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Python IDE Dashboard

Starting from Scratch!

Access to Scratch WebsiteScratch is a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, video games, and animations. It provides a dynamic and visual approach to programming where learners can drag and drop scripting blocks to write their computer programs. It’s very popular in schools as it provides a very intuitive user interface and the ability to get started easily and to start creating complex algorithms quite quickly.

There are two options when using Scratch. You can either create an account online and use the web interface to create, save and share your games.

Alternatively you can download the desktop application (Scratch 1.4 or scratch 2.0 beta, though you may want to check their website as their might be an earlier version available by the time your read this book)

Find out more about scratch on:

http://scratch.mit.edu/

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HTML & CSS Editor: NotePad++

Download Notepad++

Download Notepad++A text-editor will be required for you to type your code especially when writing HTML, CSS or Javascript code. Our recommendation is to use a free text editor such as Notepad++. There are other alternatives that would most likely be suitable. When choosing your text editor you should choose one that has at least the following features:

  • Can edit multiple documents at the same time (e.g. Using tabs)
  • Syntax highlighting supporting multiple programming languages (incl. HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python)
  • Syntax folding (sections of code can be collapsed/expanded)
  • Line numbering (makes troubleshooting a lot easier)
  • Customizable GUI (Toolbar options, layout, colour scheme…)

You can download Notepad++ for free on:

http://notepad-plus-plus.org

 

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Python IDE: PyScripter

Download PyScripter

Though you can start writing and testing your own programs once you have installed Python, we would strongly recommend that you investigate installing a Python IDE (integrated Development Environment). There are several free Python IDEs available, but if you are not sure which one to choose from, we shall recommend PyScripter which is a free, open-source IDE. It will make it a lot easier to type your code (Syntax highlighting and checking as you type, indentation options…) and mainly to troubleshoot and debug your code using the built-in debugging tools (breakpoints, variables windows…).

You can download PyScripter for free:

https://code.google.com/p/pyscripter/‎

 

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Welcome to 101 Computing…

Looking for some computing challenges to boost your programming skills or spice up your teaching of computer science?

Our new book, 101 Computing Challenges will soon be available to buy from this website.