Python tutorial: Hello world

This tutorial helps you get started with Python. It explains what you need to write your first Python program. It starts with the basics: you will learn where you can find and download the tools needed, how to install these tools and it will take you all the way to building and running your code. If you have never written a Python program before this is the place to start. We have created this article, so you can get started with Python, and move on to our sms examples. If you are already familiar with Python, you can jump directly to one of the following SMS projects.

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What is Python

Python is a programming language. It is similar to a natural language, like English. It is used to talk to a computer. The major difference between a natural language and a programming language is that programming languages have a more rigorous structure, to help the computer understand it better.

What is IDLE

IDLE is a tool to write a Python program. IDLE allows you to type in text using the Python language, and it makes it possible for you to tell the computer, to read the text and execute the instructions. We use the term "Run" to tell computer to execute the instructions.

What is a Python Hello world program

The Python hello world program is the simplest program you can write. It simply prints out the sentence: Hello world on the computer screen. The Hello World program is the first program developers write in any programming language.

How to write your first program in Python

To write your first program in Python:

  1. Check prerequisites
  2. Setup Python
  3. Open IDLE
  4. Write Hello World program in Python
  5. Run your Python Hello World program
  6. Check the output
  7. Save the file as a Python file
  8. Fix errors if needed

Prerequisites

Here is what you need to get started. To write your first computer program in Python, you need a Windows computer, the IDLE programming environment and example code presented below.

  • Windows 10 computer
  • Python
  • Ozeki Hello World example project

Python

Python

You may download Python from the following URL: https://python.org/downloads/

Video 1 - How to download Python (Video tutorial)

Install Python

To write your first Python program, you need to install Python. The following video shows you how this installation can be done.

Video 2 - How to install Python (Video tutorial)

Write your 'hello world' program in Python

The first program you write in any programming language is the 'Hello world' program. The sole aim of this program is to print the term 'Hello world' to the computer screen. In this example the program consists of one line of code: The line: Print("") prints the text. 

>>> print("Hello world!")
Hello world!
>>>

Video 3 - How to write your 'hello world' program in Python (Video tutorial)

Write the code

To write the hello world program, we only need a single command. The print command (Figure 1). Type in print(), then type your message you wish to display inside the brackets and quotation marks. In this case: "Hello world". This is the text that gets shown when you run the program.

write code
Figure 1 - Write code

Run the Python 'hello world' program

To run the hello world program, you need to press Enter.

Video 4 - How to run the hello world program (Video tutorial)

Run the code

To run your code in IDLE Shell, simply type in the command and press enter (Figure 2). You can see that the message that was in the argument of the print command showed up after you hit enter.

run the code
Figure 2 - Run the Python Hello world code

Create your first Python project

After Python has been installed, you need to open it, and save the file, after you wrote the code.

Video 5 - How to create your first Python project (Video tutorial)

Save as

You can not only write commands but save a sequence of them. This can be done in IDLE Shell by going to "File", then clicking on "Save As" (Figure 3).

save as
Figure 3 - Save as

Save code

After you clicked Save as, you can specify a name and a directory for your code. Browse the directory first, then type the name next to "File name:". Click Save to save your code (Figure 4).

save
Figure 4 - Click to save

What happens if I make a mistake in Python

If you make a mistake, when you write your instructions in Python, you will get a Syntax error.

In the code below we will create a mistake intentionally by not putting a semicolon after the Hello World line. You will see, how the computer reacts, how we fix the error, and how we run the computer program successfully.

What is syntax error?

Syntax error means I don't understand. If you talk to somebody in English and he does not understand what you say, he will reply with "I don't understand". If you talk to a computer in Python and the computer does not understand what you say, he will reply with "Syntax error".

How to handle a syntax error in Python?

In the code below we will create a syntax error intentionally by not putting a semicolon after the Hello World line. You will see, how the computer reacts, how we fix the error, and how we run the computer program successfully.

Video 6 - How to handle a syntax error in Python (Video tutorial)

Errors in Python

When you make a mistake in the code (for example: forget to put a quotation mark) it will lead to a syntax error. Here, an error message shows up instead of "Hello World!" (Figure 5). This error message is incredibly helpful in figuring out what kind of error it is and where it happened.

error
Figure 5 - Error

Summary

This tutorial helps you get started with Python by showing you how to write your first Hello World program. We did our best to make this tutorial as simple as possible for you to see that coding in Python is much easier than it may seem for the first time. The knowledge this article offers will help you to interpret other Python programs and gives you the ability to learn how to create programs for your needs.

You can learn more about coding in Python, find more tutorials to study on the Ozeki website. Move on to the next document and check out how to send SMS from Python.

If you need something to boost your messaging system, download the Ozeki SMS Gateway now!

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