How to Set Up Python Development Environment in Visual Studio Code

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular code editor that offers many features for software development. It is lightweight, powerful, and customizable, making it an ideal choice for coding in Python. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up a Python development environment in Visual Studio Code.

1. Installing Visual Studio Code

First, you need to download and install Visual Studio Code on your computer. Visit the official Visual Studio Code website and download the installer for your operating system. Once the download is complete, follow the installation instructions to complete the setup.

2. Installing Python

If you haven't installed Python yet, you'll need to do so because Visual Studio Code relies on the Python interpreter to run Python code. Here's how you can set up Python:

• Go to the official Python website and download the latest version of Python.
• Run the Python installer. Make sure to click the checkbox that says Add Python to PATH before clicking the Install button. This step is important because it allows Visual Studio Code to locate the Python interpreter on your system.
• Complete the installation process by following the instructions.
• After installation, you can check if Python is successfully installed by opening a terminal or command prompt and typing python --version. This command will return the Python version number.

3. Setting up the Python virtual environment

It is a good practice to use virtual environments in Python projects. A virtual environment is a self-contained directory where you can install project-specific dependencies, thus keeping your global Python environment clean. Here's how to set it up:

• Open a terminal or command prompt.
• Create a new directory for your Python project, for example: mkdir my-python-project.
• Go to your project directory: cd my-python-project.
• Create a virtual environment by running python -m venv env. Here, env is the name of the virtual environment directory.

To activate the virtual environment, do the following:

• For Windows, run: .\env\Scripts\activate.
• For MacOS and Linux, run: source env/bin/activate.
• After activation, your terminal prompt will change to reflect that you are working inside a virtual environment.

4. Installing the Python Extension for Visual Studio Code

To efficiently write and run Python code in Visual Studio Code, you need to install the Microsoft Python extension. Follow these steps:

• Open Visual Studio Code.
• Switch to the Extensions view by clicking the extensions icon in the activity bar at the side of the window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.
• In the Extensions view, search for "Python" by Microsoft. It's usually one of the top results.
• Click the Install button to add the Python extension to Visual Studio Code.

5. Configuring Visual Studio Code for Python Development

Now that you've installed the Python extension, it's time to configure Visual Studio Code to use it effectively:

1. Open your Python project folder in Visual Studio Code by selecting File > Open Folder and navigating to your project directory.
2. After the folder opens, Visual Studio Code may ask you to select an interpreter. Look for a notification in the lower-right corner of the window, and click Select Interpreter.
3. A list of available Python interpreters will appear. Make sure to select the interpreter from your virtual environment, which is usually listed as .env/bin/python or .\env\Scripts\python.exe.
4. If Visual Studio Code doesn't prompt you, you can manually select the interpreter by opening the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P, then starting to type "Python: Select Interpreter", and selecting your interpreter from the list.

6. Creating a simple python file in Visual Studio Code

After the environment is set up, you can now create a simple Python file to test everything:

• In the Explorer sidebar, click the New File icon or right-click and choose New File.
• Name the file something like example.py and press Enter.
• Type the following Python code in the blank file:

print("Hello, World!")

To run this Python file:

• Make sure your virtual environment is activated.
• In the terminal at the bottom of Visual Studio Code, make sure you are in your project directory.
• Run the file by typing python example.py and pressing Enter.
• You'll see the output Hello, World! in the terminal, which will confirm that everything is working correctly.

7. Enhancing your Python development experience

Visual Studio Code has many additional features to improve your Python development experience. Some of the useful features are:

Auto-completion and IntelliSense

The Python extension provides IntelliSense, which provides code suggestions as you type. This feature can speed up your coding process significantly, as it allows you to access functions, classes, and variables faster.

Linting

Linting helps identify potential errors and style issues in your code. By default, the Python extension uses Pylint to analyze your code. You can see graphs indicating problems in your code and view detailed information by hovering over lines.

Debugging

Visual Studio Code provides a built-in debugger to help you find and fix bugs in your Python code. You can set breakpoints, watch variables, and step through your code to pinpoint problems.

Installing additional extensions

Visual Studio Code extensions can further enhance your development experience by adding features such as support for various Python libraries and tools, advanced code editing capabilities, and more. Visit the Extension Marketplace to find the tools that fit your needs.

8. Version control with Git

Integration with Git allows you to keep track of changes to your project, collaborate with others, and manage different versions of your code:

• Make sure you have Git installed on your system. You can download it from the official Git website and follow the installation instructions.
• Visual Studio Code integrates seamlessly with Git, allowing you to perform various Git operations, such as commits, branches, and merges, directly from the editor.

9. Conclusion

Setting up a Python development environment in Visual Studio Code involves installing the required software, creating a virtual environment, and configuring Visual Studio Code for Python development. After completing these steps, you will have a feature-rich environment for coding in Python, including code intelligence, debugging, and version control support. Visual Studio Code's extensive customization and rich extension ecosystem allow you to tailor your setup to your coding needs and preferences.

Take the time to explore the various features and extensions available in Visual Studio Code. This way, you can get the most out of this powerful tool for all your Python development projects.

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