Linux Python Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to Python on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including installation, virtual environments, package management, and development setup.

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Table of Contents

1. Python Installation
2. Python Virtual Environments
3. Package Management
4. Development Setup
5. Troubleshooting

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Python Installation

Install Python

Arch/CachyOS:

# Install Python
sudo pacman -S python python-pip

# Python 3 (default)
python --version

# Install development tools
sudo pacman -S python-setuptools python-wheel

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

Fedora:

sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip

Verify Installation

Check Python:

# Check version
python --version
python3 --version

# Check pip
pip --version
pip3 --version

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Python Virtual Environments

Create Virtual Environment

Create venv:

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv myenv

# Activate
source myenv/bin/activate

# Deactivate
deactivate

Using virtualenv

Alternative:

# Install virtualenv
pip install virtualenv

# Create environment
virtualenv myenv

# Activate
source myenv/bin/activate

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Package Management

Install Packages

Using pip:

# Install package
pip install package-name

# Install from requirements
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Upgrade package
pip install --upgrade package-name

pip Configuration

Configure pip:

# Upgrade pip
pip install --upgrade pip

# List packages
pip list

# Show package info
pip show package-name

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Development Setup

IDE Configuration

VS Code:

1. Install Python extension
2. Select interpreter
3. Configure debugger

Project Structure

Organize project:

project/
├── venv/
├── src/
├── tests/
├── requirements.txt
└── README.md

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Troubleshooting

Python Not Found

Check installation:

# Check Python
which python
which python3

# Install if missing
sudo pacman -S python

Package Installation Errors

Fix permissions:

# Use user install
pip install --user package-name

# Or use virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install package-name

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Summary

This guide covered Python installation, virtual environments, and development setup for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• Development Environment - Development setup
• VS Code Guide - VS Code setup
• Python: https://www.python.org/

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.