What Is Python, and Installing It

Python for Absolute Beginners · Lesson 2

What you’ll learn

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Python is a programming language: a way of writing instructions that looks much like plain English
It is called a high-level language because it sits far above the numbers the computer really runs on
You write words like print and name, and Python handles the translation
A low-level language, by contrast, forces you to manage tiny details yourself
High-level means easier for humans — exactly what a beginner wants

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Python reads and runs your code one line at a time, right away
You do not have to wait for a separate “build” step before seeing a result
Type a line, press Enter, see what happens
That instant feedback is a big part of why Python is friendly to learn
Python 3 is the current version — older Python 2 is out of date, so this course uses Python 3

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Python is free — download it from its official website, python.org
Open your web browser and go to python.org
Click Downloads and choose the download for your system: Windows, macOS, or Linux
Download the installer file and run it
Do not download Python from anywhere else — the official site always has the current, safe version

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Windows: start with the Python install manager — get it from python.org/downloads or the Microsoft Store; there is no “Add python.exe to PATH” box with this method, and you don't need one
Only if the install manager doesn't work: use the traditional installer, and tick “Add python.exe to PATH” on the very first screen
Mac: run the downloaded macOS installer and follow the steps — it installs Python and IDLE together
Linux: Python 3 is usually already installed; if not, use your system's package manager
You do not need to install anything else for this course: no paid software, no extra tools, no accounts

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IDLE is the small programming tool that comes bundled with Python itself
It has two jobs in this course: a window where you type Python lines and see results at once, called the shell
And an editor that lets you write and save program files
After installing, you do not need the Terminal for this course — IDLE is enough

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Windows: open the Start menu, type IDLE, and open the IDLE app for your Python 3 version
Mac: open Finder, go to Applications, open the Python 3 folder, and open IDLE
Linux: open a terminal and type idle3, then press Enter
You should see a window titled “IDLE Shell” with a prompt that looks like >>> — Python waiting for your first instruction

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print("Hello, Python!")

Output:
Hello, Python!

Type this line in the IDLE shell and press Enter. If you see Hello, Python! printed back, your installation works.

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That you installed Python 3, not Python 2
That you typed the line exactly, quotes and all
You can also check the version: the first lines IDLE prints when it opens include the Python version number
As long as it starts with 3, you are set — the exact number after that does not matter for this course

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Install Python 3 with the install manager (Option A) — if you use the traditional installer instead, tick “Add python.exe to PATH” on its first screen
Open IDLE and confirm you see the >>> prompt
In the shell, print your own name in quotes
Print the result of 10 + 5 in the shell and check you get 15

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Python is a free, high-level, interpreted language that reads much like English
Download it only from python.org; Python 3 is the current version
On Windows, use the Python install manager; if you use the traditional installer instead, tick “Add python.exe to PATH” on its first screen
IDLE comes with Python and is all you need: a shell for trying lines, and an editor for saving programs
print("Hello, Python!") in the shell is your installation check

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Take the Lesson 2 quiz — 5 quick questions to check what you learned.

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Your First Program: Print, and Running Code

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Press play on any slide and the lesson plays on by itself from there. You can still click Next or click a slide to move on.