# About setting up a computer for programming and computing

Setting up a computer for programming involves various tools and methods. Software can be
categorized into:

1. Graphical applications (e.g., VSCode, Spyder),
2. Command-line applications (e.g., interpreters, compilers),
3. Libraries.

Installation can be done in different ways:

- Using installers or package managers,
- As administrator or regular user,
- System-wide or in isolated environments.

Windows presents challenges for scientific computing. Microsoft's solution, Windows
Subsystem for Linux (WSL), involves installing Linux within Windows, adding complexity.

So how should you choose how to install software? Trust reliable sources:

- Open-source communities (Linux distributions, programming languages, packaging
  projects),
- Established companies (Microsoft with VSCode, Astral with UV, Prefix.dev with Pixi).

Let's begin! Simply follow the instructions in the upcoming pages in the order presented.