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Install Python

Getting Python working is the only setup step before any course — no experience needed.

The full, maintained walk-through (macOS, Windows, Linux), an editor recommendation, a one-command environment check, and troubleshooting lives in the CS 1050 course repository, kept current there so there's a single source of truth:

Module 0 — Set up Python

The short version

  1. Download the current Python from python.org/downloads (the big yellow button) — not an older release.
  2. Windows: check "Add python.exe to PATH" during install. macOS/Linux: use the python3 command.
  3. Start in IDLE (it ships with Python) — it keeps you focused on concepts instead of leaning on autocomplete.
  4. Verify: run python3 --version (or python --version on Windows). Any 3.13+ is ideal.

You don't need virtual environments or pyenv for an intro course — see the full guide for why (and how, if you want them anyway).