Python Crash Companion

Chapter 1 · Part I: Basics

Getting Started

Book: Ch. 1, 'Getting Started', pp. 3–14

What this companion is, and how Learn, Practice, and Quiz follow the book without copying it.

Key ideas

  • Practice code runs in your browser
  • Every chapter has Learn, Practice, and Quiz
  • Chapters stay open — Chapter 1 is only the suggested first stop
  • Citations point at the book by section and printed page

Pages this chapter covers

Section titles and printed pages from the 3rd edition. Notes below use the full citation.

  • Setting Up Your Programming Environmentp. 3
    • Python Versionsp. 4
    • Running Snippets of Python Codep. 4
    • About the VS Code Editorp. 4
  • Python on Different Operating Systemsp. 5
    • Python on Windowsp. 5
    • Python on macOSp. 7
    • Python on Linuxp. 8
  • Running a Hello World Programp. 9
    • Installing the Python Extension for VS Codep. 9
    • Running hello_world.pyp. 10
  • Troubleshootingp. 10
  • Running Python Programs from a Terminalp. 11
    • On Windowsp. 12
    • On macOS and Linuxp. 12
  • Summaryp. 13

Notes

Try a snippet without installing anything

Book: Ch. 1, 'Running Snippets of Python Code', p. 4

The book has you type a short piece of Python and watch it run. On this site, the Practice tab does that work in the browser. You do not install Python to try an exercise here.

When you want saved files and a project of your own, use the setup chapter in the book on your computer. This page does not replace that. It is a place to practice an idea and get a check.

Three tabs for every chapter

Book: Ch. 1, 'Running a Hello World Program', p. 9

The book starts by running a first program from a file. Here, each chapter is split the same way:

  • Learn is a short set of notes in our own words. Each note names the book section and printed page it sits beside.
  • Practice is an original exercise. You write code, run it, and get a pass or a specific miss, plus three hints and a solution when you want it.
  • Quiz is a few questions. The score becomes that chapter’s proficiency and is stored in this browser.

Read the chapter in the book, then use the tabs to see what stuck. Part I (chapters 1–11) is the open set in this version. Part II is listed so you can see what comes later. Nothing is locked.