IDE

After the successful installation of Python, we use an IDE (=Integrated Development Environment) which is simply put, a place to write and execute Python code. There are many IDEs available, but we recommend using Visual Studio Code (VS Code/VSC).

Visual Studio Code

General Information

VSCode is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft . It has gained immense popularity among developers for its versatility and extensive extension ecosystem, making it a powerful tool for various programming tasks, including Python and Jupyter Notebook programming. Some key features of VSCode include:

• Cross-Platform: VSCode is available for Windows , macOS , and Linux , making it accessible to developers on different operating systems.
• Lightweight: It’s known for its speed and efficiency. VSCode launches quickly and consumes minimal system resources.
• Extensible: VSCode supports a wide range of programming languages and technologies through extensions. You can customize the editor with extensions to add new features, integrations, and tools. VSCode offers intelligent code completion and suggestions, which can significantly boost your productivity while writing code. Additionally, there is an extension for GitHub Copilot which gives you real-time AI-based suggestions (free for students; sign-up here)
• Version Control: It has built-in Git support, making it easy to manage version control and collaborate with others using Git repositories.
• Large Community: VSCode has a large and active community, which means you can find plenty of resources, extensions, and tutorials to enhance your coding experience.

Setup

Download the installer from the official website. The installation is straightforward, so we won't cover it in detail.

Extensions

As already mentioned, VSCode can be used for a wide range of programming languages. To do this, we need to install the corresponding extensions. Therefore, start VSCode and click on the sidebar on Extensions. Then search and install Jupyter and Python (both from Microsoft).

Install the Python and Jupyter extension

Now, restart VSCode.

Jupyter notebook

Next, we create a new file to execute our first Python code. To do so, we use Jupyter notebooks. Jupyter notebooks are basically composed of cells. A cell can either contain code or text. However, first, we have to create our first notebook.

Hence, we first select a folder in which we want to save our work. We go to File Open Folder and choose a folder. Then click on explorer in the sidebar where your folder should be opened. Right click somewhere in the explorer and select New File. Type a name for your file with the extension *.ipynb. If not automatically, open the new file. Click on Select Kernel in the upper right corner of VSCode and select Python Environment your Python installation.

Select your Python kernel.

If your firewall asks, allow access.

Allow access.

Now, add your first code cell with the + Code button in the upper left corner. Add following line.

print("Hello World!")

Run your first code snippet.

After clicking on Run All, a popup will appear to install the ipykernel. Click on Install.

Last missing piece - the ipykernel.

After the installation, you should be greeted with following output

>>> Output

Hello World!

Congratulations 🎉, you've successfully executed your first Python code!

... more on Jupyter notebooks

Why?

One of the key features of Jupyter Notebook is the combination of code cells with rich text elements, allowing you to create comprehensive documents that blend code, visualizations, and explanatory text. This makes it a powerful tool for creating data analysis reports, sharing research findings, or documenting code workflows.

In addition to code execution and documentation capabilities, Jupyter Notebook offers a wide range of extensions and integrations with popular data science libraries, plotting libraries, and other tools. It provides a flexible and interactive environment for data manipulation, visualization, and analysis.

Cells

As previously discussed, Jupyter notebooks are composed of cells. A cell can contain Python code or text. To add a text cell, click on + Markdown. Markdown is a lightweight markup language with plain text formatting syntax. You can simply write text, add images and links within a markdown cell. This guide offers a nice comprehensive overview of Markdown.

Info

Don't worry about Markdown too much, it is simple to use and 'supports' plain text. So just start writing.

Execution

You can execute cells one by one. Either by clicking on the Exceute Cell button on the left side of your current cell. Or by using the shortcut Ctrl+Enter.

Run all cells with the corresponding Run All button on top.

Coming up ...

Next, we will cover some basic Python concepts, and you will get more familiar with code cells.