Head First Python
THIRD EDITION
A Learner’s Guide to the Fundamentals of Python
Programming, A Brain-Friendly Guide
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Paul Barry
Head First Python
by Paul Barry
Copyright © 2023 Paul Barry. All rights reserved.
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August 2023: Third Edition
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Preface
Install the latest Python 3
What you do here depends on the platform you’re running, which is
assumed to be one of Windows, macOS, or Linux.
The good news is that all three platforms run that latest Python, release
3.10. There’s no bad news.
If you are already running release 3.10 or later, move to the next page –
you’re ready. If you haven’t already installed Python or are using an older
version, select the paragraph below which applies to you, and read on.
Installing on Windows
The wonderful Python folk at Microsoft work hard to ensure the most-
recent release of Python is always available to you via the Windows Store
application. Open the Store, search for “Python”, select the most-recent
version, then click the Get button. Watch patiently while the progress
indicator moves from zero to 100% then, once the install completes, move
to the next page – you’re ready.
Installing on macOS
The latest Macs ship with older, out-of-date releases of Python. Don’t use
these. Instead, head over to Python’s home on the web,
https://www.python.org/, then click on the “Downloads” option. The latest
release of Python 3 should being to download, as the Python site is smart
