Getting Started with Python: Your First Program

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Prerequisites
  3. Setup and Installation
  4. Writing Your First Python Program
  5. Running Your Program
  6. Recap and Conclusion

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of getting started with Python by writing your first program. We will cover the necessary setup and installation, demonstrate how to write a simple Python program, and show you how to run the program.

By the end of this tutorial, you will have a basic understanding of Python programming and be able to write and run your own programs.

Prerequisites

To follow along with this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of computer programming concepts. Familiarity with any programming language will be helpful but is not required. Additionally, you will need to have Python installed on your computer.

Setup and Installation

Before we begin, let’s make sure you have Python installed on your machine. Follow these steps to install Python:

  1. Visit the Python official website and download the latest version of Python.
  2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. During the installation process, make sure to check the box that says “Add Python to PATH” (on Windows) or “Install command-line tools” (on macOS).
  4. Once the installation is complete, open the command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on macOS/Linux) and type python --version to verify that Python is installed correctly. You should see the version number displayed.

Congratulations, you now have Python installed on your computer!

Writing Your First Python Program

Now that we have Python set up, let’s write our first program. Open your favorite text editor or IDE and follow these steps:

  1. Open a new file and save it with a .py extension. For example, hello.py.
  2. In the file, enter the following code: 
     print("Hello, World!")
  3. Save the file.

Running Your Program

To run your Python program, follow these steps:

  1. Open the command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on macOS/Linux).
  2. Navigate to the directory where you saved your Python file using the cd command. For example, if your file is saved on the Desktop, you would use cd Desktop.
  3. Once you are in the correct directory, type python filename.py and press Enter. Replace filename with the actual name of your Python file. In our case, it would be python hello.py.
  4. The program will execute, and you should see Hello, World! printed on the screen.

Congratulations, you have successfully written and run your first Python program!

Recap and Conclusion

In this tutorial, we covered the basics of getting started with Python. We walked through the setup and installation process, learned how to write a simple Python program, and demonstrated how to run the program.

Now that you have written your first Python program, you can continue exploring the vast world of Python programming. Python is a versatile language used in web development, data science, automation, and more. With this foundation, you are ready to dive deeper into Python and take on more challenging projects.

Remember to practice regularly and keep experimenting with your code. The more you code, the better you will become. Happy coding!

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