Step 1: Install VS Code

VS Code is one of the most popular editors for Python development. It provides syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging tools, and an integrated terminal.

Install the Python Extension

After installing VS Code:

1. Open VS Code.
2. Navigate to the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
3. Search for Python.
4. Install the Python extension published by Microsoft.

This extension provides:

• Python language support
• IntelliSense (code completion)
• Debugging tools
• Jupyter Notebook support
• Virtual environment detection

Step 2: Install Python

Download the latest stable version of Python from:

Installation Notes by Operating System

brew install python

sudo apt install python3

Step 3: Verify Python Installation

Open a terminal:

• Windows: Command Prompt or PowerShell
• macOS: Terminal
• Linux: Terminal

Run:

python --version

Or on some systems:

python3 --version

You should see output similar to:

Python 3.12.3

Your exact version number may differ.

Step 4: Configure VS Code to Use Python

Once Python is installed:

1. Open VS Code.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS).
3. Search for:

Python: Select Interpreter

4. Choose the Python version you just installed.

VS Code should now recognize Python automatically.

Step 5: Create Your First Python Program

Create a file named:

hello_python.py

Add the following code:

# hello_python.py
import sys
 
print("Hello, Python!")
print(
    f"You're running Python "
    f"{sys.version_info.major}."
    f"{sys.version_info.minor}."
    f"{sys.version_info.micro}"
)

Step 6: Run the Program

Open the VS Code integrated terminal:

Terminal → New Terminal

Navigate to the folder containing hello_python.py and run:

python hello_python.py

Or, on some systems:

python3 hello_python.py

Expected Output

Hello, Python!
You're running Python 3.12.3

🔧 Under the Hood

Student Challenge

# hello_python.py
import sys
import platform
 
print("Hello, Python!")
print(
    f"You're running Python "
    f"{sys.version_info.major}."
    f"{sys.version_info.minor}."
    f"{sys.version_info.micro}"
)
print("Operating System:", platform.system())

Reflection Question

You ran the same hello_python.py file using the interpreter, not a compiler. What advantages might this give you while you’re still learning and making mistakes, compared to a language that requires a compile step before every run?