Software Installation & Setup Guide

Complete Guide for Python Development Environment

Purpose: This guide provides detailed installation instructions for essential development
tools required for Python programming, data science, and API development.

1. Python Installation

Latest Version: Python 3.14.2 (as of January 2026)

Official Download: [Link]

System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10/11 (64-bit recommended)

• macOS: macOS 10.15 or later

• Linux: Most distributions supported

Windows Installation

Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]

2. Click the large "Download Python 3.14.2" button

3. The website automatically detects your operating system

Step 2: Install

1. Locate the downloaded file (usually [Link])

2. IMPORTANT: Check "Add Python to PATH" ✓

3. Click "Install Now" for standard installation

4. Wait for installation to complete

5. Click "Close" when finished

Step 3: Verify Installation

Open Command Prompt and run:

python --version

Expected output: Python 3.14.2

Also verify pip (Python package installer):

pip --version
macOS Installation
Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]

2. Download the macOS installer (Universal2 for Apple Silicon, Intel chip)

Step 2: Install
1. Open the downloaded .pkg file

2. Follow the installation wizard

3. Accept the license agreement

4. Click "Install" and enter your password when prompted

Step 3: Verify Installation

Open Terminal and run:

python3 --version
pip3 --version
Linux Installation

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

python3 --version

Fedora:

sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip

python3 --version

Important Notes

• Python 3.14 introduces deferred annotations, free-threaded mode, and JIT compiler

• Python 3.13 is also stable and widely used

• On macOS/Linux, use python3 instead of python

• Always install to PATH for easier command-line access

2. VS Code Installation

Latest Version: 1.108.0 (January 2026)

Official Download: [Link]
System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10/11

• macOS: macOS 10.15 or later

• Linux: 64-bit Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat, Fedora, or SUSE

Windows Installation

Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]

2. Click the Windows download button (detects 64-bit/ARM automatically)

Step 2: Install

1. Run VSCodeUserSetup-{version}.exe

2. Accept the license agreement

3. Select installation location (default recommended)
4. Important Checkboxes:

o ✓ Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer file context menu

o ✓ Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer directory context menu

o ✓ Register Code as an editor for supported file types

o ✓ Add to PATH (restart required)

5. Click "Install"

6. Launch VS Code when installation completes

Step 3: Install Python Extension

1. Open VS Code
2. Click Extensions icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "Python" (published by Microsoft)

4. Click "Install"

5. Search for "Jupyter" and install it as well

macOS Installation

Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]
2. Download for Mac (Universal, Apple Silicon, or Intel)
Step 2: Install

1. Open the downloaded .zip file

2. Drag Visual Studio [Link] to the Applications folder

3. Open VS Code from Applications

Step 3: Install Extensions

1. Open VS Code

2. Press Cmd+Shift+X to open Extensions

3. Install "Python" and "Jupyter" extensions

Linux Installation

Debian/Ubuntu:

# Download .deb package from [Link]

sudo dpkg -i code_*.deb
sudo apt-get install -f # Install dependencies if needed

Red Hat/Fedora/SUSE:

# Download .rpm package from [Link]

sudo rpm -i code-*.rpm

Recommended VS Code Settings for Python

1. Open Settings (Ctrl+, or Cmd+,)

2. Search for these settings:

o [Link]: true

o [Link]: true

o [Link]: true

3. Git Installation

Latest Version: 2.52.0 (November 2025)

Official Download: [Link]

System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10 or later

• macOS: macOS 10.13 or later
 • Linux: Any modern distribution

Windows Installation

Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]
2. Click "Windows" or use direct link: [Link]

3. Download the 64-bit Git for Windows setup

Step 2: Install

1. Run the installer [Link]

2. Click "Next" through the installation wizard

3. Important Settings:

o Editor: Choose your preferred editor (VS Code recommended)

o PATH environment: Select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-
party software" (recommended)

o HTTPS transport: Use the OpenSSL library

o Line ending conversions: "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line
endings" (recommended for Windows)
o Terminal emulator: Use MinTTY (default)

4. Click "Install"

5. Click "Finish"

Step 3: Verify Installation

Open Command Prompt or Git Bash and run:

git --version

Expected output: git version 2.52.0

macOS Installation
Method 1: Official Installer

1. Visit [Link]

2. Download the installer

3. Open the .dmg file and follow instructions

Method 2: Homebrew (Recommended)

# Install Homebrew if not already installed
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL
[Link]

# Install Git

brew install git

# Verify
git --version

Linux Installation

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install git

git --version

Fedora:
sudo dnf install git

git --version

Initial Git Configuration

After installation, configure Git with your information:

git config --global [Link] "Your Name"

git config --global [Link] "[Link]@[Link]"

# Verify configuration

git config --list

4. Docker Desktop Installation

Latest Stable Release: 4.47.x (January 2026)

