Getting started with Python

Google colab: https://colab.research.google.com/notebooks/welcome.ipynb You

find a ready-to-go computing environment here. You can start notebooks from
scratch, upload notebooks, and save them to your google drive. This tutorial is
based on google colab!

Run Python on your own PC (advanced)

If you're using a Linux system like Ubuntu, Python3 is probably already pre-
installed or you can easily install it with any linux package manager. In
addition, conda (https://docs.conda.io) or pip
(https://pypi.org/project/pip/ ) should be installed, which are both Python
package managers. These you'll need for downloading and installing external
Python software like e.g. numpy .
If you're using Windows, we recommend to use "WSL" (Windows Subsystem
Linux, https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/wsl/install ) and install
Python and conda there. If you're using a Windows PC, I recommend using
WSL and VS Code! (see below)
Recommended standard packages: numpy , scipy , matplotlib ,
jupyterlab . See also how to use virtual environments and install Python
packages below.

More Tutorials
https://www.codecademy.com/
https://www.w3schools.com/python/
https://exeter-data-analytics.github.io/python-intro/first_script.html
Python as a script language
Notebooks are of course not the only way to write and execute Python code.
Notebooks are fine for smaller projects and calculations and especially to get started!
But once you start to build larger projects or you need to work with other people's
code and collaborate on software project, you also need to write and use Python
scripts (text files ending with .py) and know how to import the content of these
scripts into your code. In principle, this works like a notebooks with only one cell (and
usually not interactive). Usually, all functions and classes of a software package are
defined in .py files, and notebooks are meant for interactive use and prototyping.

This all goes beyond the scope of this tutorial, but you can find e.g. more information
here:

https://exeter-data-analytics.github.io/python-intro/first_script.html
https://python-packaging-tutorial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/setup_py.html

Advanced editors
Jupyterlab : https://jupyter.org/ is a browser-based programming
environment. It looks similar to Google colab, but it's hosted on your own
computer (so no Internet connection needed!). You can use it for both Python
scripts and notebooks.

Visual Studio Code : https://code.visualstudio.com/ is a free, lightweight

programming environment by Microsoft. It runs on both Windows and Linux
systems. You can use it under Windows to access your Python installation in
WSL (see above). If you're using a Windows PC, I recommend using WSL and VS
Code!

Virtual Environments
Virtual environments allow encapsulation of python packages. This is useful if your
analysis scripts depend on different versions of e.g. numpy, or you would like to try
out experimental updates of certain packages without corrupting your analysis
environment. This may be important if you are using packages that are still being
developed. You may want to use the same environment in one year from now, or you
may want to check easily if your analysis changes with new packages.

VS code recognizes virtual environments and enables easy use of the packages
installed therein.
conda
(my recommendation, it's currently the easiest setup I ever did)

Step by step introduction: https://conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-

guide/tasks/manage-environments.html

Summary:

conda create --name myenv where myenv is your chosen name for the
virtual environment (could be anything, e.g. your project name). Follow the steps
during creation of the env.
conda install -n myenv scipy installs the scipy package into your env.
Start the environment with conda activate myenv . The commandline should
now begin with the name (myenv) . The env is now ready to use.
Deactivate it with conda deactivate .

pipenv
Another easy way to work with environments is with pipenv :
https://pipenv.pypa.io/en/latest/install/#installing-pipenv

Follow the instructions there to built a new environment for your project. Summary:

First step: pip install --user pipenv . The --user option ensures that
pipenv is separated better from your system environment.
Go to your project folder, this will then be connected to this particular
environment.
First package + building the env: pipenv install numpy
You can install more packages with pipenv install scipy (and more, of
course)
Start the environment with pipenv shell . You should see the commandline
beginning with (your_env_name) . The env is now ready to use.
Deactivate it with deactivate .
Code versioning
Once you are coding more frequently, you might want to start using versioning and
development platforms like https://github.com/ . Again, this is beyond the scope of
this tutorial, but think about building your software in your own GitHub repository to

1. Save your progress frequently and be less scared about losing any scripts or
messing up your programs.
2. Work collaboratively.
3. Share and publish your code.
4. ... use many other helpful tools provided by GitHub.
 Summary of resources and tutorials
(probably incomplete)

General tutorials:
https://www.codecademy.com/
https://www.w3schools.com/python/
https://exeter-data-analytics.github.io/python-intro/first_script.html
https://beapython.dev/2019/12/23/writing-your-first-python-script/

Python setup:
https://www.scaler.com/topics/python/install-python-on-linux/
https://conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/tasks/manage-
environments.html
https://pipenv.pypa.io/en/latest/install/#installing-pipenv
https://python-packaging-tutorial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/setup_py.html

Editors:
https://code.visualstudio.com/
https://jupyter.org/
https://www.sublimetext.com/
https://www.vim.org/ (very old-school)

Specific tutorials:
numpy: https://numpy.org/doc/stable/user/quickstart.html
data visualization: https://matplotlib.org/stable/tutorials/index.html (matplotlib),
https://seaborn.pydata.org/tutorial.html (seaborn)
scipy: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/scipy/scipy_quick_guide.htm
pandas: https://pandas.pydata.org/pandas-docs/stable/user_guide/10min.html

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