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Python Development Setup

Python is a versatile programming language widely used for web development, data science, automation, and backend services. This guide will help you set up a productive Python development environment on your workstation.

Prerequisites​

Before setting up Python, ensure you have:

  • A code editor or IDE (VS Code, PyCharm, or similar)
  • Terminal/command line access
  • Git installed and configured

Installation Options​

pyenv allows you to manage multiple Python versions easily:

# Install pyenv (macOS with Homebrew)
brew install pyenv

# Install pyenv (Linux)
curl https://pyenv.run | bash

# Add to your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc)
export PATH="$HOME/.pyenv/bin:$PATH"
eval "$(pyenv init -)"
eval "$(pyenv virtualenv-init -)"

# Install latest Python version
pyenv install 3.12.0
pyenv global 3.12.0

Option 2: System Installation​

Download Python from python.org or use your system package manager:

# macOS with Homebrew
brew install python

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

# Windows (using Chocolatey)
choco install python

Essential Tools​

Package Management​

# Upgrade pip
python -m pip install --upgrade pip

# Install pipenv for dependency management
pip install pipenv

# Or use poetry (alternative)
pip install poetry

Virtual Environments​

# Create a virtual environment
python -m venv myproject-env

# Activate (macOS/Linux)
source myproject-env/bin/activate

# Activate (Windows)
myproject-env\Scripts\activate

# Deactivate
deactivate

Development Environment​

VS Code Extensions​

Install these essential Python extensions:

  • Python (Microsoft)
  • Pylance (Microsoft)
  • Python Docstring Generator
  • autoDocstring
  • Black Formatter

Code Quality Tools​

# Install development tools
pip install black flake8 pylint mypy pytest

# Format code with Black
black your_file.py

# Lint with flake8
flake8 your_file.py

# Type checking with mypy
mypy your_file.py

# Run tests with pytest
pytest

Project Structure​

Create a standard Python project structure:

my-python-project/
├── src/
│   └── myproject/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       └── main.py
├── tests/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── test_main.py
├── requirements.txt
├── setup.py
├── README.md
└── .gitignore

Common Workflows​

Starting a New Project​

# Create project directory
mkdir my-project && cd my-project

# Initialize virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # or venv\Scripts\activate on Windows

# Install project dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Install development dependencies
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt

Dependency Management​

# Generate requirements.txt
pip freeze > requirements.txt

# Install from requirements
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Using pipenv
pipenv install requests
pipenv install pytest --dev

Best Practices​

  • Always use virtual environments for project isolation
  • Pin dependency versions in requirements.txt
  • Use type hints for better code documentation
  • Follow PEP 8 style guidelines
  • Write tests for your code
  • Use meaningful variable and function names

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Python command not found:

# Add Python to PATH or use python3
export PATH="/usr/local/bin/python3:$PATH"

Permission errors with pip:

# Use --user flag
pip install --user package_name

SSL certificate errors:

# Upgrade certificates
pip install --upgrade certifi

Next Steps​

  • Set up your first Python project
  • Explore web frameworks like Django or FastAPI
  • Learn about testing with pytest
  • Check out our Backend Development guides for Python APIs

Resources​