Diverse options are available to set up the environment, such as Mamba, Miniconda, etc. Below, for convenience, the environment is set up based on using Miniconda, which is a lightweight alternative to Anaconda. To set up the Python environment for the AST5110 course, follow these steps:

1. Create a New Environment: After installing Miniconda, use Conda to create a new environment specifically for this course. This helps manage dependencies and avoid conflicts with other projects. Run the following commands in your terminal:

   mamba create --name ast5110_course python=3.12
   mamba activate ast5110_course

2. Install Required Packages: Once the environment is activated, install the necessary packages. You should have a requirements.txt file provided for the course. Install these dependencies using Mamba by running:

   mamba install --file requirements.txt

3. Install Course-Specific Files: Navigate to the directory of nm_lib, where you should find the pyproject.toml files. Install the course-specific library by running:

   pip install -e .

4. Import the Course Library: To start using the course library, import it into your Python script or interactive environment, for instance, as follows:

   from nm_lib.nm_ex import nm_lib_ex_1 as nm1

Note: if the environment is not properly activated or the module is not installed under the environment used, the module will not be successfully imported.

• Pytest: For running tests in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD), install pytest.

• Pre-commit: For maintaining code quality, use pre-commit. To clean the code according to the defined pre-commit hooks, run the following:

  pre-commit run -a

These steps will set up a dedicated Python environment with all the required dependencies for your AST5110 course, ensuring a smooth and conflict-free experience.