I'm Oliver. I'm a web developer and coding mentor, currently working at Coder Academy as a lead educator. On 10th February, 2022, I'll be delivering an ACS masterclass talk entitled "Intro To Python". Register here!
There are a few really useful tools you can use to get a little bit more out of this talk. You may have already encountered them, or may already be using them in your own coding adventure, but don't worry if you haven't. I'll be explaining everything we look at from the ground up. It also won't be a requirement to have or understand these tools to enjoy the talk - but they might make things a little more fun!
Python 3 is the language I'll be discussing in the talk, so if you want to code along and try anything I demonstrate for yourself, you'll have it easier if you have it installed ahead of time! This link provides a good guide for installing it on any operating system.
VS Code is an editor we'll be using to write code. You don't really need VS Code to program in Python - you can do it with another text editor like notepad, or even through the terminal if you want to. VS Code is a great tool to use, though, which will make a lot of things easier.
Some of the following links provide commands to run in the terminal for installing software, and during the presentation we will also be using the terminal to activate our code. You don't need to install anything to use this tool, but if you aren't familiar with it, this link explains a little about how to use it.
PIP is a command-line tool for installing Python add-ons. Your Python installation should have come with PIP automatically, but this link will give you instructions on how to check if you have it, and how get it if you need. The code snippets in the linked webpage are intended to be run in the terminal.
Virtualenv is a tool for managing Python add-ons - it lets you keep the tools you are using on a project organised and locked away, so that they don't clutter up the rest of your computer. I recommend using a new Virtualenv environment every single time you start a coding project. You can install it using PIP through the terminal:
py -m pip install virtualenv
python3 -m pip install virtualenv
If you're attending the talk, see you soon!
If you're accessing this page after the fact, I've attached a couple more files you can look at. There's a list of helpful resources that will let you get started with coding in Django if that's what you want to do, and also a quick walkthrough for setting up a static site with Django.
Finally, if you want to learn more, develop a portfolio, enter the industry, and get a tertiary qualification in the process, take a look at the bootcamps we offer at Coder Academy. It's a really great way to learn. :)