How to Install Python on Linux & Run Your First Hello World Program

Whether you’re stepping into the world of programming for the first time or switching to Linux as your development environment, Python is the perfect language to begin with. Known for its simplicity and versatility, Python powers everything from web apps to data science. In this guide, we’ll walk you through installing Python on a Linux system and writing your very first “Hello, World!” program — the classic rite of passage for every coder. Let’s get your terminal talking!

Check If Python Is Already Installed

Open Terminal

• On most Linux systems, press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.

Check the Python Version

Type this command and hit Enter:

python3 --version

If Python is installed, you’ll see something like:

Python 3.11.5

If you get an error, don’t worry—just follow the next step to install it.

Installing Python on Linux

For Ubuntu/Debian-based systems:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

For Fedora:

sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S python python-pip

Verify pip

After installation, check pip (Python’s package manager):

pip3 --version

You should see something like:

pip 23.2.1 from ...

Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Download VS Code

👉 code.visualstudio.com

Click “Download for Linux”. Choose the .deb or .rpm file depending on your distro.

Install VS Code

For .deb (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt install ./<filename>.deb

For .rpm (Fedora):

sudo dnf install ./<filename>.rpm

Enable Terminal Access

Open VS Code, press Ctrl + Shift + P, and type:

Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH

Now you can launch VS Code from terminal using:

code .

Set Up Python in VS Code

Install the Python Extension

• Click the Extensions icon (or press Ctrl + Shift + X)
• Search for “Python”
• Install the one by Microsoft

Select Your Python Interpreter

• Press Ctrl + Shift + P
• Type “Python: Select Interpreter”
• Choose the version you installed

Write & Run Your First Python Program

Create a New File

• Go to File > New File
• Save it as hello.py

Write Your Code

Paste this into the file:

print("Hello, world!")

Run the Program

• Click the Run button
• Or right-click and choose Run Python File in Terminal

You should see:

Hello, world!

🎉 Congrats—you just ran your first Python program!

Troubleshooting Tips

• Python Not Found in VS Code Use “Python: Select Interpreter” and make sure Python is installed
• pip Not Working Try:bashpython3 -m ensurepip python3 -m pip install package_name
• Terminal Issues in VS Code Go to View > Terminal and click the trash icon to reset
• Multiple Python Versions Use:bashpython3 --version which python3 Uninstall older versions if needed
• Virtual Environment Confusion Activate with:bashsource venv/bin/activate
• Syntax Errors Python is picky about spaces! VS Code helps catch these early

Pro Tips for Beginners

Practice by building small scripts like a calculator or to-do list

Keep Python and VS Code updated

Use virtual environments to keep projects organized

Explore Python packages with pip search or PyPI