Python Zero to Heros

Online Absolute Beginner Python Tutorials 

Every Sunday 1pm (UK time/ BST)

twitch.tv/cheukting_ho

by Cheuk Ting Ho

@cheukting_ho

https://cheuk.dev

Cheukting

Get this slide deck: bit.ly/PythonSetup

First of all, download and install Python

There are million ways of installing Python

Sometime, you may have Python already in your computer and you don't even know it.

I think it's a good idea to check if you have python insalled and know where it will sit after you have installed it.

p.s. we are not using Python 2!!!

How to find where my Python is installed?

In unix (mac os X included) terminal you can do:

which python

For Windows Users, chances are one of these (e.g. Python3.6):

  • C:\Python36
  • C:\Users\(Your logged in User)\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36
where python

Or in a CMD:

cd \
ls *ython* -Recurse -Directory

If you can't find it / which python shows nothing...

Congratulations! Today's episode is for you!

Even if you have Python installed and you don't know how, you should also watch this episode.

The "Official" way of installing Python

https://www.python.org/downloads/

You may have found it before because you want to learn Python

Or you may have heard about Anaconda

Installing a Python ready for coding is not as straght forward as you think...

Mac OS

If you are new to using Mac OS for coding, the first thing you need is XCode

In your terminal:

xcode-select --install

Mac OS

Next, install homebrew - a package manager in OS X

In your terminal:

ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/mxcl/homebrew/go)"

Mac OS

Then you can use homebrew to install Python3 (remember the 3)

In your terminal:

brew install python3

Complete guide: http://www.pyladies.com/blog/Get-Your-Mac-Ready-for-Python-Programming/

Linux

Uaually, Linux already comes with Python

to check which version of Python you are using:

python3 --version

Linux

If you don't have Python 3.6 or above (which is recommended)

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3.6

Complete guide:
https://docs.python-guide.org/starting/install3/linux/

Windows

For windows, the official website is the best choice

https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/

(Thanks to Steve Dower @zooba)

Windows

Windows

Windows

Complete guide: https://www.howtogeek.com/197947/how-to-install-python-on-windows/

For Windows 10, you can also set up via powershell: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-python-3-and-set-up-a-local-programming-environment-on-windows-10

Anaconda

A heavy distribution of Python and R (include 7,500+ packages) designed for scientific computing

If you want to do data analysis and machine learning, it may be a good choice

Download here: https://www.anaconda.com/distribution/

Check if you can use Python

Go to terminal/ CMD / Anaconda terminal

python3
>>> 1+1
2
>>> print("hello")
hello

Homework📝

🌟Extra tips🌟

It's useful to have a GitHub account and have git installed.

https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git

Get a coding IDE, I use Atom, other propular choice are Sublime Text, VS Code, PyCharm.

https://realpython.com/python-ides-code-editors-guide/ 

Next week:
Python Coding Basics

Sunday 1pm (UK time/ BST)

twitch.tv/cheukting_ho

There are also Mid Meet Py every Wednesday 1pm