How to run Python apps on any platform

How to run Python

Credit: Adam Sinicki / Android Authority

Want to know how to run Python? It sounds simple, but it can actually be tricky to figure this out. In this post, weâ€™ll discuss how to test your Python code, as well as how to run Python in other contexts: online for example, or as a packaged app.

Sometimes, the thing holding you back from learning to code can be extremely simple. I remember wanting to learn to program when I was younger â€“ or learning to take what Iâ€™d learned from BASIC on the ZX Spectrum and apply that to a modern environment. My problem? I didnâ€™t know â€œwhereâ€� to program. Once I understood C# or Java, where would I enter the code and how would I run it?



Many people have a similar issue with Python. They understand the code, but they donâ€™t know how to run Python. Or how to turn their creation into an app that someone can download and buy. In fact, with Python it can occasionally be confusing even just to run a bunch of code.


How to run Python apps



But this is only going to show you how to install the interpreter. This teaches your computer to understand Python, but it doesnâ€™t give you anywhere to type and run apps.

Except that isnâ€™t strictly true. Once youâ€™ve installed this package, look for the program called Python Shell. This gives you a shell where you can type Python commands directly and have them run instantly. As soon as you press return, whatever statement you used will run.

But go to File > New File and you will be able to create a new .py file! Enter some code here, then go to: Run > Run Module. Youâ€™ll be prompted to save your file as a module (a compact piece of Python code that can be run from other scripts) and from there your app will run!

That is how to run Python files.


How to create executable Python files

Now you know how to run Python files, but what if you want to help other people to run your programs? Most people who donâ€™t program wonâ€™t have Python installed on their machine, let alone access to an IDE or editor! If you ever plan on sharing or selling your creations, then this is a hurdle you will need to overcome.

Unfortunately, there is no built-in way to make Python files runnable on any machine. Thatâ€™s because Python is a dynamic language unlike, say, like C#. Some creators get around this by including Python as part of the download, but that is hardly an elegant solution.



pip install pyinstaller


py -m pip install pyinstaller

If you donâ€™t have pip installed, you can usually do this by modifying your Python installation (search uninstall in your search bar, then choose your Python version and choose â€œmodifyâ€�).


How to run Python web apps

One thing youâ€™ll notice when trying to build a .exe from your Python code, is that it is not an intuitive or smooth process. Thatâ€™s because this isnâ€™t really what Python is for.


However, what this also means is that you need to take the time to install Python on your browser. Youâ€™ll also probably need to install a web framework. A web framework provides packages and modules that let you easily build web apps with Python code. These frameworks do the heavy lifting for you by simplifying a wide range of common functions necessary for web design. This may include things like database lookups, handling cookies, displaying images, and more.

There are plenty of options out there if youâ€™re interested in Python web frameworks. A great choice for beginners is Flask. This is a very light â€œmicroframework,â€� but it is also relatively simple compared with many other options.

Hereâ€™s a great tutorial I found online that can help you to get started:


Other good options include Django and Web2py. As always, these each have their own strengths and weaknesses, so youâ€™ll need to find the right option for your intended purposes.

How to run Python on mobile


If you want to make apps that you can distribute on mobile using Python though, youâ€™ll probably want to use Kivy. Kivy is an open source library for rapid cross-platform development. It supports multi-touch, an OpenGL ES 2 graphics engine, and other useful features for mobile development and is completely free to use.

So there you go! Thatâ€™s how to run Python on a variety of platforms. Of course, youâ€™ll need to do some tinkering to get some of these options to work (like web or mobile apps), but this post should have given you a good idea of where to start.

And now you know how to use your Python code, perhaps youâ€™re ready to start building some apps? In that case, you should check out our guide to the best online Python courses.

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