Getting Started with Python

Learn what Python is, how it differs from an IDE, and how to install everything you need to start coding.
Published

March 16, 2026

Modified

March 26, 2026

ImportantAims
  • Introduction to the python programming language.
  • Interactive Development Enviroment (IDE) and language installation.
  • Package management.

What is Python?

Python is a general-purpose programming language — a formal set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. First released in 1991 by Guido van Rossum, Python was designed with one guiding philosophy: code should be easy to read and write. That philosophy has made it one of the most popular languages in the world today.

Python is used across an enormous range of fields, including:

  • Data science & analytics — cleaning, exploring, and visualizing datasets
  • Machine learning & AI — building predictive models and neural networks (libraries like scikit-learn, PyTorch, and TensorFlow)
  • Web development — powering the back end of websites (frameworks like Django and FastAPI)
  • Automation & scripting — automating repetitive tasks like renaming files, scraping websites, or sending emails
  • Scientific computing — simulations, numerical methods, and research workflows
  • Finance — quantitative modeling, algorithmic trading, and risk analysis

If you are coming from a field like biology, economics, or social science, Python is particularly valuable because it bridges the gap between domain expertise and data analysis in a way that feels approachable even without a computer science background.

Programming Languages vs. IDEs

Before installing anything, it helps to understand the difference between two things you will hear about constantly: the programming language and the IDE.

The Programming Language

A programming language (such as python) is the set of rules and syntax you use to write instructions for your computer. Python itself is just a specification; the thing you actually install is the Python interpreter, a program that reads your .py files and executes them line by line.

Think of Python as the language — like English or Spanish.

The IDE (Integrated Development Environment)

An IDE is a piece of software that gives you a comfortable place to write that language. It typically provides:

  • A text editor with syntax highlighting and autocomplete
  • A file explorer to navigate your project
  • A terminal to run your code
  • Debugging tools to step through errors

Think of an IDE as the word processor — like Microsoft Word, but for code.

Note

You do not strictly need an IDE to write Python. You could write code in Notepad and run it from the command line. But a good IDE makes things much easier when you are first starting out.

Which IDE Should You Use?

There are several excellent options:

IDE Best For
VS Code Most beginners; highly extensible; enormous community
Positron Data scientists coming from R/RStudio; built by Posit
Cursor AI-assisted coding; built on VS Code
PyCharm Full-featured Python development; heavier install

This guide recommends VS Code. It is free, lightweight, works on all platforms, and has a rich ecosystem of extensions for Python, Quarto, Git, and more. Positron and Cursor are both built on the same foundation as VS Code, so the experience is very similar — if either appeals to you, the instructions below transfer almost directly.

Installing VS Code

Step 1: Download the Installer

Go to https://code.visualstudio.com and click the large download button. The website will automatically detect your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) and offer the correct installer.

Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Open the downloaded .exe file.
  2. Accept the license agreement.
  3. On the Select Additional Tasks screen, check “Add to PATH” — this is important.
  4. Click through the remaining prompts and click Install.
  1. Open the downloaded .zip file — this extracts the Visual Studio Code.app bundle.
  2. Drag Visual Studio Code.app into your Applications folder.
  3. On first launch, macOS may warn you about opening an app from the internet — click Open.
  4. To use VS Code from the terminal, open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P), type shell command, and select “Install ‘code’ command in PATH”.

For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install wget gpg
wget -qO- https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > packages.microsoft.gpg
sudo install -o root -g root -m 644 packages.microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list'
sudo apt update
sudo apt install code

Step 3: Install the Python Extension

Once VS Code is open:

  1. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (it looks like four squares).
  2. Search for “Python”.
  3. Install the extension published by Microsoft (it will be the top result).

This extension gives VS Code Python syntax highlighting, IntelliSense (autocomplete), linting, and the ability to run Python files directly.

Installing Python

Step 1: Download Python

Go to https://www.python.org/downloads and download the latest stable release. As of this writing, Python 3.12 is the recommended version for most users.

Warning

Avoid Python 2. It reached end-of-life in 2020 and is no longer maintained. Always install Python 3.x.

Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Open the downloaded .exe file.
  2. Before clicking Install Now, check the box at the bottom that says “Add Python to PATH”. This is the most common mistake beginners make — do not skip it.
  3. Click Install Now and let the installer finish.
  1. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the prompts.
  2. Python will be installed to /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/.
  3. Alternatively, if you use Homebrew, you can install Python with:
brew install python

Python is often pre-installed on Linux. Check your version first:

python3 --version

If you need to install or update:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Open a terminal (or the integrated terminal in VS Code with Ctrl+`) and run:

python --version

You should see output like:

Python 3.12.3

If you see an error on macOS or Linux, try python3 --version instead.

Step 4: Write Your First Program

In VS Code, create a new file called hello.py and type:

print("Hello, world!")

Click the Run button (▶) in the top-right corner, or run it from the terminal:

python hello.py

You should see Hello, world! printed in the terminal. You’re up and running.

What are Packages?

Out of the box, Python comes with a useful set of built-in tools called the standard library — things like file reading, math operations, and date handling. But Python’s real power comes from its vast ecosystem of third-party packages.

A package is a collection of Python code written by someone else that you can import and use in your own programs. Instead of writing complex algorithms from scratch, you install a package and use its functions directly.

For example:

  • pandas — work with tabular data (think: Excel, but in Python)
  • matplotlib / seaborn — create charts and visualizations
  • numpy — fast numerical computing
  • requests — make HTTP requests and interact with web APIs
  • scikit-learn — machine learning

pip: Python’s Package Manager

Python comes with a tool called pip (short for Pip Installs Packages) that downloads and installs packages from the internet. You use it from the terminal.

Install a package:

pip install pandas

Install a specific version:

pip install pandas==2.1.0

Install multiple packages at once:

pip install pandas matplotlib seaborn

Uninstall a package:

pip uninstall pandas

List all installed packages:

pip list

Upgrade a package to the latest version:

pip install --upgrade pandas

Managing Dependencies with requirements.txt

When working on a project, it is good practice to record which packages your project depends on. The conventional way to do this is a requirements.txt file.

Generate one from your current environment:

pip freeze > requirements.txt

Install all packages from a requirements.txt:

pip install -r requirements.txt

This makes it easy for collaborators (or your future self) to recreate your exact environment.

Virtual Environments

One important concept for managing packages is the virtual environment. By default, pip install adds packages to your global Python installation — which can cause conflicts when different projects need different versions of the same package.

A virtual environment creates an isolated, self-contained Python installation for a single project.

Create a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv

Activate it:

venv\Scripts\activate
source venv/bin/activate

Once activated, your terminal prompt will show (venv). Any packages you install now go only into this environment and do not affect the rest of your system.

Deactivate when you’re done:

deactivate
Tip

It is good practice to create a new virtual environment for every project. Many developers add venv/ to their .gitignore file so it is not committed to version control.

Summary

Here’s everything covered in this guide at a glance:

Step Tool What It Does
1 VS Code Your editor — where you write code
2 Python The language interpreter — runs your code
3 pip Installs third-party packages
4 venv Isolates packages per project

With these four pieces in place, you have a complete, professional Python development environment. From here, the best next step is to pick a project that genuinely interests you — whether that’s analysing a dataset, automating a task, or building a small tool — and start writing code.

Happy coding! 🐍

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