Resources Online

Resources Online#

Note

Source: Adapted from the C# edition introduction. Python workflow, REPL usage, and VS Code recommendation sections are original additions.

This book is designed for the introductory computer science course at Loyola University Chicago. The materials are available to all on the web.

Note

For all work in this course, install Python 3 and use the command-line tools. The basic workflow is:

  1. Write a .py file in a text editor (VS Code is recommended).

  2. Run it from the terminal:

    python3 filename.py

You can also experiment interactively by typing python3 at the terminal to enter the interactive shell.

  • The course example repository will contain all example programs referenced in the book. Download or clone it and keep it alongside your work.

  • python.org is the official Python website. It includes documentation for the standard library and language reference.

  • Visual Studio Code with the Python extension is the recommended editor. It provides syntax highlighting, error detection, and an integrated terminal.

The Interactive Shell#

Python provides an interactive shell (also called a REPL, for Read-Evaluate-Print Loop) that lets you type expressions and see their values immediately. Start it by typing python3 at your terminal:

$ python3
Python 3.12.0 (default, ...)
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

Type any expression and press Enter:

>>> 2 + 3
5
>>> "Hello, world!"
'Hello, world!'

This is very useful for experimenting with small pieces of code. We will use the >>> prompt throughout the book to show interactive examples.

To exit the shell, type quit() or press Ctrl-D.

Alternate Formats#

This book is available in HTML, PDF, and EPUB formats. See the download links at the top of each page.