Why Python?
Python is a popular open-source, multi-purpose programming language. Python is free to download and use. There are many resources online for those learning Python.
Where to Find Python?
Download a copy of Python here for you own PC. Python is installed on all computers in the Data & GIS Lab in Geisel and in some ETS labs.
By downloading the Anaconda distribution of Python, you will also have access to Spyder, an integrated development environment (IDE) used for Python scripts, as well as Jupyter Notebook, an interactive live way to combine code and narrative text.
User can develop their own functions in Python to do specific tasks (i.e., adding text to graphics, reformatting data, etc.). Before writing code from scratch, however, keep in mind that one of the main benefits of Python is the vast array of pre-existing libraries, written by other Python users and available for download. You can find Python libraries on PyPI, the Python Package Index.
This overview of popular Python libraries provides a starting point for finding applicable libraries. For more advanced users, this comprehensive list of libraries by topic includes links to further resources.
If using the Anaconda distribution of Python, many libraries come pre-installed. This tutorial covers the steps needed to install additional libraries.
