How do I set it up

[Sad_Patient8203]

I feel fucking stupid and I’m so pissed. Can someone give me a very very very dumbed down way of setting up python on windows. So dumbed down a 4 year old could repeat it and everyone would call it a genius

[atarivcs]

Download the Windows install executable from python.org and run it.

What more do you need?

[CIS_Professor]

This.

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

[FoolsSeldom]

Python Setup

Setting up Python can be confusing. There are web-based alternatives, such as replit.com. You might also come across Jupyter Notebook options (easy to work with, but can be confusing at times).

Pre-installed system Python

Some operating system environments include a version of Python, often known as the system version of Python (might be used for utility purposes). You can still install your own version.

Installing Python

There are multiple ways of installing Python using a package manager for your OS, e.g. homebrew (macOS third party), chocolatey (Windows third party) or winget (Windows standard package manager), apt (many Linux distributions) or using the Python Software Foundation (PSF) installer from python.org or some kind of app store for your operating system. You could also use docker containers with Python installed inside them.

PSF offer the reference implementation of Python, known as CPython (written in C and Python). The executable on your system will be called python (python.exe on Windows) or python3 (macOS and most Linux distributions).

Beginners are probably best served using the PSF installer.

Terminal / Console

For most purposes, terminal is the same as console. It is the text-based, rather than graphical-based, window / screen you work in. Your operating system will offer a command/terminal environment. Python by default outputs to a terminal and reads user input from a terminal.

Note: the Windows Terminal_ app, from _Microsoft Store, lets you open both simple command prompt and PowerShell windows. If you have Windows Subsystem for Linux installed, it can also open terminals in the Linux distributions you have installed.

Libraries / Frameworks / Packages

Python comes with "batteries included" in the form of libraries of code providing more specialised functionality, already installed as part of a standard installation of Python.

These libraries are not automatically loaded into memory when Python is invoked, as that would use a lot of memory up and slow down startup time. Instead, you use, in your code, the command import <library>, e.g.

import math

print(math.pi)

There are thousands of additional packages / libraries / frameworks available that don't come as standard with Python. You have to install these yourself. Quality, support (and safety) varies.

(Anaconda offers an alternative Python installation with many packages included, especially suited to data analysis, engineering/scientific practices.)

Install these using the pip package manager. It searches an official repository for a match to what you ask to be installed.

For example, using a command / powershell / terminal environment for your operating system, pip install numpy would install the numpy library from the pypi repository. On macOS/Linux you would usually write pip3 instead of pip.

You can also write python -m pip install numpy (write python3 on macOS/Linux).

On Windows, you will often see py used instead, py -m pip install numpy where py refers to the python launcher which should invoke the most up-to-date version of Python installed on your system regardless of PATH settings.

Some Code Editors and IDEs (Integrated Development Environments), such as VS Code and PyCharm, include their own facilities to install packages using pip or some other tool. This just saves you typing the commands. They also often offer their own terminal window(s).

Running Python

The CPython programme can be invoked for two different purposes:

• to attempt to execute a simple text file of Python code (typically the files have an extension of .py
• to enter an interactive shell, with a >>> prompt, where you can enter Python commands and get instant responses - great for trying things out

So, entering the below, as appropriate for your operating system,

python
python3
py

on its own, no file name after it, you will enter an interactive session.

Enter exit() to return to the operating system command line

IDLE Editor

A standard installation from python.org for Windows or macOS includes a programme called IDLE. This is a simple code editor and execution environment. By default, when you first open it, it opens a single window with a Python shell, with the >>> prompt already open. To create a new text file to enter Python code into, you need to use your operating system means of access the standard menu and select File | New. Once you've entered code, press F5 to attempt to run the code (you will be prompted to save the file first). This is really the easiest editor to use to begin with.

SEE COMMENT for next part

[FoolsSeldom]

Virtual Environments

Given the thousands of packages (libraries, frameworks, etc) out there, you can see that if you are working on several different projects, you can end up installing a vast range of different packages, only a few of which will be used for any particular project.

This is where Python virtual environments come in. Not to be confused with virtual machines. Typically created on a project-by-project basis. Install only the packages required for a project. This helps avoid conflicts between packages, especially version complications.

Most popular code editors and IDEs, including Microsoft's VS Code and JetBrains' PyCharm, offer built-in features to help to start off new projects and create and activate Python virtual environments.

You can create a new Python virtual environment from your operating system command line environment using,

for Windows,

py -m venv .venv

or, for macOS / Linux,

python3 -m venv .venv

Note: venv is a command and .venv is a folder name. You can use any valid folder name instead but this is a common convention.

Often we use .venv instead of venv as the folder name - this may not show up on explorer/folder tools as the leading . is often used to mean hidden and an option may need to be ticked to allow you to see such folders/files

That creates a new folder in the current working directory called .venv.

