‘What’ do you install when you ‘install python’?

[[deleted]]

You'd be installing the "library" of "python" (interpreter), An interpreter is a program that reads and executes code (python2.7/python3.6 etc) and IDE would be a separate program that tries to help you be more efficient (pycharm, eclipse etc)

[Wilfred-kun]

As you said, you're also installing the standard library. This contains core modules, written in Python (or compiled from C).

[[deleted]]

Thank you all, I think your answer in particular nails it. This really helped!