Get started

Follow these steps to configure a local workspace that mirrors the recommended contributor setup.

1. Prepare Python 3.11

Install Python 3.11 or use the provided devcontainer (see .devcontainer/devcontainer.json). On macOS/Linux you can use pyenv; on Windows, install from the Microsoft Store.

2. Create and activate a virtual environment

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # Windows: .venv\\Scripts\\activate

Keep the environment active for all following commands.

3. Install dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt

For documentation work, install the MkDocs toolchain:

pip install -r docs/requirements-docs.txt

4. Install pre-commit hooks

pre-commit install

Hooks enforce formatting for Python, notebooks, and Markdown before every commit.

5. Launch Jupyter when you want notebooks

jupyter notebook

Navigate to any Day_XX_* directory and open the lesson notebook. Each folder includes scripts, notebooks, and (when applicable) solutions.

6. Run Python inline with Thebe

Activate interactive examples directly on the site by clicking the Run button that appears on hover. Thebe launches a Binder-backed kernel the first time you execute a cell; subsequent runs reuse the existing session.

message = "Welcome to Coding for MBA!"
message.upper()

7. Run a single lesson script

python Day_30_Web_Scraping/lesson.py

Swap the folder name to execute any other lesson. The scripts are designed to run independently and print their own instructions or outputs.

8. Use the Makefile for common tasks

make setup       # bootstrap a fresh checkout
make docs-serve  # run mkdocs serve locally at http://localhost:8000
make lint        # run ruff, mdformat, and pre-commit checks

Once everything works locally, you are ready to explore the lessons or contribute improvements.