Python Setup and First Steps

Learning Objectives: After this lesson, you'll understand what Python is, why it's popular, and be able to write and execute your first Python programs using interactive tools.

What is Python?

Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language known for its simplicity and readability. Created by Guido van Rossum in 1991, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages in the world.

Why Python is Special

Your First Python Program

Let's start with the traditional "Hello, World!" program:

Working with Text

Python makes it easy to work with text (called "strings"):

Interactive Python Features

One of Python's strengths is its interactive nature. You can:

1. Experiment quickly - Test ideas immediately
2. Get instant feedback - See results right away
3. Learn by doing - Try things and see what happens

Python's Philosophy

Python follows a philosophy called "The Zen of Python." Let's see it:

Practice Exercises

Try these exercises to reinforce what you've learned:

Exercise 1: Personal Introduction

Exercise 2: Simple Calculator

Key Takeaways

✅ Python is beginner-friendly - Simple syntax that reads like English
✅ Interpreted language - Run code immediately without compilation
✅ Versatile - Used in web development, data science, AI, and automation
✅ Interactive - Perfect for learning and experimentation
✅ print() - Your primary tool for displaying output
✅ Comments - Use # to document your code

Next Steps

In the next lesson, we'll dive deeper into variables and data types - the building blocks of all Python programs. You'll learn how Python stores and manages different types of data in memory.

Ready to continue? The next lesson will show you how Python handles data with variables and introduce you to Python's built-in data types.