The Quick Python Book, Third Edition

Chapter 2. Getting started

This chapter covers

• Installing Python
• Using IDLE and the basic interactive mode
• Writing a simple program
• Using IDLE’s Python shell window

This chapter guides you through downloading, installing, and starting up Python and IDLE, an integrated development environment for Python. At this writing, Python 3.6 is the most current version, and 3.7 is under development. After years of refinement, Python 3 is the first version of the language that isn’t fully backward-compatible with earlier versions, so be sure to get a version of Python 3. It should be several years before another such dramatic change occurs, and any future enhancements will be developed with concern to avoid affecting an already-significant existing code ...