The Python environment configuration process as I thought.

1. Install the command line interface ConEmu

2. Install the package management tool scoop

3. Install Python

4. Install the Jupyter compiler

After a series of operations, the conclusion is:

Just use the winget command to install Python directly.

Windows 10 (version 1709 and above) and Windows 11 can directly use the built-in <span><span>winget</span></span> command line tool to install Python. This is a very official, clean, and convenient installation method.

Some basic operations and understandings:

For Windows systems, you can enter the built-in command line tool cmd by pressing win+R. Through it, you can call PowerShell. PowerShell is a more powerful command line tool than cmd, and it is also a scripting language.

What is a scripting language?

It is a language that does not require compilation and decoding, suitable for automation operations, allowing for writing and running simultaneously, which greatly enhances development efficiency and flexibility. Common scripting languages include Python, PowerShell, JavaScript, and Bash.

1. Install the command line interface ConEmu

ConEmu = Console Emulator Host Emulator

Download link:https://conemu.github.io/

It is a multi-tab terminal emulator on the Windows platform, managing multiple command line tools and shell environments in one window.

What are command line and shell environments?

A command line tool is software or a program that interacts with the computer by inputting commands.

A shell is a command interpreter that allows us to understand the meaning of commands and passes commands to the operating system for execution. The shell acts as a translator between human language and machine language.

Function	CMD (Command Prompt)	PowerShell
Syntax	Relatively simple	More powerful, based on .NET
Output	Plain text	Objects (can be processed directly)
Scripting capability	Basic	Advanced
Extensibility	Very limited	Supports modules and functions
Cross-platform	Windows only	Supports Windows, Linux, macOS

2. Install the package management tool scoop

3. Install Python

scoop and winget

According to the original tutorial, after installing ConEmu, you should install the package management tool Scoop. However, I couldn’t succeed following the original instructions. So, I installed while asking AI, and found that scoop cannot be used with administrator privileges. However, my computer only has one account – which is obviously the administrator account, not meeting the requirements. To install scoop, I had to add another account with normal privileges.

After some research, I successfully created a new account. However, when I switched to the new account, I found it was “too clean”, and most software needed to be reinstalled, and I had to log in to websites again, making it very uncomfortable to use.

This is one issue.

Secondly, although I quickly set up scoop with this account, I got stuck again when trying to install Python with scoop. The prompt at that time was:

“Starting package installation… Installation failed, exit code: 5“

Exit code 5 in Windows installers usually indicates insufficient permissions (Access Denied), meaning the installation process requires administrator privileges.

Why does it require administrator privileges again at this point???

You can imagine my frustration at that moment……I originally thought I had finally found a solution to the problem, but it turned out to be a dead end.

– If I switch back to administrator privileges, scoop cannot be used.

– If I switch to a normal privilege account, I don’t have enough permissions to install Python……

In the past, I would have basically given up at this point. But with AI being so powerful now, it seems that any problem has an answer. After some searching, I really found another installation tool – winget, not only found it but also followed the prompts, and finally succeeded in installing it step by step.

Scoop and Winget are both package managers on Windows used to install/update software, but they have different positioning and usage methods.

🔹 Scoop

✅ Features

• User-level installation: By default, software is installed inC:\Users\\scoop\apps, no administrator privileges required, does not write to system directories, very clean.

• Simple configuration: Software paths are automatically added to PATH, does not pollute the system.

• Lightweight: Mainly aimed at developers, common tools (git, python, nodejs, 7zip, curl, etc.) are available.

• Expandable buckets: Software repositories are calledbuckets, users can add many third-party sources, such asversions,extras,java,nerd-fonts.

• Convenient updates:scoop update * can update all software with one command.

⚠️ Limitations

• Fewer software options than Winget, mainly development-related tools.

• Some software requires third-party buckets, requiring more management effort.

• Installing GUI desktop applications (like WPS, QQ) is not as comprehensive as Winget.

🔹 Winget

✅ Features

• Officially produced by Microsoft: Comes pre-installed with Windows 10/11 (new version), with a complete ecosystem.

• System-level installation: By default, installed inProgram Files, requires administrator privileges, available to all users.

• Large software library: Almost all common desktop applications (WeChat, QQ, VSCode, Python, Chrome, Steam…) are available.

• High integration: Directly integrated with Microsoft Store, can usewinget and the store simultaneously.

• Suitable for ordinary users: Can install development tools as well as entertainment software.

⚠️ Limitations

• Some commands require administrator privileges (not as free as Scoop).

• Update mechanism is not as simple as Scoop, sometimeswinget upgrade fails.

• Update speed for developer tools may be slower.

Features	Scoop	Winget
Installation permissions	Default user-level, no administrator required	System-level, often requires administrator
Installation directory	User directory (clean, does not pollute the system)	Program Files / Windows Apps
Software range	Focused on development tools (git, python, node, etc.)	Comprehensive (development tools + desktop applications)
Update experience	One-click scoop update * is very clean	winget upgrade can sometimes get stuck
Extensibility	Flexible buckets, can add third-party sources	Official unified repository, poor extensibility
Target audience	Developers, geeks, who prefer lightweight and control	Ordinary users, those who need to install common software

4. Install the Jupyter compiler

Finally, install the Jupyter compiler (interactive environment). I don’t remember why I needed to install Jupyter, as the original instructions suggested installing VS CODE. However, both belong to human-computer interaction environments, so either one is sufficient for me as a beginner.

After installation, I reviewed and found that Jupyter is not essential; it has no impact on automated scripts and programming.

Below is an introduction to such interactive environments:

Function	With Jupyter	Without Jupyter
Code execution	Run cells step by step	Can only run .py files at once
Visualization	Charts displayed inline	Needs to pop up in an external window
Documentation	Supports Markdown, mathematical formulas	Can only write comments
Data exploration	Can view variables at any time	Needs to manually write print()
Teaching demonstration	Highly interactive	Can only rely on PPT + code demonstration

Scenario	Recommended tool	Reason
Learning Python	IDLE / Thonny	Simple and lightweight, comes with Python installation
Writing scripts / Developing software	VS Code / PyCharm	Powerful, suitable for medium to large projects
Data analysis & AI	Jupyter Notebook / JupyterLab	High experimental efficiency, suitable for interactive analysis

5. After installation, enter jupyter lab in the ConEmu command line, which automatically redirects to the Jupyter interactive interface. Drag my ipynb file into the left folder, double-click to open it.

Notes:

By the way, I learned how to create folders using command line tools and how to find this drive letter. However, this should be very basic, and I just happened to not know it, so it felt like a new skill.

mkdir F:\coding\code creates a code folder in the coding folder on drive F:

cd F:\coding\code finds the code folder in the coding folder on drive F: