

Once we get to moving around the directories, the same will happen on a Mac. Knowing where you are is important, because you have to be within the directory in which a script is saved in order to run it. On Windows, the computer-generated prompt indicates the path of your current directory, which helps you see where (in what folder, aka directory) you are running commands. The prompt begins with a computer-generated tag that usually ends in %, $, or > to indicate that you can start your command. When you first open it you will see a prompt. Understand the CLIīefore you start installing Python, you will want to get comfortable with the CLI. Once Python is installed you’ll also have a Python shell, which will then interpret Python. These different shells take commands differently, which you’ll see as you continue reading. These CLIs will serve basic needs, but other shells for the CLI are available, such as Bash for Mac (or specially configured for Windows) and Windows PowerShell. On Windows, hit the Windows button + “S” to open search and search for “command prompt.”.On Linux/MacOS, go to Finder > Application > Utilities > Terminal.On Mac this is called the Terminal, and on Windows it is called the Command Prompt. Your PC or Mac will come with a built in CLI. To get started, you’ll need a couple of tools, a command line interface (CLI) and a text editor.

