Python Starter Template

Welcome! This is your starting point for Python programming projects. Everything is set up and ready to go - you just need to start coding!

🚀 Getting Started (Easy Way - Recommended!)

Using GitHub Codespaces

This is the easiest way to get started - no installation needed!

1. Click the green "Code" button at the top of this page
2. Click on the "Codespaces" tab
3. Click "Create codespace on main"
4. Wait about 1-2 minutes while your coding environment sets up
5. You're ready to code! Everything is installed automatically.

That's it! Your environment is ready. All the tools you need are already installed.

What's Installed in Your Codespace?

Your coding environment includes these helpful tools:

• Python Test Explorer - See and run your tests with a visual interface (look for the beaker icon 🧪 in the sidebar)
• Python Debugger - Step through your code line by line to find bugs
• Spell Checker - Helps catch typos in your code and comments
• Auto-Formatting - Your code is automatically formatted to look professional when you save (using Black and Prettier)
• Type Checking - Alerts you to potential errors before you run your code

All AI assistance (like Copilot) is turned off so you can learn by doing!

💻 Running Your First Program

Once your Codespace is ready:

1. Look for the file called main.py in the file explorer on the left
2. Click on it to open it
3. In the terminal at the bottom of the screen, type:

   python main.py

4. Press Enter
5. You should see: Hello, World!

Congratulations! You just ran your first Python program! 🎉

✅ Running Tests

Tests help make sure your code works correctly. You can run tests in two ways:

Option 1: Using the Terminal (Command Line)

1. In the terminal, type:

   pytest

2. Press Enter
3. You should see that 2 tests passed ✓

To see more details about what each test does:

pytest -v

Option 2: Using the Test Explorer (Visual)

1. Click the beaker/flask icon 🧪 in the left sidebar (Testing)
2. You'll see a list of all your tests
3. Click the ▶️ play button next to a test to run it
4. Green checkmarks ✓ mean the test passed!
5. This is a great way to see which tests pass and which fail

Tip: The Test Explorer automatically discovers new tests when you save your files!

📁 What's in This Project?

python-starter/
├── main.py              # Your main program - start here!
├── tests/               # Tests to check if your code works
│   └── test_main.py     # Example test file
├── requirements.txt     # List of Python tools needed
└── README.md           # This file (instructions)

📝 How to Start Your Own Project

1. Open main.py - This is where you'll write your code
2. Edit the code - Change the message or add new features
3. Run it - Use python main.py to see your changes
4. Test it - Use pytest to make sure everything works

🆘 Need Help?

• Ask your teacher or classmates
• Try the code and see what happens - It's okay to make mistakes!
• Read error messages carefully - They often tell you what's wrong

💡 Tips for Success

• Save your work often (it auto-saves, but you can also press Ctrl+S or Cmd+S)
• Run your code frequently to catch mistakes early
• Start small and build up - don't try to write everything at once
• If something doesn't work, try reading the error message - it usually gives you a hint!

🌐 Using This on Your Own Computer (Optional)

If you want to work on your own computer instead of Codespaces:

1. Install Python from python.org
2. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/scottluskraa/python-starter.git
   cd python-starter

3. Install the required tools:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Start coding!

But remember - using Codespaces is easier and requires no setup!