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Part 1: Programming & Python BasicsPart 2: Data Structures & FunctionsPart 3: Advanced Python & AI Foundation

Module 1: Getting Started with Python

In this module, we will learn how to install Python on your computer, set up VS Code to write code, and run your very first Python program.

1.1 Installing Python​

To run Python code on your computer, you need to install the Python software.

How to install on Windows:​

  1. Go to the official website python.org.
  2. Hover over the Downloads menu and click on the Windows option to download the latest version (Python 3.x).
  3. Open the downloaded installer file.
  4. IMPORTANT: Make sure to check the box that says "Add Python.exe to PATH" at the bottom of the window. If you do not do this, your computer will not recognize Python commands.
  5. Click "Install Now" and wait for the installation to finish.

How to verify the installation:​

Open your Command Prompt (cmd), type the following command, and press Enter:

python --version

If you see something like Python 3.x.x printed on the screen, Python is successfully installed!

1.2 Installing VS Code​

We need a code editor to write our programs. VS Code (Visual Studio Code) is a free and highly popular editor used by developers.

How to install and setup:​

  1. Go to code.visualstudio.com and download the installer for your operating system.
  2. Install it and open VS Code.
  3. Click on the Extensions icon on the left sidebar (it looks like four squares).
  4. Search for Python in the search bar and install the official Python extension made by Microsoft.

1.3 Running Your First Program​

Now, let us write and run our first Python code!

  1. In VS Code, create a new file and name it hello.py. (All Python files must end with the .py extension).
  2. Type the following code in the file:
print("Hello World!")
print("Welcome to your coding journey!")
  1. How to run the code:
    • Click the Run/Play button in the top-right corner of VS Code, or
    • Open the terminal inside VS Code, type python hello.py, and press Enter.
  2. You will see the following output in the terminal:
Hello World!
Welcome to your coding journey!

1.4 Understanding Python Syntax​

Syntax is the set of rules (like grammar rules) for writing code in a programming language.

  • Python does not need a semicolon (;) at the end of a line.
  • Python code is easy to read because it looks like regular English.
  • Indentation (Spacing): Python does not use curly braces ({ }) to group blocks of code. Instead, it uses spaces (usually four spaces or one Tab). We will learn more about this when we write conditions and loops.

1.5 Comments in Python​

Comments are notes we write in the code to explain what it does. The computer completely ignores comments when running the program.

  • Single-line Comment: Starts with the # symbol.
# This line prints a welcome message
print("Think IT Telugu")
  • Multi-line Comment: Wrapped inside triple quotes (""" or ''').
"""
This program prints
a simple text to show
how comments work.
"""
print("Comments are useful!")

1.6 Understanding Errors​

If you write code that violates the syntax rules, Python will show an error.

Example:​

prnt("Hello") # Here, "print" is spelled incorrectly

Running this will show:

NameError: name 'prnt' is not defined. Did you mean: 'print'?

Do not worry when you see errors. Reading error messages helps you find and fix mistakes in your code. This is called debugging.

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