🛠️ Python Course 2025 – Lesson 2: Installing Python & Setting Up Your First Coding Environment
Welcome to Lesson 2 of the Python Course 2025! 🚀 In this lesson, we’ll walk you through installing Python on your system and setting up a professional, beginner-friendly coding environment so you're ready to write your first Python program in the next lesson.
✅ What You’ll Learn Today
- How to download and install Python on Windows
- How to install and use Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
- Alternative: Use Python online without installing anything
🐍 Step 1: Download & Install Python
Head to the official Python website and download the latest version for your OS (Windows/macOS/Linux).
- 🔗 Official Python Download Page: https://www.python.org/downloads/
⚠️ Important: During installation, make sure to check the box that says "Add Python to PATH" before clicking Install.
💻 Step 2: Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
Visual Studio Code is a powerful code editor that works perfectly with Python. It’s lightweight, fast, and has excellent support for extensions.
- 🔗 Official VS Code Download: https://code.visualstudio.com/
Once installed, open VS Code and install the Python extension:
- Click on the Extensions icon in the sidebar
- Search for "Python" by Microsoft
- Click Install
🌐 Alternative: Use Python Online
If you don’t want to install anything right now, try Python directly in your browser using an online editor:
- 🧪 Replit (Python Environment): https://replit.com/languages/python3
- 🌍 Google Colab (for data-focused Python): https://colab.research.google.com/
📦 Verifying Installation
To check that Python is installed correctly, open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:
python --versionYou should see something like: Python 3.12.1
⏱️ Time Required
🕐 Setting up Python + VS Code typically takes 10–15 minutes. Using the online options is even faster.
📥 Tools You'll Need
- 🐍 Python: https://www.python.org/downloads/
- 📝 VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/
- 🌐 Replit: https://replit.com/languages/python3
- 📊 Google Colab: https://colab.research.google.com/
📌 Final Words
Awesome! 🎉 Now that your Python environment is ready, you're all set to write your first lines of code. In the next lesson, we’ll create your first real Python script and explore how Python executes instructions step by step.
🔗 Coming Next:
Lesson 3: Writing Your First Python Program – Hello, World! 🐍👋
