Installation of Python and tools

To follow this course you need:

1. Anaconda (a Python distribution)

2. Git (a version control system, linked to e.g. github.com)

3. VSCode (an editor/IDE, alternatives are JupyterLab, Sublime, Atom, and PyCharm)

Step 1: Anaconda

Note: The installation might fail if your computer username contains a space or special characters (æ, ø, å, ê, â, î, ô, û, ä, ö, ë, ï, ü, ÿ etc.).
The easiest solution is to change your username (otherwise you need to install Anaconda on a path not containing your user name).

Step 1a: Main

1. Download Anaconda Individual Edition Python 3.11 from https://www.anaconda.com/products/individual

2. Run the installer (default settings are fine)

Troubleshooting: Do full uninstall. Install an older version of Anaconda from the archieve.

 Step 1b: Extensions

1. Open the program Anaconda Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) (For Mac the terminal is an app that is already on your computer and not related to Anaconda, but you need to download Anaconda for the below commands to work in it).

2. Run the following commands one by one following the instructions:

conda update --all

conda install -c conda-forge nodejs

conda install -c conda-forge ipympl

conda install -c conda-forge ipywidgets

Step 2: Git

1. Go to https://github.com/ and sign up with your KU-username (e.g. abc123) or your full name (e.g. LarsLarsen)

2. Download Git from https://git-scm.com/

• For Mac: Go to this page. The easiest is to download Homebrew and then type: brew install git in the terminal. (When asked for a password, type it and press enter, the computer does not show anything until you press enter). 

3. Run the installer (default settings are fine)

Step 3: VSCode

1. Download VSCode from https://code.visualstudio.com/

2. Run the installer (default settings are fine)

3. Open VSCode

4. Press Ctrl+Shift+X (or choose Extensions in the left-side Activity bar) 

   • For Mac: Cmd⌘+Shift+X 

5. Install Python 

6. Press Ctrl+Shift+P to command control palette 

   • For Mac: Cmd⌘+Shift+P

7. Paste in Python: Select Interpreter, choose the option where Anaconda3 is part of the path

8. Press Ctrl+æ (or Ctrl+` or Ctrl+j ) to open Terminal in VScode

   • For Mac: Cmd⌘+Shift+C (opens computer terminal)

9. Run git config --global user.email "YOUR E-MAIL"

10. Run git config --global user.name "YOUR GITHUB USERNAME"
    (You should note that the last two steps will not result in any output)

Other optional extensions:

1. Jupyter TOC: Generates tables (my settings:  Min Header Level = 2 and add Numbering)

2. vscode-pdf: Viewing pdf files

(Optional) Installing GitHub Copilot (AI help directly in VSCode)

This is optional to install. It will give AI-powered suggestions for your code directly in the editor. It is free for students, to get it you need to: 

1. Apply to GitHub Global Campus as a student This will give you the Pro version of GitHub. 

2. Install the GitHub Copilot extension for Visual Studio Code