Tools & setup: Fundamentals Notes for Basic Computer Course

📚 Basic Computer Course – Fundamentals

🔧 Topic: Tools & Setup

Goal of this topic – Learn the essential tools you need to write, run, and manage code, and the steps to set up a healthy, reproducible development environment.

1. Simple Explanation

Concept	What it is	Why it matters
Text Editor	Lightweight program to edit plain text files (e.g., VS Code, Sublime, Vim).	Opens code quickly and lets you see syntax.
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)	All‑in‑one tool with editor, debugger, and build tools (e.g., IntelliJ, PyCharm).	Offers advanced debugging, auto‑completion, and project management.
Command Line / Terminal	Text interface to run commands, scripts, and manage files.	Gives you power, speed, and automation.
Version Control (Git)	System that tracks changes and stores code in a repository.	Enables collaboration, backup, and history.
Package Manager	Tool to install, upgrade, and manage libraries (e.g., pip, npm, apt).	Keeps dependencies organized and reproducible.
Virtual Environment	Isolated container for project‑specific dependencies.	Prevents “works on my machine” problems.
Operating System (OS) Setup	Choosing between Windows, macOS, or Linux and configuring essential settings.	Determines what tools you can install and how you interact with the system.

2. Key Points

Topic	Key Take‑aways
Choosing a Text Editor / IDE	VS Code is a great all‑rounder; keep it minimal at first.
Installing an OS	Windows 11 / macOS 14 / Ubuntu 24.04 – install the latest stable release.
Primer on the Terminal	`pwd`, `ls`, `cd`, `mkdir`, `rm`, `cp`, `mv`, `cat`, `nano`/`vim`.
Setting PATH	Add program directories to `$PATH` so you can run them from anywhere.
Getting Git	`git --version`, `git config --global user.name`, `git config --global user.email`.
Creating a Virtual Environment	`python -m venv .venv` → `source .venv/bin/activate` (Linux/macOS) or `.venv\Scripts\activate` (Windows).
Dependency Management	`pip install <pkg>`, `pip freeze > requirements.txt`, `pip install -r requirements.txt`.
Basic Git Workflow	`git init`, `git add`, `git commit`, `git remote add`, `git push`.
Debugging Basics	Use `print()` or IDE breakpoints; run `python -m pdb script.py` for console debugging.

3. Worked Example

Set up a simple “Hello World” project in Python on Windows 11.

Assumptions – You have a fresh Windows 11 PC with no developer tools installed.

3.1 Install Python

Download the latest Python installer from the official site: https://www.python.org/downloads/.
Run the installer, check Add Python to PATH, and click Install Now.
Verify installation:
```
python --version
```

3.2 Install Git

Download Git for Windows: https://git-scm.com/download/win.
Run installer, keep default settings.
Verify:
```
git --version
```

3.3 Install Visual Studio Code

Download VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/download.
Run installer, keep defaults.
Launch VS Code → Extensions → install “Python” and “GitLens”.

3.4 Create Project Folder

mkdir HelloWorld
cd HelloWorld

3.5 Initialise Git Repository

git init
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

3.6 Create Virtual Environment

python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\activate   # activates the environment

3.7 Create a Python Script

# hello.py
print("Hello, world!")

3.8 Run the Script

python hello.py
# Output: Hello, world!

3.9 Commit and Push

git add hello.py
git commit -m "Initial commit – hello world"
# Optional: create a GitHub repo, then:
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/HelloWorld.git
git push -u origin master

4. Quick Revision Summary

Concept	Cheat‑Sheet
Terminal Basics	`cd`, `ls`, `mkdir`, `rm -r`, `cat file.txt`, `nano file.txt`
Activate Virtual Env	`.\.venv\Scripts\activate` (Windows)
Deactivate	`deactivate`
Install Package	`pip install <pkg>`
Freeze Requirements	`pip freeze > requirements.txt`
Commit Flow	`git add .`, `git commit -m "msg"`, `git push`
Common VS Code Commands	`Ctrl+Shift+P` → Command Palette; `Ctrl+Space` → IntelliSense
Set PATH on Windows	`setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\Python311\Scripts"`
Git Configuration	`git config --global user.name "Name"`, `git config --global user.email "email"`

Final Thought

Mastering *tools & setup