Now that I have piqued your interest in Python for data analysis it is time to install it on your computer so you can get started learning Python and exploring data. To install Python, we are going to use the Anaconda distribution from Continuum Analytics. It contains everything you need to get started using Python out of the box. In addition to coming with the Python language, it includes:
Condapackage manager for installing binary packages- Over 100 libraries including: Pandas, NumPy, SciPiy
- Jupyter interactive notebooks.
Anaconda is the simplest way for a beginner to install Python since it is essentially a one stop shop. It also eliminates the headaches of having to deal with package and library compatibility issues; a plus for both beginners and advanced users.
Steps for Downloading & Installing Anaconda
Step 1
To download Anaconda, navigate to the download page and click on the download button for the version of your choice. I recommend Python 3 since this is the newest version and will continue to be supported. Python 2.7 is no longer supported but is sometimes necessary to use if you have programs or applications that were written for Python 2.x. Regardless of the version, installation will be the same.
Step 2
Select the default options throughout the installation process by advancing with the next button. Once you get to the Advanced Installation Options screen, check the 
option that says, “Add Anaconda to my PATH environment variable”. The message below the check box will turn red, giving you a warning that it isn’t recommended, but if you don’t add it to your PATH here, or if you don’t have administrative rights to your computer, it will have to be added manually later. Also check the box that says, “Register Anaconda as my default Python 3.6”. This will make the package other programs to access this installation.
Starting Jupyter Notebooks
After the installation is finished, open a command prompt. You will have the option of either the standard Windows Command Prompt or the Anaconda Prompt. Your choice will not matter for this step. Once you open a command prompt, type in
Jupyter notebook
This should open up a Jupyter Notebook instance in your default browser. This will be your working environment for your data analysis activities. In the next post we will look at Jupyter in more detail and will do some basic exercise to get a feel for how to use the Jupyter environment.
Now you have Python installed and you can start learning Python basics and how to use the Pandas library for data analysis. Please leave a comment if this has been useful for you.