1.2.1 Getting & Installing Python

1.2.1 Getting & Installing Python

Recommended Way (2026)

• Latest Version: Python 3.14.5 (as of June 2026)

• Always download from the official website: https://www.python.org/downloads/

1. Windows

1. Go to python.org/downloads

2. Click on "Download Python 3.14.5" (it usually auto-detects Windows)

3. Download the Windows installer (64-bit) (python-3.14.5-amd64.exe)

During Installation:

• Important: Check the box "Add python.exe to PATH" (at the bottom)

• Click "Install Now" (recommended)

• Or choose "Customize installation" if you want to change location

4. Wait for installation to finish → Click Close

Verify Installation:

Open Command Prompt and type:

python --version

or

python -V

You should see Python 3.14.5

2. macOS

Method A: Official Installer (Recommended for beginners)

1. Go to python.org/downloads

2. Download macOS installer (python-3.14.5-macos11.pkg)

3. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the installer

4. After installation, open Terminal and run:

python3 --version

Method B: Using Homebrew (Best for developers)

# Install Homebrew first (if not installed)

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"



# Install Python

brew install python

3. Linux

Ubuntu / Debian / Linux Mint

sudo apt update

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv -y

Fedora / RHEL / Rocky Linux

sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip -y

Arch Linux / Manjaro

sudo pacman -S python python-pip

Verify:

python3 --version

pip3 --version

After Installation – Must-Do Steps

1. Update pip (Python's package manager):

python -m pip install --upgrade pip

2. Install virtual environment tool (highly recommended):

python -m pip install virtualenv

3. Test Python:

Open terminal/cmd and type python (or python3 on Linux/macOS), then:

print("Hello, Python!")

Type exit() to quit.

Bonus Tips

• Use VS Code as editor (best for Python)

• Install Python extension in VS Code

• Always use virtual environments for projects:

python -m venv myproject

# Windows: myproject\Scripts\activate

# macOS/Linux: source myproject/bin/activate

Would you like me to give you the installation steps for a specific operating system in more detail? Just tell me:

• Windows / macOS / Linux

• Or if you want it for Anaconda/Miniconda instead.

Step by step guide:

Pick your operating system. The steps below change when you click a button.

python --version
python -m venv myenv
myenv\Scripts\activate