Chapter 1 - Installing and Setting Up Tools

This guide will walk you through the installation and setup of all the tools you'll need to follow the Basic Programming course. By the end of this guide, you'll have a fully functioning programming environment, ready for Python, PHP, C++, Zig, and Go development on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Tools Overview

Code Editor: Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is recommended for this course.
Compilers/Interpreters:
- Python: Python interpreter (latest version)
- PHP: PHP runtime
- C++: GCC or Clang compiler
- Zig: Zig programming language toolchain
- Go: Go programming language toolchain
Version Control: Git for source code management.
Terminal Emulator: Optional for Windows users—install Windows Terminal or use the built-in Command Prompt/PowerShell.
Build Tools: Additional build tools like Make or CMake for C++ projects.

Installing Visual Studio Code

Linux

Download the VS Code package for your Linux distribution:
wget -qO- https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=linux-deb-x64 -O vscode.deb sudo dpkg -i vscode.deb sudo apt-get install -f # Fix dependencies
Start VS Code:
code

Windows

Download VS Code from Visual Studio Code’s official website.
Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
Ensure the "Add to PATH" option is checked during installation.

macOS

Download the VS Code .dmg file from Visual Studio Code’s website.
Drag the VS Code icon into the Applications folder.
Open VS Code from Launchpad or Finder.

Installing Compilers and Runtimes

Python

Linux:
sudo apt update sudo apt install python3 python3-pip
Windows:
1. Download Python from python.org.
2. Run the installer and ensure "Add Python to PATH" is selected.
macOS:
brew install python

PHP

Linux:
sudo apt update sudo apt install php
Windows:
1. Download PHP from php.net.
2. Add PHP to the system PATH.
macOS:
brew install php

C++ Compiler (GCC/Clang)

Linux:
sudo apt update sudo apt install build-essential
Windows:
1. Install MSYS2.
2. Open MSYS2 and run:
  pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc
macOS:
xcode-select --install

Zig

Linux:
wget https://ziglang.org/download/index.html -O zig.tar.xz tar -xf zig.tar.xz sudo mv zig-* /opt/zig sudo ln -s /opt/zig/zig /usr/local/bin/zig
Windows:
1. Download Zig from ziglang.org.
2. Extract the zip file and add Zig to your system PATH.
macOS:
brew install zig

Go

Linux:
wget https://golang.org/dl/go1.20.linux-amd64.tar.gz -O go.tar.gz sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go.tar.gz echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.profile source ~/.profile
Windows:
1. Download Go from golang.org.
2. Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
3. Restart your terminal to ensure Go is added to the PATH.
macOS:
brew install go

Installing Git

Linux:
sudo apt update sudo apt install git
Windows:
1. Download Git from git-scm.com.
2. Follow the setup wizard, choosing default options unless otherwise specified.
macOS:
brew install git

Optional: Installing Build Tools (Make/CMake)

Make

Linux:
sudo apt install make
Windows:
1. Install GNU Make.
2. Add Make to the PATH.
macOS:
brew install make

CMake

Linux:
sudo apt install cmake
Windows:
1. Download CMake from cmake.org.
2. Run the installer and select "Add CMake to system PATH."
macOS:
brew install cmake

Verifying Your Setup

Run the following commands to verify the installation of each tool:

Python:
python3 --version
PHP:
php --version
GCC (C++):
gcc --version
Zig:
zig version
Go:
go version
Git:
git --version
Make (if installed):
make --version
CMake (if installed):
cmake --version

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Install Extensions in VS Code:
- Python
- PHP Intelephense
- C++
- Zig Language Support
- Go
- GitLens (for Git integration)
Configure Git:
git config --global user.name "Your Name" git config --global user.email "youremail@example.com"
Test a "Hello, World!" Program in Each Language:

Python:
print("Hello, World!")
PHP:
<?php echo "Hello, World!"; ?>
C++:
#include <iostream> using namespace std; int main() { cout << "Hello, World!" << endl; return 0; }
Zig:
const std = @import("std"); pub fn main() void { std.debug.print("Hello, World!\n", .{}); }
Go:
package main import "fmt" func main() { fmt.Println("Hello, World!") }

Run each program using the respective compiler or interpreter.

Now that you have all the tools installed and configured, you're ready to dive into the Basic Programming course!

Last modified: 26 January 2025