Module 1 · Downloading and Installing Python · Lesson 2 of 4

Starting your work with Python

Now that Python is installed, how do you actually use it? The quickest way is the interactive shell — sometimes called the REPL. Open a terminal, type python, and you get a >>> prompt waiting for you.

Whatever you type, Python runs straight away and shows the result. It's a calculator, a scratchpad and a playground all at once — perfect for trying an idea or checking what a piece of code does. No files, no setup, just an instant conversation with the language.

It also ships with IDLE, a simple built-in editor with the same shell inside a window. The shell is great for quick experiments — but anything you want to keep and run again belongs in a file. That's the very next lesson.