Installing Python

--- title: Installing Python tags: COMP1010-23T0 --- # Installing Python For the latter part of this course, we will be building more complex programs than can't be written in Python Notebooks. For this reason, you will need to have a Python interpreter and a source-code editor installed on your computer. Fortunately, both of these things are available for free and can be installed relatively easily. For this course, we recommend using the Python interpreter available from python.org and Visual Studio Code as a source-code editor. However, if you have gotten a Python interpreter from somewhere else, or a have different source-code editor you prefer, you can use them if you wish. We encourage you to do whatever you are comfortable with. ### Overview These instructions describe generally what needs to be done to install Python and Visual Studio Code. In most cases, we expect them to work as is, but it always possible that there is something particular about your computer that causes them not to work properly. If you have any problems you can post a comment below or talk to your tutor during your lab. #### Windows 1. Download <a href="https://python.org/">Python 3.9.7 from python.org </a>. If you hover over the 'Download' button in the menu, it should give you a button to download the right version of Python for your operating system. 2. Once the download has finished, double click the file to install Python. Follow the prompts to install the software, but make sure to: * Tick the box Add Python 3.9 to PATH at the start of installation * Click the button Disable path length limit after installation. 3. Download <a href="https://code.visualstudio.com/">Visual Studio Code </a>from its website. The main button on the page should download the right version for your computer. 4. Once downloaded, install it. Make sure the following boxes are ticked during installation. * Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer file context menu * Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer directory context menu * Register Code as an editor for supported file types * Add to PATH (requires shell restart) #### Mac 1. Download <a href="https://python.org/">Python 3.9.7 from python.org </a>. If you hover over the 'Download' button in the menu, it should give you a button to download the right version of Python for your operating system. 2. Double click on the file and follow the prompts to install it. After installing, double click on **Update Shell Profile.command** and **Install Certificates.command** to configure it for use. 3. Download <a href="https://code.visualstudio.com/">Visual Studio Code</a> and copy it to the **Applications** folder.