Starting IPython

Once installed, start IPython by typing:

$ ipython
IPython 8.18.1 -- An enhanced Interactive Python
Type 'copyright', 'credits' or 'license' for more information
IPython -- Productive Interactive Computing

In [1]:

You're now in the IPython shell! Type Python code and press Enter to execute it.

Basic Python Code

IPython works like standard Python, but with enhanced features:

In [1]: x = 10

In [2]: y = 20

In [3]: x + y
Out[3]: 30

In [4]: name = "IPython"

In [5]: f"Hello, {name}"
Out[5]: 'Hello, IPython!'

Tab Completion

Press Tab to complete code. This works for:

• Object attributes: import numpy; numpy.[TAB]
• Function parameters: open([TAB]
• Filenames: open('/path/to/[TAB]

Explore Objects with ? and ??

View help and source code instantly:

In [1]: import numpy

In [2]: numpy.array?
Type:      type
String form: <class 'numpy.ndarray'>
Docstring:
ndarray(shape, dtype=float, buffer=None, offset=0,
        strides=None, order=None)

Magic Commands

IPython special commands starting with % or %%:

Shell Integration

Execute shell commands directly with !:

In [1]: !ls

In [2]: files = !find . -name "*.py"

In [3]: len(files)
Out[3]: 42

Capture command output directly into Python variables!

Next Steps

• Explore the Features page for more advanced capabilities
• Read the official documentation
• Try interactive notebooks with Jupyter
• Get help on the Community page