Software and Tools

Programming language

This course can be followed using the Python programming language.

Besides the programming language used to run code, jupyter notebooks have a text component using the Markdown language. It will be used extensively in your project reports, and you are encouraged to get more familiar with it. The Markdown cheatsheet is a good reference. Familiarity with LaTeX is also important, but mostly to write equations, which can be included in Markdown using LaTeX syntax.

JupyterHub

We will make extensive use of JupyterHub at UiO. JupyterHub is a cloud-based server for Jupyter notebooks and has all the packages and files necessary for AST4310. You need only to login with your UiO credentials, and don't need to install any software in your computer. More details on the use of JupyterHub will be given in the first week of classes.

Other options for running notebooks

It is also possible to run the Jupyter notebooks at the Institute's linux machines or on your own computer. Both options are not recommended and will not be supported - if you choose to do so, you will be on your own in case any problems with packages arise. For advanced users who understand the risks and nevertheless want to do a local install, see the boxes below.

Python installation for advanced users

The recommended way to install the necessary packages is through conda from the conda-forge channel. Installing through pip will most likely lead to problems, especially if you use Windows. You can install the necessary packages into a new conda environment using the environment.yml from the repository, using conda env create -f environment.yml.