Python Basics

Why python?

• (Relatively) easy to learn

• Lots of libraries (ready to use program snippets)

• Large userbase, so lots of books, articles, knowledge all around the world

• Financial program compatibility: Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation (IBKR TWS) / MetaTrader 5 (MT5) for example

Why not python?

• (Relatively) slow compared to C++ / Rust / C# / Go / etc.

• If the platform supports another language

  • TradingView > PineScript

  • TrendSpider > JavaScript

  • MultiCharts > .Net / EasyLanguage (Python on its way)

  • TradeStation > EasyLanguage

Installation (Windows)

• (Method 1) Go to https://www.python.org/ > Downloads > Download for Windows

  

  • Next > next > next … finish

  • windows + r > cmd > python

• (Method 2) If python is not installed, then you may install from microsoft store starting from this step: windows + r > cmd > python

Using python from the web

There are lots of ‘online python compilers’, which you may search google for online python compilers, some of which are:

• https://www.online-python.com/

• https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_compiler.asp

• https://www.tutorialspoint.com/compilers/online-python-compiler.htm

• https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/online-compiler/

• https://www.onlinegdb.com/online_python_compiler

Printing something to the console

• type

print('hi')

Congrats.. You are a python programmer

Using variables

• Now let’s have a variable (a virtual box that carries info), load the variable, print the variable

  • x (have the variable)

  • = (load the variable)

  • ‘hello’ (with some info)

• Text is covered between single or double quotes: ‘hello’ or “hello”

• We may also load numbers: integers (3, 5, 8) or decimals (3.4, 5.7, 2.0)

  x = 'hello'

• Now we can use x instead of ‘hello’

  print(x)