Getting Started with Python

The following documentation describes the basics of getting started with Python, including installing Python, followed by creating and then running a Python script. For this documentation it is recommended that you run Python on Ubuntu.

Note

The following documentation assumes that you have Ubuntu 16.10 or newer installed, either running independently on a PC, or on a virtual machine. If you are completely new to Ubuntu, check out Ubuntu Tutorials for the basics, including importantly using Terminal and navigating to folders and files.

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  1. Installing Python 3:

    1.1. If you are using Ubuntu 16.10 or newer which we recommended, then run the following commands in terminal to install Python 3.6:

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

  2. Creating and running your python script

    2.1. Create your Python script by using a text editor within Ubuntu and saving it as a ‘.py’ file type. Then, navigate in terminal to where you saved your file and run the following command to make your script executable:

    chmod +x SCRIPTNAME.py

    2.2. Finally, run your script using the following command:

    Python3 SCRIPTNAME.py

  3. The next step in Getting Started with Python would be make yourself familiar with the Python language itself. This includes making use of flow control tools and data structures, amoungst many other things. For a comprehensive guide and tutorials in programming in Python, check out Python Tutorials.