python on Windows

Took another stab at this, esp. for a corp. environ., where SSL certificate checks break due to the deployed packet inspection monitoring software (man-in-the-middle). There’s now a short guide in pdf at my repo. python-setup.

Setting python up on Windows 11 is needlessly complex, but it does not have to be, Microsoft’s own guide notwithstanding.¹ For its part, python has been a victim of its own success. The best way to overcome system-wide conflicts and other teething issues is by setting-up and managing project-specific versions and modules via virtual environments. The absolute best tool for this job is uv from the boutique start-up, Astral. It gets you off the ground like nothing ever has before. Here’s how.

1. Install uv

    powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"
   

   Restart PowerShell for the path to uv to reload and be accessible from the command line.

2. Install python

    uv python install --system-certs
   

3. Initialise project folder and install modules² required by the project

    uv init
    uv add numpy matplotlib pandas --system-certs
   

   uv project manages python version and the packages required for the project.

4. Run a script

    uv run somescript.py
   

   Python via uv is now setup to run scripts from command line. (See also some helpful guides.)

5. Set it up to run from within a text editor, say, Sublime Text

   From Tools > Build System, choose New Build System.., and in the opened tab/window, paste the following:

    {
        "shell_cmd" : "uv run \"$file_name\"",
        "selector" : "source.python",
        "path" : "C\\Users\\%USERNAME%\\.local\\bin;$path",
        "working_dir" : "$file_path"
    }
   

   Save the file as Python-uv.sublime-build. Now with a python script in the editor, select Python-uv from Tools > Build System, and hit Ctrl B to run the script.

And for every new project, you will have to use steps 3 and 4 from above, i.e., (a) initialise, (b) add the required modules, and (c) run.