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Data Science Tools Setup: Python and Git

Data Science Setup for Windows

Data Science requires a few tools to help us discover interesting features in our data. We will primarily use two tools and several libraries within each of these tools. The two tools are:

python, a simple programming language (this allows for the computer to do the work for us)
git, a distributed version control system/repository tool (this runs technology behind “github”)

All of these tools are free (and open-source), so it just takes a few minutes for you to install them to get started!

Installing Python

You will need Python 3.6 (or later). We will first check if you have Python already (if you have done Data Science) and install it if you don’t already have it.

Checking for existing Python

Open up your command prompt
Type python --version and press Enter.

If you see Python 3.7.1 (or similar), you are all set – no need to install Python. (Skip to the git section.)
If you see 'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file., install it now:

Installing Python

Visit https://conda.io/miniconda.html to get Miniconda, a light-weight version of the python programming language
Download and install the latest Windows, 64-bit installer for the latest version of Python (eg: 3.7).
After the install finishes, exit your command prompt, re-launch it, and verify it installed by following the steps above (in "checking for existing python").

Installing Git

Any modern version of git works. We will first check if you have git and install it if you don’t already have it.

Checking for git

Open up your command prompt
Type git --version and press Enter.

If you see git version ... (or similar), you are all set – no need to install git! (You’re done!)
If you see 'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file., install it now:

Installing git

Visit https://git-scm.com/downloads to get git, a distributed version control system/repository tool
Download and install the latest Windows installer. (You should not need to select/unselect any of the options that are already preselected in the installation proces... aka just keep hitting next.)
After the install finishes, exit your command prompt, re-launch it, and verify it installed by following the steps above.

Data Science Setup for Mac OS X

Data Science requires a few tools to help us discover interesting features in our data. We will primarily use two tools and several libraries within each of these tools. The three tools are:

python, a simple programming language (this allows for the computer to do the work for us)
git, a distributed version control system/repository tool (this runs technology behind “github”)