Software tools¶
In order to do this module, you’ll need some core software tools. As the module proceeds we’ll also install several more Python packages, but you don’t need to install those right now. The core tools you will need are:
Python version 3.7 or later. Python 3.11 is recommended as the feedback that the interpreter provides if your code crashes has improved considerably.
Git (the revision control system we’re going to use).
A Python-aware text editor. Visual Studio Code is recommended, and all the instructions in this course will assume that this is what you are using.
Links to installation instructions for all of these packages on a variety of operating systems are available on the website of the textbook Object-oriented Programming in Python for Mathematicians.
Python¶
Your implementation will be written in Python based on a code skeleton provided. This means that you’ll need a certain familiarity with the Python language. But don’t panic! Python is a very easy language to work with. This module will use Python 3.
If you haven’t done any Python before, then go through the official Python tutorial. If you have done a little Python but perhaps are not so familiar with the object-oriented features such as classes, then you might like to refer to the online book Object-oriented Programming in Python for Mathematicians. We will be using classes extensively in this course.
The Matlab-like array features of Python are provided by Numpy for which there is a helpful tutorial. There is also a handy guide for Matlab users. In that context, the code provided in this course will always use Numpy arrays, and never Numpy matrices.
Git¶
Revision control is a mechanism for recording and managing different versions of changing software. This enables changes to be tracked and helps in the process of debugging code, and in managing conflicts when more than one person is working on the same project. Revision control can be combined with online hosting to provide secure backups and to enable you to work on code from different locations.
In this module, you’ll use revision control to access the skeleton files, and to update those files if and when they change. You’ll also use the same revision control system to record the edits you make over time and to submit your work for feedback and, eventually, marking.
We will be using the revision control system git, which is the current state of the art and is widely adopted. We’ll be combining git with the online hosting service GitHub.
Install Git and work through the git appendix of Object-oriented Programming in Python for Mathematicians.
Next, go and do the git tutorial over at Software Carpentry.
Hint
If you are a more confident computer user, you could go ahead and set up git to work with ssh, the secure shell. This will save a lot of password typing but it’s not essential so if you are not so confident with computers, you can skip this bit. GitHub provide instructions for using ssh with git.
Visual Studio Code¶
Visual Studio Code is a Python-aware Integrated Development Environment (IDE). This means that it incorporates editing files with other programming features such as Debugging and testing, Git support, and built-in terminal.
The command line¶
A lot of the routine activity involved in this module revolves around executing commands on the command line. For example you use the command line to work with the revision control system.
If you’re not familiar with the Linux command line, then follow at least the first two sections of the Software Carpentry Unix Shell lesson. That guide focusses on the Bash shell, but zsh and the Windows Powershell use very similar commands.