Official Download: [Link]

System Requirements

Windows:
• Windows 10 64-bit: Pro, Enterprise, or Education (Build 19045 or later)
 • Windows 11 64-bit: Any edition

• WSL 2 feature enabled

• 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)

• 4GB system RAM

• BIOS-level hardware virtualization support must be enabled

macOS:

• macOS 10.15 or newer

• At least 4 GB of RAM

• Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) or Intel chip

Important Licensing Note

Commercial use of Docker Desktop requires a paid subscription for:

• Organizations with more than 250 employees, OR
• Organizations with annual revenue exceeding $10 million USD

Free for:

• Small businesses (fewer than 250 employees AND less than $10M revenue)

• Personal use

• Education

• Non-commercial open source projects

Windows Installation
Prerequisites: Enable WSL 2

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator

2. Run:

wsl --install

3. Restart your computer

4. Verify WSL version:

wsl --version
Should show version 2.1.5 or later

Step 1: Download
1. Visit [Link]
 2. Click "Download for Windows"

3. Choose the appropriate version (x64 or ARM64)

Step 2: Install

1. Double-click Docker Desktop [Link]

2. Ensure "Use WSL 2 instead of Hyper-V" option is selected

3. Follow the installation wizard

4. Click "Ok" to accept configuration

5. Wait for installation to complete

6. Click "Close and restart"

Step 3: Start Docker Desktop

1. Launch Docker Desktop from Start Menu

2. Accept the Docker Subscription Service Agreement
3. Wait for Docker Engine to start

4. You'll see a green "Engine running" status when ready

Step 4: Verify Installation

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell:

docker --version

docker run hello-world

macOS Installation
Step 1: Download

1. Visit [Link]

2. Choose:

o "Download for Mac - Apple Chip" (M1/M2/M3)

o "Download for Mac - Intel Chip"

Step 2: Install

1. Open the downloaded [Link] file

2. Drag Docker icon to Applications folder

3. Open Docker from Applications

4. Authorize with system password when prompted
 5. Complete the installation wizard

Step 3: Verify Installation

Open Terminal:

docker --version
docker run hello-world

Linux Installation

Ubuntu:

# Set up Docker's apt repository

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

sudo curl -fsSL [Link] -o
/etc/apt/keyrings/[Link]

sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/[Link]

# Add repository

echo \

"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/[Link]]

[Link] \

$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \

sudo tee /etc/apt/[Link].d/[Link] > /dev/null

# Install Docker Desktop

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install docker-desktop

# Start Docker Desktop

systemctl --user start docker-desktop

Post-Installation Steps (All Platforms)

Add User to Docker Group (Linux/macOS):
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

newgrp docker

Test Docker Installation:

docker run hello-world

docker ps

docker images

5. GitHub Account Setup

Official Website: [Link]

Creating a GitHub Account

Step 1: Sign Up
1. Visit [Link]
2. Click "Sign up" in the top right

3. Enter your email address

4. Create a strong password

5. Choose a unique username (this will be your GitHub profile URL)

6. Complete the puzzle verification

7. Click "Create account"

Step 2: Verify Email

1. Check your email inbox

2. Click the verification link from GitHub

3. Complete any additional verification steps

Step 3: Customize Profile (Optional but Recommended)

1. Click your profile icon → "Your profile"

2. Click "Edit profile"

3. Add:
o Profile picture

o Bio
o Location
 o Website/blog

o Social media links

Configuring Git with GitHub

Step 1: Generate SSH Key (Recommended)

# Generate SSH key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[Link]@[Link]"

# Start SSH agent

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add SSH key to agent

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Copy public key (Linux/macOS)

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

# On Windows (Git Bash)

clip < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Step 2: Add SSH Key to GitHub

1. Go to [Link]

2. Click "New SSH key"

3. Give it a descriptive title (e.g., "My Laptop")

4. Paste your public key

5. Click "Add SSH key"

Step 3: Test Connection

ssh -T git@[Link]
Expected: "Hi username! You've successfully authenticated..."

Alternative: HTTPS Authentication

# Configure Git credentials
git config --global [Link] store

# First push will prompt for username and token

# Use Personal Access Token (not password)

Creating a Personal Access Token

1. Go to [Link]

2. Click "Generate new token" → "Generate new token (classic)"

3. Set expiration and select scopes (at minimum: repo, workflow)

4. Click "Generate token"

5. Copy and save the token immediately (you won't see it again)

6. Optional Tools
Postman

Latest Version: 11.75.4 (January 2026)

Official Download: [Link]

What is Postman?

Postman is a comprehensive API development and testing platform that simplifies building,
testing, and documenting APIs.

