How to set up Visual Studio Code for Python development: A complete guide
By Ed Malaker
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has rapidly become one of the most popular integrated development environments (IDE) among developers worldwide. It’s versatile fast and has a wide range of features that make it a great choice for programming in many different languages, including Python, which we use a lot here at GeekSided.
This guide will walk you through the steps to install VS Code on your computer and explain why it’s a top choice for Python development.
Why choose Visual Studio Code?
It’s lightweight and fast
VS Code is a lightweight editor that doesn’t compromise on functionality. It starts up quickly and is responsive, even on less powerful machines, making your development experience more about the work you are doing and less about fussing with the IDE.
Lots of extensions
One of VS Code’s standout features is its vast marketplace of extensions. You can enhance the editor’s capabilities by adding tools for debugging, version control, formatting, and more.
Excellent Python support
With the official Python extension provided by Microsoft, VS Code offers rich support for Python coding that includes smart code completion based on variable types, function definitions, and imported modules. It also has real-time code analysis to identify potential errors, an integrated debugger, and more.
Built-in Git integration
VS Code comes with built-in support for Git, allowing you to track changes, commit updates, and manage branches directly from the editor.
Customizable Interface
You can customize almost every aspect of VS Code’s interface to suit your preferences, from themes and icon sets to keyboard shortcuts and layout configurations.
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Step-by-step guide to installing Visual Studio Code
Download Visual Studio Code
Download Visual Studio Code for your web browser from the official Visual Studio Code website. There are options available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Install Visual Studio Code
On Windows
Locate the downloaded installer file (usually in your Downloads folder).
Double-click the installer to run it.
Read and accept the license agreement.
Choose the destination folder or leave it at the default location.
Select “Add to PATH” for easier command-line access (optional)
Click “Install” to begin the installation.
Once the installation is complete, click “Finish” to launch VS Code.
On macOS:
Open the downloaded .zip file; it should extract automatically.
Drag the Visual Studio Code.app file into your Applications folder.
You can now launch VS Code from the Applications folder or Launchpad.
On Linux
Install the package from the terminal using a command similar to the following code, depending on your version: sudo rpm -i code-*.rpm
Setting up Visual Studio Code for Python development
- Click on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window (it looks like four squares).
- In the search bar, type “Python”.
- Locate the extension named “Python” by Microsoft and click “Install”.
Verify Python Installation
Before running Python code, ensure that you have Python on your system:
Windows and macOS: Download and install Python from the official website.
Linux: Python is usually pre-installed.
Create a New Python File
- Click File > New File.
- Select “Python File” in the popup
Run Your First Python Program
In your new Python file, type the following code:
print("Hello, World!")
To run the script, click the Run button above the code.
The output in the terminal pane at the bottom should display:
Hello, World!
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Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed Visual Studio Code and set it up for Python development. With its powerful features and extensions, VS Code provides an efficient and enjoyable coding experience, and we’re sure you’ll have fun with it.
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