1. Python Installation Guide
To work with Python, we need to download, install, and then configure it in our environment. To unleash the full potential of this wonderful coding language, this comprehensive tutorial will be your first step toward Python installation. In this tutorial, you will learn how to download, install, and get started with Python programming language covering all installation methods.
1.1 Python Installation Methods
Below are all the methods to download, install, and configure Python for our developing environment.
- Install Python Using Official Website
- Install Python Using Package Managers
- Download and Install Python Anaconda Distribution
- How to Install Python Via IDEs?
- Install Python Via Source Code
2. Install Python Using Official Website
The first installation method of Python is using the installer on the official website of Python. This is the primary source to download and install Python programming language. Just follow these below steps to get started with Python:
2.1. Download Python
- The first thing is to download the Python installer from the official website by visiting the downloads page.
- There you can find all the versions of Python and also for all type of the operating systems i.e. Windows, Linux, MacOS, or Other Platform installers.
- Click download to save the installer to your desktop or local machine.
2.2. Run Python Installer
- The next step is to locate the downloaded installer and run it.
- Importantly, choose the Add Python to Path during installation, which makes it easier to run Python from the command line.
- Lastly, Click Install Now to begin the installation process.
2.3. Verify Python Version
- Once the installation is complete, open a terminal or cmd(command prompt) to verify.
- Type the python --version command in CMD to verify the Python installation.
- This will display the version of the language installed on the system as below, which will confirm the installation of Python language.
Tidbit:
If there is no Python installed in your Windows OS, just type python in CMD, it will automatically open the Microsoft Store with the application installer page opened, from where you can install it.
3. Python Installation Using Package Managers
On various platforms, there are plenty of package managers that aid in software installation via CMD or terminal. In this section of the tutorial, we will learn how to use any of these package managers to install Python on our system. Below are some popular package managers to install Python language. Check the table below to see how to install Python via different package managers.
| OS | Package Manager | Terminal Command |
| OS-Independent | pip | pip install python |
| macOS | Homebrew | brew install python |
| Debian/Ubuntu | apt |
sudo apt update sudo apt install python3 |
| Red Hat/Fedora | yum | sudo yum install python3 |
| Windows | chocolaty | choco install python |
Note:
Each package manager has its specific syntax and commands, and the method to install Python may vary. It is essential to choose the package manager wisely that fits your needs and the operating system. So, first things first, the package manager must be installed for this method.
4. Download and Install Python Anaconda Distribution
The next method to install Python is with the help of Anaconda distribution, which is mostly used for scientific calculation in data science and machine learning due to its convenience and efficiency. Anaconda is an open-source and popular distribution of Python programming, pre-loaded with a vast collection of scientific, data science, and machine learning packages.
4.1. Download Anaconda Distribution
- The very first thing to install Python language is to download the Anaconda software from the download page of the official website.
- Next, locate the download links of the Anaconda distribution as per your operating system(Windows, Linux, or macOS).
- Click download to get the Anaconda distribution installer in your system.
4.2. Run Anaconda Installer
- Open the Anaconda installer in your operating system.
- Follow the installation wizard to install the Anaconda software with default settings.
4.3. Verify Anaconda Version
- The next step is to verify the Anaconda installation in the system, so we can start using it for Python.
- For this purpose, locate the Anaconda Prompt in the Start Menu, under the Anaconda folder
- Open this Anaconda Prompt and type conda --version to verify its installation.
- This will show the version of Anaconda installed in the system.
5. How to Install Python Via IDEs?
This section of the Python installation tutorial explains how to install Python language with the help of an IDE. These integrated development environments(IDEs) provide a convenient way to install Python and manage its different versions.
- The method to install Python in an IDE is very simple and efficient.
- You just have to open the IDE and install the Python extension.
- Some Popular IDEs may include Visual Studio Code, Thonny, PyCharm, IDLE, etc.
6. Python Installation Via Source Code
The last method, which is of course for experienced developers who want more control over Python installation, is the source-code option.
6.1. Download and Extract Source Code
- Go to the official website and navigate to the Python source code page.
- Download the source code tarball (.tar.gz file) of your required version.
- Extract the tarball file to your desired directory.
6.2. Configure, Build, and Install
- Open a terminal and type the below commands to configure your Python installation.
- Make sure to open the terminal in that directory, where you extracted the source code of Python.
./configure make sudo make install
Note:
The source code method to install Python is a bit tricky, but you can configure and customize the installation with flexibility. However, there are more manual steps involved in this method.