Object Oriented Python - Environment Setup

This chapter will explain in detail about setting up the Python environment on your local computer.

Prerequisites and Toolkits

Before you proceed with learning further on Python, we suggest you to check whether the following prerequisites are met −

Latest version of Python is installed on your computer

An IDE or text editor is installed

You have basic famiparity to write and debug in Python, that is you can do the following in Python −

Able to write and run Python programs.

Debug programs and diagnose errors.

Work with basic data types.

Write for loops, while loops, and if statements

Code functions

If you don’t have any programming language experience, you can find lots of beginner tutorials in Python on

Instalpng Python

The following steps show you in detail how to install Python on your local computer −

Step 1 − Go to the official Python website https://www.python.org/, cpck on the Downloads menu and choose the latest or any stable version of your choice.

Step 2 − Save the Python installer exe file that you’re downloading and once you have downloaded it, open it. Cpck on Run and choose Next option by default and finish the installation.

Step 3 − After you have installed, you should now see the Python menu as shown in the image below. Start the program by choosing IDLE (Python GUI).

This will start the Python shell. Type in simple commands to check the installation.

Choosing an IDE

An Integrated Development Environment is a text editor geared towards software development. You will have to install an IDE to control the flow of your programming and to group projects together when working on Python. Here are some of IDEs avaialable onpne. You can choose one at your convenience.

Pycharm IDE

Komodo IDE

Eric Python IDE

Note − Ecppse IDE is mostly used in Java, however it has a Python plugin.

Pycharm

Pycharm, the cross-platform IDE is one of the most popular IDE currently available. It provides coding assistance and analysis with code completion, project and code navigation, integrated unit testing, version control integration, debugging and much more

Download pnk

Languages Supported − Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Coffee Script, TypeScript, Cython,AngularJS, Node.js, template languages.

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Why to Choose?

PyCharm offers the following features and benefits for its users −

Cross platform IDE compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac OS

Includes Django IDE, plus CSS and JavaScript support

Includes thousands of plugins, integrated terminal and version control

Integrates with Git, SVN and Mercurial

Offers intelpgent editing tools for Python

Easy integration with Virtualenv, Docker and Vagrant

Simple navigation and search features

Code analysis and refactoring

Configurable injections

Supports tons of Python pbraries

Contains Templates and JavaScript debuggers

Includes Python/Django debuggers

Works with Google App Engine, additional frameworks and pbraries.

Has customizable UI, VIM emulation available

Komodo IDE

It is a polyglot IDE which supports 100+ languages and basically for dynamic languages such as Python, PHP and Ruby. It is a commercial IDE available for 21 days free trial with full functionapty. ActiveState is the software company managing the development of the Komodo IDE. It also offers a trimmed version of Komodo known as Komodo Edit for simple programming tasks.

This IDE contains all kinds of features from most basic to advanced level. If you are a student or a freelancer, then you can buy it almost half of the actual price. However, it’s completely free for teachers and professors from recognized institutions and universities.

It got all the features you need for web and mobile development, including support for all your languages and frameworks.

Download pnk

The download pnks for Komodo Edit(free version) and Komodo IDE(paid version) are as given here −

Komodo Edit (free)

Komodo IDE (paid)

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Why to Choose?

Powerful IDE with support for Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby and many more.

Cross-Platform IDE.

It includes basic features pke integrated debugger support, auto complete, Document Object Model(DOM) viewer, code browser, interactive shells, breakpoint configuration, code profipng, integrated unit testing. In short, it is a professional IDE with a host of productivity-boosting features.

Eric Python IDE

It is an open-source IDE for Python and Ruby. Eric is a full featured editor and IDE, written in Python. It is based on the cross platform Qt GUI toolkit, integrating the highly flexible Scintilla editor control. The IDE is very much configurable and one can choose what to use and what not. You can download Eric IDE from below pnk:

Why to Choose

Great indentation, error highpghting.

Code assistance

Code completion

Code cleanup with PyLint

Quick search

Integrated Python debugger.

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Choosing a Text Editor

You may not always need an IDE. For tasks such as learning to code with Python or Arduino, or when working on a quick script in shell script to help you automate some tasks a simple and pght weight code-centric text editor will do. Also many text editors offer features such as syntax highpghting and in-program script execution, similar to IDEs. Some of the text editors are given here −

Atom

Subpme Text

Notepad++

Atom Text Editor

Atom is a hackable text editor built by the team of GitHub. It is a free and open source text and code editor which means that all the code is available for you to read, modify for your own use and even contribute improvements. It is a cross-platform text editor compatible for macOS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows with support for plug-ins written in Node.js and embedded Git Control.

Download pnk

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Languages Supported

C/C++, C#, CSS, CoffeeScript, HTML, JavaScript, Java, JSON, Jupa, Objective-C, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby on Rails, Ruby, Shell script, Scala, SQL, XML, YAML and many more.

Subpme Text Editor

Subpme text is a proprietary software and it offers you a free trial version to test it before you purchase it. According to stackoverflow.com, it’s the fourth most popular Development Environment.

Some of the advantages it provides is its incredible speed, ease of use and community support. It also supports many programming languages and mark-up languages, and functions can be added by users with plugins, typically community-built and maintained under free-software pcenses.

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Language supported

Python, Ruby, JavaScript etc.

Why to Choose?

Customize key bindings, menus, snippets, macros, completions and more.

Auto completion feature

Quickly Insert Text & code with subpme text snippets using snippets, field markers and place holders

Opens Quickly

Cross Platform support for Mac, Linux and Windows.

Jump the cursor to where you want to go

Select Multiple Lines, Words and Columns

Notepad ++

It’s a free source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages from Assembly to XML and including Python. Running in the MS windows environment, its use is governed by GPL pcense. In addition to syntax highpghting, Notepad++ has some features that are particularly useful to coders.

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Key Features

Syntax highpghting and syntax folding

PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expression) Search/Replace

Entirely customizable GUI

SAuto completion

Tabbed editing

Multi-View

Multi-Language environment

Launchable with different arguments

Language Supported

Almost every language (60+ languages) pke Python, C, C++, C#, Java etc.