Introduction

Welcome to PythonSage! Now that you have learned about Python and its huge applications, it's time to ready your system to run Python. In this post, we will guide and instruct you to install Python on your system, update it, and set your system environment to start coding today efficiently.

Step 1: Check if Python is Already Installed

Before installing Python, let’s check if it’s already installed on your system or not

·       For Windows to Check:

1.    Open Command Prompt.

2.    Type ‘python --version’ and press Enter.

·       For MacOS/Linux to Check:

1.    Open Terminal.

2.    Type ‘python3 --version’ and press Enter.

If Python is already installed, you will see the version number. If not, you will need to install it.

Step 2: Download Python

If Python is not installed in your system, visit the official Python website to download the latest version of Python.

1.   Go to Python’s official Website.

2.   Click on the “Download” tab.

3.  Download the installer for your operating system(Windows, MacOS, or Linux)

 Step 3: Install Python

·       For Windows:

1.  Run the downloaded installer.

2.  Check the box that says “Add Python to PATH.”

3.  Click on “Install Now.”

4. Once the installation is complete, verify the installation by opening Command Prompt and typing ‘python --version.’

·       For MacOS:

1.  Open the downloaded .pkg file.

2.  Follow the instructions in the installer.

3. After installation, verify by opening Terminal and typing ‘python3 --version’.

·       For Linux:

1.  Open Terminal.

2.  Use your package manager to install python. For example, on Ubuntu, you can use:

·       Sudo apt update

·       Sudo apt install python3

3.  Verify the installation by typing ‘python3 --version’ in the Terminal.

 Step 4: Install a Code Editor

To write and run Python code, you will need a code editor. Here are some popular options:

·       Visual Studio Code (VS Code):

1.  Download from Visual Studio Code.

2.  Install the Python extension for VS Code.

·       PyCharm:

1.  Download from PyCharm.

2.  Follow the installation instructions.

·       Sublime Text:

1.  Download from Sublime Text.

2.  Install the relevant Python packages for enhanced functionality

Step 5: Install Pip and Virtual Environment

Pip is a package manager for Python that allows you to install additional libraries and tools for use later. Virtual environments help to manage dependencies for different projects.

·       Installing Pip:

1. Pip comes bundled with Python 3.4 and later. To check if pip is installed, type: ‘pip --version’

2. If pip is not installed, download get-pip.py from here and run: ‘python get-pip.py’

·       Creating a Virtual Environment:

1. Open your Command Prompt (Window) or Terminal (macOS/Linux)  

2.  Navigate to your project directory.

3.  Create a virtual environment using:

‘Python --m venv myenv’

4.  Activate the virtual environment:

·       Windows:

myenv\Scripts\activate

·       macOS/Linux

source myenv/bin/activate

Your command prompt will change to indicate that the virtual environment is active. To deactivate, simply type deactivate. 

Step 6: Install Essential Python Packages

To start developing with Python, you may want to install some essential packages that we use later:

·        NumPy: For numerical computing

·        Pandas: For data manipulation and analysis

·        Matplotlib: For plotting and visualization

·        Flask: For web development

·        Django: For web development

Install these packages using pip:

Pip install numpy pandas matplotlib flask django

Conclusion

Congratulations! Your system is now ready to run Python. You have installed Python, set up a virtual environment, and installed important packages. With your system ready, you can start exploring the endless possibilities of Python programming. Stay tuned to PythonSage for more tutorials and insights into Python development.

Happy coding!