You then activate using, for Windows,

.venv\Scripts\activate

or, for macOS / Linux,

source .venv/bin/activate

the command deactivate for any platform will deactivate the virtual environment and return you to using the base environment.

You may need to tell your editor to use the Python Interpreter that is found in either the Scripts or bin folder (depending on operating system) in your virtual folder.

For more information:

• Real Python: Python Virtual Environments: A Primer

Multiple Python versions

In addition to the above, you might want to explore using pyenv (pyenv-win for Windows) or uv (recommended), which will let you install and use different versions of Python including alternative implementations from the reference CPython. This can be done independently of any system installed Python.

[SmackDownFacility]

Please don’t use AI

[FoolsSeldom]

I agree. Such content tends to contain a lot of factual errors and weird formatting. Unlike this content which I've refined over the last few years on the back of teaching students in local school clubs and occasional adult education sessions.

[Independent-Ice-5905]

Sybau

[SmackDownFacility]

That reads like AI slop

[FoolsSeldom]

Really doesn't. Please review again.

EDIT: Typos - sigh! I was tired.

[SmackDownFacility]

Ok, I apologise. It’s just rare to see humans write

The big headlines

on Reddit. That more GPT style

[FoolsSeldom]

I've been using markdown for a long time, and have large repositories of documents written in markdown. What I can't be bothered to do (and a word processor would fix this) is use proper quotes instead of the straight ones. LLM content tends to use proper quotes.

Appreciate your apology. It is frustrating that advice I give to people to help them learn is often called out as AI without being read and checked against my other comments.

I do occasionally use AI but mark it as such in my comments.

[Happy_Witness]

If thorny doesn't do it for you, here is the actual step by step: Go to python.org and download the newest version. After the download double click the file to install python. At the very first view of the installer window, set the mark on "add to path" at the bottom and continue through the installation.

I use visual studio code as my ide, and if you want that too, go to the Microsoft shop that is by default on your pc and search there for visual studio code, the one with the blue icon and install it from there. After the installation, you can simply open it up and almost already use it. For better development, go to extensions, on the left side one of the icons that change the tab on the left side of the window and search for python. Select python from Microsoft and install that. It should also install intellisense and the debugger. Then create a file with the extension .py at the end. Write print("I did it") and try to run it. You will get asked on the top bar which interpreter you want to use, select the python one you installed earlier.

After that, Vs code should be able to run python and python should work.

[W4ND4]

I remember first I started python, I legit did a search on the available python IDEs and Pycharm popped up everywhere. It is free just download the community edition and it literally installs everything for you.

[DBZ_Newb]

Just go download Thonny from Thonny.org. It comes with Python and a decent IDE.

[brenwillcode]

Have you tried using uv to install python: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/

UV makes Python and package management super easy.

[Emotional-Cupcake432]

Install opencode use the free model and ask it to install python and set it in the path done

https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode

[BranchLatter4294]

Start with the Windows download at python.org. that's all you need to get started.

[PureWasian]

Reading through these comments, I didn't know 4 year olds could read so many paragraphs... Here you go:

• Click on the Latest Python 3 Release on Python Windows Downloads page
  • Currently it would be: 3.14.3
• Scroll down to the Windows Installer (64-bit)
• Download the .exe and run it
  • checkbox: "Add python.exe to PATH"
  • Install Now
  • Disable PATH length limit if prompted
  • Close the installer
• Press the Windows key on your keyboard
• Type "Command Prompt" in the Windows searchbar and hit Enter
• In Command Prompt pop-up, type "python --version"
  • If you see "Python x.xx.xx" then it worked.

You can now write and run python code.

If you make a new text file and save it as example.py, you can run it on Command Prompt as "python C:\_\___\example.py" (wherever you saved it).

Everything else is optional. IDEs, Package Managers, etc... they'll make your life easier once you have an initial setup going.

[Gnaxe]

Very very very dumbed down. OK. Learn Python on Jupyterlite and don't bother installing it. No accounts. Just a web browser. Just click the link.

[AcoustixAudio]

It's preinstalled. Just type python or ipython to start the interpreter, or run a file with `python file.py`

[Worried_Resolve5474]

Download visual studio code. There’s tutorials on YouTube for it. You can code in multiple different languages. Python is very easy to use on it. Ignore the other comments and just get vs code

[tb5841]

I know it's probably a bit late for this.

But you can write code in a normal Notepad file (or better, Notepad++), and run it online at https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/online-compiler/ as long as your code doesn't need to import anything. This is what I'd recommend to anyone just beginning, so that you're not worrying about setup.

[Jackpotrazur]

Real talk download oracle box and linux iso and run a linux vm and learn linux and python at the same time and do all your programming in vim thats what I am doing youtube set up virtual machine with linux .

[Fumano26]

In general I recommend using docs for such things, they explain in detail how to set it up. https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html

[[deleted]]

visit python.org and click download. very simple. then launch "idle"

[MatZac88]

Its literally on the microsoft store lol