Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
192 lines (111 loc) · 5.24 KB

setup.rst

File metadata and controls

192 lines (111 loc) · 5.24 KB

Setup

UniversalPython can be used either online or locally on your computer. Choose the option that best fits your needs.

Online

You don’t need to install UniversalPython to try it out! Simply visit our online playground, where you can write and run UniversalPython code directly in your browser — no installation required.

Playground URL: https://universalpython.github.io/playground

Benefits

  • No setup or configuration needed.
  • Instantly try different human languages supported by UniversalPython.
  • Great for testing syntax or quick demos.

Limitations

The online playground is designed for experimentation and has a few limitations:

  • Limited execution time and memory.
  • Restricted access to system commands and file operations.
  • No ability to install additional Python packages.
  • Temporary workspace (your code isn’t saved permanently).

For full functionality, install UniversalPython locally on your computer.

On Your Computer

If you want to use UniversalPython for real projects or contribute to language packs, install it locally.

Follow these steps carefully — this guide assumes no prior Python experience.

1. Install Visual Studio Code (Code Editor)

  1. Navigate to Visual Studio Code download page https://code.visualstudio.com/Download

_static\Visual_Studio_Code_Downloads_Page.png

  1. Download the installer that matches your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
  2. Once the installer is downloaded, open it to start the installation process
  3. After installation, open Visual Studio Code

2. Install Python 3.14 or newer

Download and install Python from the official website:

_static\Python_Downloads_Page.png

During installation:

  • Check the box that says "Add Python to PATH".
  • On Windows, use PowerShell or Command Prompt to run commands.
  • On macOS or Linux, use Terminal.

Once installed, verify Python is available by running:

python --version

You should see something like:

Python 3.14.0

3. Verify pip is installed

pip is Python’s package manager. It should be included with modern Python installations.

Check that it’s working by running:

pip --version

If you see a version number (e.g., pip 25.0), you’re good to go. If not, refer to the Python documentation on installing pip:

3. Install UniversalPython

Once Python and pip are ready, install UniversalPython by running:

pip install universalpython

This will automatically download and install the latest version.

4. Verify installation

After installation completes, test that UniversalPython is working:

universalpython --help

If you see the UniversalPython help menu, you’re ready to start coding!

Using UniversalPython in Visual Studio Code

  1. Create a new folder

  2. Open the folder in Visual Studio Code

    • Open Visual Studio Code

    • From menu bar go to File and select Open Folder...

      _static\Visual_Studio_Code_File_Open_Folder.png

    • Select the folder you created

    • Create a new file with this format: <file_name>.<language_code>.py

      _static\Visual_Studio_Code_New_File.png _static\Visual_Studio_Code_New_File_Name.png

    • Write some code

      _static\Visual_Studio_Code_New_File_Code.png

    • To execute the code, open the terminal and run this command: python <file_name>.<language_code>.py

      _static\Visual_Studio_Code_Terminal.png _static\Visual_Studio_Code_New_Terminal.png _static\Visual_Studio_Code_Execute_In_Terminal.png _static\Visual_Studio_Code_Execute_In_Terminal_Output.png

Using UniversalPython in Jupyter Notebook

UniversalPython can also be used inside Jupyter Notebook for an interactive, notebook-based experience.

We provide an official Jupyter kernel that enables you to write and execute UniversalPython code directly in a notebook.

Repository: https://github.com/UniversalPython/universalpython_kernel

Installation Steps

  1. Install Jupyter if you haven’t already:

    pip install jupyterlab

  2. Install the UniversalPython Jupyter kernel:

    pip install universalpython_kernel

  3. Register the kernel with Jupyter:

    python -m universalpython_kernel.install

  4. Launch JupyterLab:

    jupyter lab

Once open, you’ll be able to select UniversalPython as a kernel when creating a new notebook.