Python is great for general-purpose programming and is a popular language for scientific computing as well. Installing all of the packages required for this lessons individually can be a bit difficult, however, so we recommend the all-in-one installer Anaconda.
Regardless of how you choose to install it, please make sure you install Python version 3.x (e.g., Python 3.6 version). Also, please set up your Python environment at least a day in advance of the workshop. If you encounter problems with the installation procedure, ask your workshop organizers via e-mail for assistance so you are ready to go as soon as the workshop begins.
Open anaconda.com/download with your web browser.
Download the Python 3 installer for Windows.
Double-click the executable and install Python 3 using MOST of the default settings. The only exception is to check the Make Anaconda the default Python option.
Open anaconda.com/download with your web browser.
Download the Python 3 installer for macOS.
Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation.
Note that the following installation steps require you to work from the shell. If you run into any difficulties, please request help before the workshop begins.
Open anaconda.com/download with your web browser.
Download the Python 3 installer for Linux.
Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation.
a. Open a terminal window.
b. Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the installer
c. Type
$ bash Anaconda3-
and press tab. The name of the file you just downloaded should appear.
d. Press enter.
e. Follow the text-only prompts. When the license agreement appears (a colon
will be present at the bottom of the screen) hold the down arrow until the
bottom of the text. Type yes and press enter to approve the license. Press
enter again to approve the default location for the files. Type yes and
press enter to prepend Anaconda to your PATH (this makes the Anaconda
distribution the default Python).
We will teach Python using the Spyder editor. If you installed Python using Anaconda, Spyder should already be on your system. If you did not use Anaconda, use the Python package manager pip (see the Spyder website for details.)
You can start Spyder from the icon in the Anaconda folder (under Apps), or open a terminal or Git Bash and type the command:
$ spyder
To start the Python interpreter without Spyder, open a terminal or Git Bash and type the command:
$ python3