happy young woman celebrating after successfully running her first Python program, 'Hello, World!', on a laptop in a cozy workspace

First Python Program: “Hello, World!” – A Beginner’s Guide

Writing your first Python program: “Hello, World!” is the best way to start learning Python. This simple program prints a message on the screen, helping beginners understand basic syntax and how Python executes code.

In this guide, we will cover how to write and run your first Python program in IDLE, Terminal, VS Code, and Jupyter Notebook, along with real-life applications, common mistakes, and how to fix them.

happy young man sitting at a desk with a laptop displaying the Python program 'print("Hello, World!")' and its successful output, celebrating his first Python program
Celebrate your first Python program! Learn how to write and run ‘Hello, World!’ in this beginner-friendly guide.

Focus Keyphrase: First Python Program: “Hello, World!”

2. Writing Your First Python Program

Step 1: Open a Python Editor

You can write Python code in IDLE, Terminal, VS Code, or Jupyter Notebook.

Step 2: Write the Code

print("Hello, World!")

Step 3: Run the Program

Method 1: Using IDLE (Python’s Built-in Editor)

  1. Open IDLE.
  2. Click File → New File and type: print("Hello, World!")
  3. Save the file as hello.py.
  4. Click Run → Run Module (F5).

Method 2: Using Terminal or Command Prompt

  1. Open Terminal (macOS/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows).
  2. Navigate to the folder where your script is saved: cd path/to/your/file
  3. Run the script: python hello.py # (or python3 hello.py on macOS/Linux)

Method 3: Using VS Code

  1. Install VS Code and the Python extension.
  2. Open a new file (hello.py) and type: print("Hello, World!")
  3. Click Run (▶) or open the terminal in VS Code and type: python hello.py. online run

Method 4: Using Jupyter Notebook

  1. Install Jupyter (pip install jupyter).
  2. Open Jupyter Notebook: jupyter notebook
  3. Click New → Python 3, then type: print("Hello, World!")
  4. Press Shift + Enter to run the code.
happy young woman celebrating after successfully running her first Python program, 'Hello, World!', on a laptop in a cozy workspace
Experience the joy of running your first Python program – ‘Hello, World!’ – in this beginner-friendly guide

3. Real-Life Applications of “Hello, World!”

The "Hello, World!" program is the first step in learning Python and is used to:

  • Test if Python is installed and working correctly.
  • Understand the print() function and basic syntax.
  • Verify the Python development environment (IDLE, Terminal, VS Code, Jupyter).
  • Build confidence before moving to variables, loops, and functions.

4. Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Mistake 1: Forgetting Quotation Marks

❌ Incorrect:

print(Hello, World!)

✅ Fix: Use double or single quotes:

print("Hello, World!")

or

print('Hello, World!')

Mistake 2: Using print Without Parentheses (Python 3+)

❌ Incorrect (works only in Python 2):

print "Hello, World!"

✅ Fix (Python 3+):

print("Hello, World!")

Mistake 3: Running Python Without Saving the File

❌ Incorrect: Running a script without saving it.
✅ Fix: Save the file as hello.py before running it.

5. Conclusion

Your first Python program: “Hello, World!” is the foundation of learning Python. This simple program introduces you to Python’s syntax and execution. Once you master it, you can explore variables, loops, and functions to build more advanced programs.

Next Steps:

  • Experiment with printing different messages.
  • Try running Python code in different environments.
  • Learn about variables and user input.
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