Windows Installation

1. Visit [Link]

2. Click "Download" for Windows (64-bit)

3. Run the installer [Link]

4. Installation is automatic - Postman will launch when complete

5. Sign in or click "Take me straight to the app"

macOS Installation

1. Visit [Link]

2. Download for Mac (Apple Chip or Intel)

3. Open the .zip file

4. Drag Postman to Applications folder

5. Launch from Applications
Linux Installation

# Download and extract

wget [Link] -O [Link]

sudo tar -xzf [Link] -C /opt

sudo ln -s /opt/Postman/Postman /usr/bin/postman

# Launch

postman

Features

• Create and send HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.)

• Organize requests into collections

• Environment variables for different setups
• Automated testing with test scripts

• API documentation generation

• Mock servers

• Team collaboration

Alternative: Web Version

Access Postman without installation at [Link]

Anaconda

Latest Version: Anaconda Distribution 2025.12 (December 2025)

Official Download: [Link]

What is Anaconda?

Anaconda is a comprehensive distribution of Python and R for data science, machine

learning, and scientific computing. It includes 300+ pre-installed packages and conda
package manager.
System Requirements

• At least 5 GB disk space for download and installation

• Windows 10/11, macOS 10.13+, or Linux

What's Included
 • Python 3.13.9

• Conda 25.11.0 package manager

• Anaconda Navigator (GUI)

• Jupyter Notebook
• JupyterLab

• Spyder IDE

• 300+ data science packages: NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow,

etc.

Windows Installation

1. Visit [Link]

2. Register with email (optional)

3. Click "Download" for Windows

4. Run Anaconda3-2025.12-1-Windows-x86_64.exe

5. Click "Next" through the wizard

6. Choose installation type:

o Just Me (recommended)

o All Users (requires admin rights)

7. Choose installation location

8. Important Options:

o ☐ Add Anaconda to PATH (not recommended, use Anaconda Prompt instead)

o ✓ Register Anaconda as default Python

9. Click "Install"

10. Complete installation (may take 10-15 minutes)

macOS Installation

1. Visit [Link]

2. Download for Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel)

3. Open the downloaded .pkg file

4. Follow installation wizard
5. Agree to license
 6. Choose installation destination

7. Click "Install"

Linux Installation

# Download installer
wget [Link]

# Verify integrity (optional but recommended)

sha256sum Anaconda3-2025.12-1-Linux-x86_64.sh

# Run installer

bash Anaconda3-2025.12-1-Linux-x86_64.sh

# Follow prompts:

# - Accept license

# - Confirm installation location

# - Initialize Anaconda (yes)

# Restart terminal

source ~/.bashrc

# Verify installation

conda --version

Verify Installation (All Platforms)

conda --version

conda list

python --version
jupyter --version

Launch Anaconda Navigator

• Windows: Start Menu → Anaconda Navigator
 • macOS: Applications → Anaconda Navigator

• Linux: Type anaconda-navigator in terminal

Important Notes

• Licensing: Free for individual use, education, and small businesses

• Commercial use requires paid license for organizations >250 employees OR >$10M
revenue

• Anaconda installs to specific directory - use Anaconda Prompt on Windows

• Comes with conda package manager for installing additional packages

Miniconda

Latest Version: Miniconda 25.1.1 (February 2025)

Official Download: [Link] (scroll down) or
[Link]

What is Miniconda?

Miniconda is a minimal installer for conda package manager. It includes only:

• Python

• Conda package manager

• A small number of essential packages

Anaconda vs Miniconda
Choose Anaconda if:

• You want all data science packages pre-installed

• You prefer GUI tools (Navigator)

• Disk space isn't a concern (5+ GB)

• You're new to Python/data science

Choose Miniconda if:

• You want minimal installation

• You prefer command-line control

• You want to install only packages you need

• Disk space is limited (~400 MB)

Windows Installation
 1. Visit [Link]

2. Scroll to "Miniconda Installers"

3. Click "Download" for Windows

4. Run Miniconda3-latest-Windows-x86_64.exe
5. Click "Next"

6. Accept license

7. Choose installation type (Just Me recommended)

8. Choose destination folder

9. Advanced options:

o ☐ Add to PATH (not recommended)

o ✓ Register as default Python

10. Click "Install"

11. Complete installation

macOS Installation

Graphical Installer:

1. Visit [Link]

2. Download Miniconda for Mac

3. Open .pkg file

4. Follow installation wizard

Command Line (Recommended):

# Download

curl -O [Link]

# Verify (optional)
sha256sum Miniconda3-latest-MacOSX-x86_64.sh

# Install

bash Miniconda3-latest-MacOSX-x86_64.sh
# Follow prompts

# Restart terminal

source ~/.bash_profile

# Verify

conda --version

Linux Installation

# Download

wget [Link]

