Skip to content

vscode-setup.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
119 lines (88 loc) · 3.62 KB

vscode-setup.md

File metadata and controls

119 lines (88 loc) · 3.62 KB
Raw

🛠️ VS Code Setup Guide – Python Kickstart

This guide will help you set up Visual Studio Code for Python development in the Python Kickstart course.

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.x installed on your system
  • Visual Studio Code downloaded and installed

Installing the Python Extension

  1. Open Visual Studio Code
  2. Click on the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "Python" in the marketplace
  4. Find the official Python extension by Microsoft
  5. Click Install

Verifying Python Installation

  1. Open a new terminal in VS Code (`Ctrl+Shift+`` or View → Terminal)
  2. Type python --version and press Enter
  3. You should see output like: Python 3.x.x
  4. If you see an error, Python may not be installed or not in your PATH

Running Python Code

Method 1: Using the Terminal

  1. Create a new file called hello.py
  2. Add this code: 
    print("Hello, World!")
  3. Save the file
  4. In the terminal, run: python hello.py

Method 2: Using VS Code's Run Button

  1. Open your hello.py file
  2. Look for the "Run" button (▶️) in the top-right corner
  3. Click it to run your code
  4. Output will appear in the terminal panel

Running Tests with pytest

The Python Kickstart course uses automated tests to give you instant feedback on your exercises.

  1. Install dependencies (including pytest):

    pip install -r requirements.txt

  2. Test your exercise solutions:

    # Test a specific exercise (replace with your chapter/exercise)
pytest tests/test_01_intro.py::TestExercise01_01::test_hello_world_output -v

# Test all exercises in a chapter
pytest tests/test_01_intro.py -v

# Test all exercises
pytest tests/ -v

  3. Understanding test results:

    • ✅ PASSED: Your solution works correctly!
    • ❌ FAILED: Check the error message to see what needs fixing
    • The -v flag gives you detailed output

For complete testing instructions, see the main README.md and tests/README.md.

Useful VS Code Features

IntelliSense

  • Auto-completion for Python code
  • Hover over variables/functions for information
  • Error highlighting and suggestions

Debugging

  1. Click to the left of a line number to set a breakpoint (red dot)
  2. Press F5 or click the Debug icon
  3. Use the debug panel to step through code

Integrated Terminal

  • Run Python commands directly in VS Code
  • Access to pip for installing packages
  • Git commands for version control

Troubleshooting

Python not found

  • Ensure Python is installed and added to your system PATH
  • Try python3 instead of python
  • Restart VS Code after installation

Extension not working

  • Reload VS Code (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window")
  • Check that the Python extension is enabled
  • Verify Python interpreter selection (bottom status bar)

Import errors

  • Install required packages: pip install <package-name>
  • Check that you're in the correct directory
  • Use virtual environments for project isolation

Next Steps

Once VS Code is set up:

  1. Clone or download the Python Kickstart repository
  2. Open the folder in VS Code
  3. Install dependencies: pip install -r requirements.txt
  4. Start with the exercises in the exercises/ directory
  5. Run tests to check your progress

💾 Want to Save Your Progress?

Consider using GitHub to save and sync your work across devices:

Happy coding! 🐍