= Get Started =

Impressed? Then it is time to get your hands dirty. The following hints will direct you on how to start working with Python.

== Download it ==

=== Linux & Mac ===

The majority of existent Linux distributions already comes with Python pre-installed or at least offers binary packages that can be easily installed.

Apple's computers with Mac OS X already includes a Python interpreter pre-installed that can be updated to the [http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.6/python-2.6-macosx.dmg latest version] available at Python's Official website.

=== Windows ===

Currently, there are two distributions available for Windows. One of them is [http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.6/python-2.6.msi available] at Python's official website.

The other one is available through [http://www.activestate.com/Products/ActivePython/?mp=1 ActiveState] website and it has the same components of the before mentioned version plus specific modules for Win32 and language's official documentation

== Install it ==

=== Windows ===

We'll go through the procedures to install !ActiveState's version of Python for Windows XP, but the installation procedures for the official Python distribution is similar to the one we're using as example.

After downloading the installer, execute it with a double-click over the file that normally has the following nomenclature: ActivePython-2.6.0-???-win32-ix86.msi:

[[Image(http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br/moin.cgi/InicieSe?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=install01.png)]]

After launching installer, you'll be conducted through a wizard that will ask you confirmations regarding the licensing of !ActivePython. All you've got to do is to answer positively to the questions and click Next:

[[Image(http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br/moin.cgi/InicieSe?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=install02.png)]]

At a certain point of the installation process, the installer will allow the user to choose what components from !ActiveState he wants to install. We recomend the installation of all of them:

[[Image(http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br/moin.cgi/InicieSe?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=install03.png)]]

 * Documentation - Official Python's documentation plus documentation for the Win32 extensions that comes with the package.
 * Python for Windows Extensions (PyWin32) - These extensions are very useful for integrating Python with the Windows platform. They allow, for example, integration with Microsoft's Office.
 * Register as Default Python - Makes this Python installation the default version for this environment, in case there are other versions already installed.

After that, the installer will actually copy the Python files to your hard disk and set the proper configurations needed so it can work properly:

[[Image(http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br/moin.cgi/InicieSe?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=install04.png)]]

After finishing the installation, your system will be ready to work with Python and you'll even find a simple code editor that comes bundled so you can get started right away:

[[Image(http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br/moin.cgi/InicieSe?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=install05.png)]]

=== Linux & Mac ===

Python comes pre-installed on these Operating Systems, therefore, it is not necessary to go through the installation process here. For further informations, please visit [http://www.python.org Python's official website].

== Use it ==

There are several IDEs (Integrated Development Environment) and development tools for Python. Linux users are certainly going to have them easily available. Unfortunately, not all alternatives listed bellow are easily available for users of Windows and Mac. Even if it is the case, the ones available for Windows and Mac are excelent.

=== Open IDEs ===
[[BR]]
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[http://pydev.sf.net/ PyDev]

[http://www.eclipse.org/ Eclipse]'s plugin for Python development. You may find it at [http://www.easyeclipse.org/ EasyEclipse].
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[http://www.die-offenbachs.de/detlev/eric.html Eric]

One of the most complete Open Source IDEs available. Supports the development of Python applications with Qt.
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[http://pida.berlios.de/ Pida]

The new kid on the block, and one of the most promissing.

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[http://boa-constructor.sourceforge.net/ Boa-Constructor]

This IDE is for those used to the famous Delphi interface.
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=== Commercial IDEs ===
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[http://www.activestate.com/Products/Komodo/ Komodo]

This IDE isn't only for Python, but even not being dedicated to Python it is extremely adequated to the language. If has powerful features and can be used by developers that uses languages other than Python on their projects.
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[http://www.wingware.com/ Wing IDE]

This IDE is ideal for Python development and features plugins that intends to ease devlopment with Zope.
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=== Editores de texto ===
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Beyond the IDEs, there is a lot of text editors out there that ease the development with Python. Among them, there is [http://www.vim.org/ Vi], [http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/emacs.html Emac], [http://www.jext.org/ jExt], [http://www.jedit.org/ jEdit], [http://www.scintilla.org/SciTE.html SciTE], [http://www.gnome.org/projects/gedit/ gedit], [http://macromates.com/ Textmate], [http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonEditors etc].

Now that you were initiated, GetIntoIt and learn more about this amazing language.

=== Credits ===
[http://www.pythonbrasil.com.br Python Brasil]