From Zero to Automated: Setting Up Your Environment with VS Code, Python, and Ansible

Are you ready to start your coding journey? Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, setting up the right development environment is crucial for a smooth and productive workflow. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to create a robust development environment using popular tools like Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Python, and Ansible to start automating your infrastructure!

Once we get through these next few steps, we’ll be on to the fun part- Making life easier and our work much more efficient!

Step 1: Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Microsoft Visual Studio Code is a versatile, lightweight code editor that’s loved by developers worldwide. Here’s how to get started:

1. Download and Install VS Code: Visit the official VS Code website (https://code.visualstudio.com/) and download the installer for your operating system. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
2. Customizing Your Environment: VS Code offers a wide range of extensions and settings to customize your coding experience. Explore the marketplace under the “Extensions” icon. More on that later…

Step 2: Python

Python is a powerful and beginner-friendly programming language used for a variety of purposes, from web development to data analysis. Follow these steps to install Python on your machine:

1. Download Python: Navigate to the official Python website (https://www.python.org/) and download the latest version of Python for your operating system. NOTE: Mac will already have python installed. Run python --versionin the terminal to make sure you’re at least on python3.
2. Install Python: Run the installer and follow the prompts to install Python. Make sure to check the box that says “Add Python to PATH” to ensure Python is accessible from the command line.
3. Verify Installation: Open a terminal or command prompt and type python --version to verify that Python has been installed correctly. You should see the version number printed on the console.

Step 3: Creating a Virtual Environment

Create a folder under “Documents” named “Ansible_Tutorial” and open a terminal or command prompt in this directory. Now, follow the below steps to create your virtual environment in this location.

• For Mac:

python3 -m venv venv

• For Windows:

python -m venv venv

To activate the virtual environment, follow the below steps.

• For Mac:

source venv/bin/activate

• For Windows:

.\venv\Scripts\activate

Your terminal should now look something like this, with venv in parentheses indicating that we are in our virtual environment.

( venv ) Ansible_Tutorials:

Step 4: Ansible

The last step is installing Ansible.

Here’s how to install Ansible using pip, Python’s package manager:

1. Now that we have created and activated our virtual environment, let’s run the command below to install Ansible:

pip install ansible

Enter the below command to verify the installation was successful. You should see ansible [core <version>] as shown below.

( venv ) Ansible_Tutorials: ansible --version
ansible [core 2.13.3]

Congratulations! You’ve now set up a robust development environment with Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Python, and Ansible within a virtual environment. This setup provides isolation, flexibility, and cleanliness, allowing you to focus on coding and automation without worrying about conflicting dependencies.

If you’re navigating automation challenges or want guidance on getting started, feel free to reach out-I’m happy to help. Contact me at hagansautomation@gmail.com

In the next story, we’ll begin writing our first code! Stay Tuned!