Python E2E Series: Your Very First Python Project, From Setup to GitHub Distribution with VS Code

This article is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to building and distributing a Python project, moving well beyond the basic “Hello World” setup. As there are tons of resources available for learning Python code itself, this article won’t focus on the programming aspects. Instead, we’ll focus on setting up a project from scratch and taking it through a complete cycle to successful distribution. This guide is dedicated to illustrating the complete process of project setup, organization, documentation, and distribution.

By following this guide, you’ll learn how to structure your project, manage dependencies, configure documentation, and release a polished project to GitHub, equipped with best practices.

Basic Requirements:

• Python: Make sure Python (3.6 or higher) is installed on your system. You can download it from python.org.
• VS Code: Install Visual Studio Code for coding, testing, and project management. Download it from code.visualstudio.com.
• Git: Install Git to manage version control. Download it from git-scm.com.

Note for Mac and PC Users: This guide is designed for both macOS and Windows. We’ll specify any commands that differ between systems, ensuring smooth setup on either platform.

Note: This guide is intended to cover every essential aspect of project setup and distribution from scratch. As an end-to-end reference, this article may be lengthy, but we aim to provide a comprehensive cycle in a single, accessible guide that you can refer back to later.

What’s Ahead in This Python E2E Series

Python E2E: Ep0 — Your Very First Python Project: From Setup to GitHub Distribution with VS Code: An introductory roadmap for the complete series, covering each step we’ll explore.

Python E2E: Ep1 — Building the Foundation: Project Structure and Virtual Environment: Learn to organize files, initialize version control, and create a dedicated virtual environment.

Python E2E: Ep2 — Coding Core Features: Building a String Manipulation Tool: Dive into building essential string functions like count_words, reverse_string, and is_palindrome.

Python E2E: Ep3 — Testing Like a Pro: Unit Testing and Code Quality: Master unit testing basics, set up test cases, and ensure high code quality.

Python E2E: Ep4 — Polishing the Project: Documentation and Configuration: Create thorough documentation, manage dependencies, and configure your project for reliability.

Python E2E: Ep5 — The Final Touch: Versioning and Publishing on GitHub: Prepare for public release, manage versions, and publish your project on GitHub for sharing.

With this roadmap, you’re set to follow each stage of the project cycle, from setup to sharing. Follow along with each article in the series to build your project step-by-step. You can always refer back to Ep0 for the full table of contents and overview.

Please follow the complete E2E Python Series at Medium.com.

Let’s turn spaghetti code into a gourmet meal: from messy beginnings to a deliciously distributed project—because every dish needs to be served!