Tools and Environments
To successfully complete the course assignments, you need to have access to a computer with a modern web browser and an internet connection that allows you to connect to third party services. In addition, you need to have a code editor and a Python interpreter installed on your computer.
The present materials have been tested with Python
3.11.
We recommend using the following free tools:
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Python as the programming language.
- To install Python on macOS, visit the Python macOS download site and download the latest stable version of Python. Once downloaded, double-click the downloaded file and follow the installation instructions.
- To install Python on Linux, use the package manager of your distribution. For example, on Ubuntu, you can install Python and the pip package manager by running
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip. If you are using a different distribution, consult the documentation of your distribution for instructions on how to install Python. - To install Python on Windows, visit the Python Windows download site and download the latest stable version of Python. Once downloaded, double-click the downloaded file and follow the installation instructions.
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Visual Studio Code (VSCode) as the code editor.
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Python extension for Visual Studio Code.
- To install the Python extension for VSCode, open VSCode and search for “Python” in the extensions view. Click the “Install” button to install the extension. You can also install the extension from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace.
Once you have installed the tools, visit the Quick Start Guide for Python in VS Code to learn how to use Python in VSCode, or take a quick peek at the VSCode Basics section of the course materials.
If you are behind a virtual private network (VPN) that restricts access to certain websites, you may need to disable the VPN to access some of the services used in the course. If you are unable to disable the VPN, you may need to use a different network to access the course materials, or you may need to configure a proxy server to access the services.
The learning material also uses embedded programming areas like the one below. You can run the program by pressing the play-icon (▶). You can also edit the code and run it again. The code is not saved anywhere, so you can’t lose anything by editing it. An example of such a programming area is below.
In addition to the embedded programming area like the one above, the materials include exercises. Some of them use an embedded programming area like the one above, while others require e.g. submitting code as a zip. You can try out a programming exercise below. The button “Check answer” below the editor is used to submit the assignment to the server.
There are no limits to the number of submissions you can make.