EX First steps in Python

Making your first steps in Python with simple print() operations.

#Hashtag and Run!

Using Comments in Python

✍️ Add Comments to Structure and Clarify Your Code
To make your code easier to understand — both for yourself and for others who review your work — it’s important to use comments.
In Python, everything following a # on a line is treated as a comment and is ignored by the interpreter.

Comments do not affect how your program runs, but they are extremely useful for:

  • Explaining what your code does
  • Structuring your code clearly
  • Making your assignments easier to read and understand
# This is a comment. Comments help you understand your code later.
# Use them often to clarify what your code does.

print("Welcome to Python")

Your First Python Steps in Jupyter (Marburg)

In this course, we use Jupyter Notebooks provided by the University of Marburg.
They allow you to write, run, and document code interactively in your browser.

1️⃣ Open Jupyter (Marburg)

  1. Go to the Jupyter Marburg platform (via your course link).
  2. Create or open a new notebook.
  3. In the first cell, write your Python code.

2️⃣ Write Your First Program

In a new code cell, type the following:

# First Print Example
# This is my first Python program

print("Hello World")

Now press Shift + Enter
➡️ The code runs, and you should see:

Hello World

Congratulations! 🎉
You’ve just written and executed your first Python program.

🗒️ Writing Header Comments

Every homework assignment (Python script) should start with a short header comment before this, please use the following format at the top:

  • ❗include unitXX_assigment.py
  • 🔖 include your student ID number
  • and your full name

Below the header, each exercise or solution should begin with an additional short comment that briefly explains what the code does — this is highly recommended for good programming practice.

Example:

# unit01_assignment.py
# Student ID: 12345678
# Name: <Your Name>


# This script prints a simple greeting message as the first exercise solution.
print("Hello World")

💡 Always include such header comments at the top of every .py file you submit.

🧠 Try It Yourself – Using input()

To make your program interactive, you can ask the user for input.

# unit01_assignment.py
# Student ID: 12345678
# Name: <Your Name>

# Description: Simple program that greets the user by name.

name = input("Enter your name, please: ")
print("Hello,", name)
input("Press Enter to exit...")
print("Thanks!")

Run this code in Jupyter first,
then export it again as .py and try to run it locally from the console.

✅ Summary

  • In Jupyter Marburg, use code cells to experiment interactively.
  • Always start each program with a header comment (# Unit, Name, Date).
  • Use # to explain what your code does.
  • You can export your notebook as a .py file.
  • Local .py files can be executed using the command line with: 
    python filename.py

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