data science setup for windows

Data Science Setup for Windows

Data Science requires a few tools to help us discover interesting features in our data. We will primarily use two tools and several libraries within each of these tools. The two tools are:

  • python, a simple programming language (this allows for the computer to do the work for us)
  • git, a distributed version control system/repository tool (this runs technology behind “github”)

All of these tools are free (and open-source), so it just takes a few minutes for you to install them to get started!

Installing python

You will need Python 3.6 (or later). We will first check if you have Python already (if you have done Data Science) and install it if you don’t already have it.

Checking for existing Python

  1. Open up your command prompt

  2. Type python --version and press Enter.

  • If you see Python 3.7.1 (or similar), you are all set – no need to install Python. (Skip to the git section.)

  • If you see 'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file., install it now:

Installing Python

  1. Visit https://conda.io/miniconda.html to get Miniconda, a light-weight version of the python programming language

  2. Download and install the latest Windows, 64-bit installer for the latest version of Python (eg: 3.7).

  3. After the install finishes, exit your command prompt, re-launch it, and verify it installed by following the steps above.

Installing git

Any modern version of git works. We will first check if you have git and install it if you don’t already have it.

Checking for git

  1. Open up your command prompt

  2. Type git --version and press Enter.

  • If you see git version ... (or similar), you are all set – no need to install git! (You’re done!)

  • If you see 'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file., install it now:

Installing git

  1. Visit https://git-scm.com/downloads to get git, a distributed version control system/repository tool

  2. Download and install the latest Windows installer.

  3. After the install finishes, exit your command prompt, re-launch it, and verify it installed by following the steps above.

Modified from Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider & Karle Flanagan’s STAT 107 - Fall 2019/Spring 2020 guides with permission.