Linux interactive Python

Linux ships with Python installed, so the goal of this page is to make sure you can start a terminal and run Python from the command line.

1. Open a Terminal command prompt. You can find the Terminal application at Applications/Accessories/Terminal, or it may already be on your menu bar.
2. To start Python, type

   python
   

   at the comand prompt and hit enter. You should see something like

   Python 2.7.1 (r252:60911, Jan 24 2011, 17:44:40) 
   [GCC 4.3.2] on linux2
   Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
   >>> 
   

   The >>> indicates that you are at a Python prompt.
3. Exit the Python prompt by typing

   exit()
   

   and hitting enter. Now you're back at the Linux command prompt (which looks something like jesstess$).

Success!

Practice these steps until you feel comfortable navigating to a command prompt, starting Python, and exiting Python.