Python Essentials For Dummies

Chapter 2

Using Interactive Mode, Getting Help, and Writing Apps

IN THIS CHAPTER

Using interactive mode

Creating a development workspace

Creating a folder for your code

Typing, editing, and debugging code

After you’ve installed VS Code, covered in the previous chapter, you’re ready to start digging deeper into writing Python code. In this chapter, we take you briefly through the interactive, help, and code-editing features of VS Code. You’re probably anxious to get started on more advanced topics such as data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, or whatever, but learning those topics will be easier if you have a good understanding of the many tools available to you — and the skills to use them.

Using Python’s Interactive Mode

One way to get some practical, hands-on experience with using Python is to just start typing some commands interactively. The Terminal pane in VS Code is a great place to type Python code. So in this chapter, that’s where you’ll start.

Opening Terminal

To use Python interactively with VS Code, follow these steps:

1. Open VS Code.
2. Choose View ⇒ Terminal ...