01 - Getting Started with Python

Before we start writing any code, let’s take a few minutes to understand what Python actually is, how it works, and how we will set it up for this course.

There are several ways to install and work with Python. In this course, we chose to use a tool called uv, but keep in mind that other options exist (e.g conda, pixi) What matters most is understanding the core concepts, which remain the same regardless of the tool you use.

We will also be writing and running our code in Jupyter Notebooks, an interactive format that is ideal for learning and experimenting. All of the content in this book is designed so that each notebook is fully self-contained. It includes everything it needs to run on its own, with no extra setup required. We will explain what this means and how it works later in this chapter.

The next two sections will cover:

1. Introduction to Python: learn what Python is, how it works.

2. Jupyter Notebooks and juv: learn what Jupyter Notebooks are and how to run and create them using juv (a uv tool).

3. Getting Started with uv: learn how to use uv to manage your Python environments, packages and python files.

Download the Slides