Installation for beginners

Welcome to Ionique!

This tutorial is designed for non-coding users. If you have used Python and GitHub before, please proceed with the README.md instructions.

Before diving into data analysis, let’s first install Python, GitHub, and Jupyter Notebook.

Step 1: Install Python

Download the package from Python Downloads.

Choose the appropriate OS system for your machine. Then, scroll down to pick Python version 3.10 or later up to 3.12.

After Python has been successfully installed, we can go over some basic terminal commands.

Linux Users:

  • In the search window, type “shell” or use the hotkey Ctrl-Alt-T.

MacOS Users:

  • In the search window, type “Terminal”.

Windows Users:

  • In the search window, type “Terminal”.

To check the installation, type:

python -V

Some versions of Python may require the following command:

python3 -V

Step 2: GitHub

First, you need to create an account by following the instructions on GitHub.

Now, open the repository link: Ionique Repository, click on the green “Code” button, and download the ZIP file. Unzip it.

Move the folder to the desired location on your computer.

Step 3: Moving Between Folders in the Terminal

You can find a short list of basic commands here: Linux vs Windows Commands.

Check your current location using:

  • pwd (Unix, Linux, Mac)

  • cd (Windows)

To list items in the current directory:

  • ls (Unix, Linux, Mac)

  • chdir (Windows)

The most important command for this tutorial is cd, which stands for “change directory.” To move around folders in the terminal, type:

cd directory_name

Find the ionique folder and move inside it.

Step 4: Virtual Environment

A virtual environment is an encapsulated workspace on your computer that allows you to install software packages for a project. It helps to keep the versions of different packages within a project completely separate from other projects.

To learn more about virtual environments, visit Python Virtual Environments.

Let’s create your first virtual environment!

Run the following command:

python -m venv ionique_env

Then, activate it:

source ionique_env/bin/activate   # Linux/MacOS
ionique_env\Scripts\activate.bat  # Windows

Now, install the Ionique requirements:

pip install .

If your OS and Python version require the ``python3`` command, use ``pip3`` instead.

Next, install JupyterLab:

pip install jupyterlab

Step 5: Run the Notebooks

Copy the notebook you want to run into the data folder. (You don’t need to use the terminal for this step.)

Now, return to the terminal window and navigate to the folder where the copied notebook is stored.

Then, run:

jupyter lab

You are now ready to work on data analysis!

Step 6: Finish Workflow

Once you are done with the analysis, go back to the terminal and press Ctrl + C.

Then, type:

deactivate

to deactivate the virtual environment.

Note: Starting from Step 5, the procedure will be identical each time you want to run Ionique.

Happy using Ionique!