Optional — installing Python locally if you want a head start

This is the long-form version of the Week 0 setup lesson. Same content, more handholding. Skip whichever section doesn't apply.

What "installing Python" actually means

When you "install Python," you're putting a program called python on your machine. That program reads .py files and runs them. You also get pip, a sister program that installs other people's Python code so you can use it.

Both come bundled in the official installer from python.org. That's the path we recommend.

macOS

Apple ships an old Python with macOS, but it's there for the operating system, not for you. Don't try to upgrade it — install a fresh one alongside.

1. Visit python.org/downloads.
2. Click the big yellow Download Python 3.x button. Run the .pkg installer.
3. Open Terminal (Cmd + Space, type terminal).
4. Type python3 --version. You should see Python 3.12.x or similar.
5. Type pip3 --version. You should see something similar.

Done.

Windows

1. Visit python.org/downloads.
2. Run the installer. On the first screen, tick "Add python.exe to PATH" at the bottom. This is the single most important checkbox in the whole process.
3. Click Install Now.
4. Open Command Prompt (Start menu → type cmd).
5. Type python --version.

If you missed the PATH checkbox, the easiest fix is to uninstall and reinstall with the box ticked.

Linux

You probably already have Python 3:

python3 --version

If not, install through your package manager (sudo apt install python3 python3-pip on Debian/Ubuntu, etc.).

VS Code

Editing .py files in Notepad is not pleasant. Install Visual Studio Code from code.visualstudio.com. On first run, it'll suggest the Python extension by Microsoft — install it.

That's enough. We'll do the rest live.