Installing Python (optional)

This chapter provides instructions on how to install Python on your personal computer.

Installing Python on your device is optional. All class exercises can be completed using the university’s workstations. However, installing Python on your own device allows you to work on exercises at home and can be a valuable learning experience.

There are multiple ways to install Python on your computer. While most methods work, some are more practical than others. Unless you are experienced with Python installations (i.e., you have done this before), please follow these instructions carefully.

What to do if you already have python installed on your laptop

If you already have Anaconda, Conda, or Miniconda installed from a previous class:

You can keep your installation if it works for you. If you’d prefer to start fresh, uninstall Anaconda first and follow the instructions below.

For Windows 10 or below or Chromebook users

Do not attempt to install Python on a Windows 7 or 8 computer. These operating systems are no longer supported. You can use the university’s workstations for the exercises instead.

Microsoft ended free security support for Windows 10 in October 2025. Python will most likely keep working on Windows 10 for a while, but we recommend updating your operating system as soon as you can.

Installing Python on a Chromebook is not straightforward, and we cannot provide support for this. You can still use the university’s workstations to complete the exercises.

Install Miniforge

We will use an installation option with a minimal footprint on your computer: Miniforge

On Windows

Download the Windows installer and double-click the .exe file to execute it.

Follow the prompts, taking note of the options to “Create start menu shortcuts” and “Add Miniforge3 to my PATH environment variable”. I’d recommend you to not add Miniforge3 to the PATH environment variable, as it can cause conflicts with other software (it is ticked off per default). Without Miniforge3 on the path, the most convenient way to use the installed software (such as commands conda and mamba) will be via the “Miniforge Prompt” installed to the start menu (see Testing your installation below).

Important! About the installation location

Choose a folder where there is enough space available, for example in your user directory (e.g. C:\Users\yourname\Miniforge3). Do not install in a folder with special characters in the name (e.g. French accents), as this can cause issues with conda.

On Mac OS and Linux

For these platforms, no need to download the files yourself, but you need to run a script. See the instructions here.

Testing your installation

To see if everything worked well, open a terminal prompt.

On Windows

On Windows, open the miniforge prompt (from the Start menu, search for and open “miniforge prompt”):

The prompt you opened should display a line like this:

(base) C:\Windows\System32>

On Mac OS and Linux

For these platforms, the terminal is available by default. You can open it by searching for “terminal” in the search bar.

Now you should have a terminal window open. In the terminal, type:

conda list

You should see a long list of package names.

If you type:

python

A new python prompt should appear, with something like:

Python 3.12.7 | packaged by Anaconda, Inc. | (main, Oct  4 2024, 13:17:27) [MSC v.1929 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

You can type exit() to get out of the python interpreter.

Optional: a brief explanation of what we’ve just done

The steps above should work in nearly all situations and prepare you for the class. Here’s a brief explanation in case you’re curious or need to search for more information:

We installed Miniforge, a minimal installer for the conda package manager. It plays the same role as the much larger Anaconda distribution, which ships more tools than you will ever need and is very heavy.

Miniforge also comes with two useful defaults:

• Conda-Forge is the default channel for downloading Python packages (instead of the Anaconda channel).

• Mamba is available alongside conda as a package manager. mamba install works the same way as conda install but is significantly faster.

Learning checklist

I learned how to install Python on my computer. I know how to open a Python interpreter from the Miniforge Prompt (or the terminal on Linux/macOS) and close it using exit().