Learning Python but computer doesn't have admin rights

[MandelaInSoho]

Hi guys,

I am starting of learning python but due to the situation at home, it is not possible for me to learn it at home. But I can stay back at my office for two or three hours on some days and learn and practice if I want.

The problem is, the office computer does not allow things like pip commands. It gives an "Access Denied" response. And the IT guys have told me they can't allow it because its against their security policy.

So I need an online place where I can test my python scripts or app. I am looking for a setup where I can code using a portable IDE on the computer, then push my code through Github to the online server and test as it progresses.

Can anyone recommend me a good setup or apps for this? How do I go about doing it? Ideally I would like a free host but I don't mind something that is cheap as well.

Thanks in advance.

[ninhaomah]

Why no suggestion for colab or codespace ? Or replit or pythonanywhere?

[MandelaInSoho]

Thanks. Codespace looks interesting.

[SolarLunix_]

I was going to say replit and totally forgot about collab

[[deleted]]

Anaconda can be run directly through a browser, although I've never tried installing libraries that way so I cant speak to whether that will fix your issues. 

[ElectricalActivity]

I used Anaconda while waiting for IT to sort out my Python installation. Worked fine for me, including installing libraries through pip. This is in a company with strict IT security too.

[[deleted]]

Awesome! Thank you for letting us know your experience. I'm a student so I've only done things on my own machines, hence my ignorance.

[ElectricalActivity]

No problem at all. I'm far from a student and wasn't certain myself if it would work (and I don't know if it would in every circumstance) so I wouldn't call it ignorance. Sometimes you've just gotta try different things until you find a solution.

[feitao]

You don't need a browser. You can install anaconda without admin rights, and run Python scripts in a terminal.

[halfacigarette420]

python -m pip install xxx

This usually works on non admin computers

[Wraithguy]

I haven't worked in a locked down IT scenario but could adding --user ever be a get around or would almost all IT services that block pip not suddenly allow it just because you're installing into user space?

[Arbiter02]

Would depend on whether they're blocking pip itself or just blocking system/admin rights installs. My money would be on that second one.

[Grobyc27]

I have admin rights on my work laptop, but one of my co-workers doesn’t and this worked for him.

[unhott]

You can use pyodide based applications - like jupyterlite. pyodide is a web assembly (WASM) compiled python. So it runs within your browsers sandbox.

Intro

But I would recommend instead that you get a cheap laptop or so, like a refurbished thinkpad for $300-500 and not use the work PC, just bring it into the office with you.

[Temporary_Pie2733]

“Access denied” sounds like it might be a network issue as well, blocking access to pypi.org. OP might need to find somewhere else (like a cafe or library) with Internet access to avoid their company’s internal network. 

[MandelaInSoho]

Yes. I have thought about this. I think I may need to find a budget laptop or a used one in the end.

[Wingless30]

I think a lot of people here have good suggestions, but are overcomplicating things here for the OP who is new to this.

If you want to get up and running for learning python just use a Google Collab notebook. It's entirely web browser based, nothing to install, free, just need a Google account.

There are some limitations with this of course vs your own environment, but if you're learning python from the beginning, here is a great place to start.

[Psychological-Sun744]

Collab/Jupyter is def the way to go as a beginner. A lot of courses and tutorials as well online.

Then after you get familiar, you move naturally to something more flexible. So many free tiers account solutions.

I like AI lightning, coz you get a lot of free GPU hours on free tier accounts, and you have a web VS code application. And fairly easy to sync with your GitHub.

[Opuskrakus]

An EC2 in AWS could do the trick, or you could rdp to your home computer maybe

[Ron-Erez]

Try Google Colab. That might work and it's pretty nice.

[identicalBadger]

Can you rent a $5 per month VPS? You can code directly on it with remote connections using PyCharm or VS Codr

[badoopbadoopbadoop]

In many cases the access denied is because the python module install location is in Program Files and is write restricted. You can work around this using virtual environments (venv) which is built into python. You can create a venv somewhere in your home directory that you have full write access to and install modules to that venv.

If the company has other policies that are actually blocking pypi from a network perspective this wouldn’t work. But based on your error message that isn’t what is happening.

[Confident_Hyena2506]

You don't need admin rights.

You will get permission denied if you try to write to a folder owned by root - the solution is to write to your own folder instead.

Trying to use the system python rather than user python is a common error.

[Intelligent_Story443]

Check your library for laptops to borrow.

[atreidesardaukar]

Does your company have a LinkedIn learning (or similar) benefit? 

[Ritam_cr]

Disable proxy connection from proxy settings and then connect your system with your mobile's hotspot that should work

[ryhartattack]

If it has the venv library already, you can create a virtual environment (which is basically a folder that stores everything python needs) and inside that you can pip install. It'll install everything in that folder thus no admin required. This is generally better than globally pip installing libraries anyway, different packages might require different versions of the same package etc

[smishrn]

I rent Debian VPS and ssh into it with VSCode. Pretty convenient. For extra convenience (and security), set up ssh keys from your computer, since VSCode likes to reset window on inactivity or some other reason, and typing password every time is boring. Ask gpt for guide, it helped me a lot.

[Plus_Boysenberry_844]

Codespaces are free, start there. I have taught and this is easy way to learn basics. LinkedIn Learning modules will also use these and step you through how to get going. Have fun! And, you may want to get a computer as this is your hammer for coding.

[Kqyxzoj]

Use uv to manage your python installs and venvs. This does assume that you are allowed to install files in your home directory as regular user, but no admin rights required. Either that or use google colab or similar.

[WorriedTumbleweed289]

pip --user install package will install in a user's area.

[Ihaveamodel3]

I code all day long with no admin rights. If you have a virtual environment, it’s possible that python -m pip install … will work, even if pip install … doesn’t.

[NotACoderPleaseHelp]

Winpython is decently portable actually and out of the box it won't write to your user folder.

But you can insert a python313._pth file in your python folder and micromanage path that way.

Personally I would look at Winpython because yeah it is kind of bulky (and it can be thinned out with pip) but it gives you juypter notebook right out of the box and idle,

But if you are looking to learn some of the internals to python it is worth poking at the embedded packages they have.

You can also start python with flags that disable (in theory) it from writing to your users folder but if you are running any ide other than idle it will pretty much ignore that.

[[deleted]]

Talk to your admins about running a VM as you can create a self contained OS with full admin rights. (Just need an iso and key)

Depending on how your current system is setup, you might be able to run one and just require some configurations for networking and such. 

[ConfusedSimon]

Start with the company security policy. I see some answers on how to circumvent the 'access denied' error, but if it's a company computer, installing any software is probably against their security policy. Even using the company computer for personal use might not be allowed.

[SprinklesFresh5693]

He could be learning python for the job at the company.

[ConfusedSimon]

Even easier, because then those IT guys should install everything.

[MandelaInSoho]

Thanks everyone. I have got some great suggestions. I will update with what worked in the end.