# Install
bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

# Follow prompts:

# - Review license

# - Confirm location (/home/username/miniconda3)

# - Initialize conda (yes)

# Restart terminal
source ~/.bashrc

# Verify

conda --version

Verify Installation

conda --version

conda list
python --version

Creating Your First Environment

# Create new environment with Python 3.13
conda create -n myenv python=3.13

# Activate environment

conda activate myenv

# Install packages

conda install numpy pandas matplotlib

# Deactivate environment

conda deactivate

Useful Conda Commands

# List environments
conda env list

# Create environment

conda create -n envname python=3.13

# Activate environment

conda activate envname

# Install packages

conda install package_name

# Update conda

conda update conda

# Remove environment

conda remove -n envname --all

7. Verification Commands

After installing all tools, verify everything is working:

Complete System Check

# Python
python --version

pip --version

# Git

git --version

git config --list

# Docker
docker --version

docker ps

# VS Code (launch from command line)

code --version

# Conda (if installed)

conda --version

# [Link] (if needed later)

node --version

npm --version

Windows PowerShell Complete Check

Write-Host "=== System Verification ===" -ForegroundColor Green

Write-Host "`nPython:" -ForegroundColor Yellow

python --version
pip --version

Write-Host "`nGit:" -ForegroundColor Yellow

git --version

Write-Host "`nDocker:" -ForegroundColor Yellow

docker --version

Write-Host "`nVS Code:" -ForegroundColor Yellow

code --version

Write-Host "`n=== Verification Complete ===" -ForegroundColor Green

Linux/macOS Bash Complete Check

#!/bin/bash

echo "=== System Verification ==="

echo ""

echo "Python:"

python3 --version
pip3 --version

echo ""

echo "Git:"

git --version

echo ""

echo "Docker:"

docker --version
echo ""
echo "VS Code:"

code --version

echo ""

echo "=== Verification Complete ==="

8. Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Python Issues

"Python not recognized" (Windows)

Solution:
1. Reinstall Python with "Add to PATH" checked
2. Or manually add to PATH:

o Search "Environment Variables"

o Edit PATH

o Add: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314

o Add:
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314\Scripts

Multiple Python Versions

Solution:

# Use py launcher on Windows

py -3.14 --version

py -3.13 --version

# Specify pip version

py -3.14 -m pip install package_name

Git Issues

SSL Certificate Errors

Solution:
git config --global [Link] false # Not recommended for production

# Or update certificates:

git config --global [Link] /path/to/[Link]

Line Ending Issues

Solution:

# Windows

git config --global [Link] true

# Linux/Mac

git config --global [Link] input

Docker Desktop Issues

"WSL 2 installation incomplete" (Windows)
Solution:

1. Open PowerShell as Admin

2. Run: wsl --install

3. Run: wsl --update

4. Restart computer

Docker Won't Start

Solution:
1. Ensure virtualization is enabled in BIOS

2. On Windows: Ensure Hyper-V or WSL 2 is enabled

3. Check Docker Desktop logs: Settings → Troubleshoot → Show logs

"Docker daemon not running"

Solution:

1. Start Docker Desktop application

2. Wait for "Engine running" status

3. On Linux: sudo systemctl start docker

VS Code Issues
Extensions Not Installing
Solution:

1. Check internet connection

2. Disable antivirus temporarily

3. Clear extension cache: Delete ~/.vscode/extensions

4. Restart VS Code

Python Extension Not Finding Interpreter

Solution:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P

2. Type "Python: Select Interpreter"

3. Choose correct Python installation

4. Or manually set in [Link]:

{
"[Link]":
"C:\\Users\\YourUser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python314\\[Link]"
}

GitHub SSH Issues

"Permission denied (publickey)"

Solution:

# Check SSH agent

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add key

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Verify key is added

ssh-add -l

# Test connection
ssh -T git@[Link]
General Tips

1. Always restart after major installations

2. Run as administrator when needed (but be cautious)

3. Check system requirements before installing

4. Keep software updated for security and features

5. Use official sources only for downloads

6. Backup important data before major system changes

Additional Resources

Official Documentation

• Python: [Link]
• VS Code: [Link]
• Git: [Link]

• Docker: [Link]

• GitHub: [Link]

• Postman: [Link]

• Anaconda: [Link]

• Conda: [Link]

Learning Resources
• Python: [Link]

• Git: [Link]

• Docker: [Link]

• VS Code: [Link]

Community Support

• Stack Overflow: [Link]

• GitHub Community: [Link]

• Reddit: r/learnprogramming, r/Python, r/docker

Quick Reference Card

 Verify
Tool Default Install Path (Windows)
Command

Python python --version C:\Users\{User}\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\

C:\Users\{User}\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS
VS Code code --version
Code\

Git git --version C:\Program Files\Git\

Docker docker --version C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\

Anaconda conda --version C:\Users\{User}\anaconda3\

Miniconda conda --version C:\Users\{User}\miniconda3\