Your First Python Program: Hello, World!

The Python Hello World program is the traditional first step for every new programmer. It does one simple thing, showing the words Hello, World! on the screen, but it proves that Python is installed, that you can write code, and that you can run it. In this lesson, you'll write it in the Python shell, save it in a file, and then go further with numbers, multiple lines and a fun mini project.

What is a Hello, World! program?

A Hello, World! program is the smallest program that produces visible output. Programmers have used it as a first example for decades, in almost every language. In Python, it's just one line:

print("Hello, World!")

Hello, World!

That line has three parts:

• print is a function: a named, ready-made action. This one displays things on the screen.
• The parentheses ( ) hold what you want to give the function.
• "Hello, World!" is a string: a piece of text. The quotes mark where the text starts and ends; they aren't printed.

How do you print Hello, World! in the Python shell?

The quickest way is the interactive shell you met in How to Install Python. Open a terminal, type python (Windows) or python3 (macOS and Linux), and at the >>> prompt type:

print("Hello, World!")

>>> print("Hello, World!")
Hello, World!

Press Enter and Python answers immediately. Congratulations, you just ran Python code! The downside is that the shell forgets everything when you close it. To keep a program, save it in a file.

How do you write Hello World in a Python file?

Real programs live in files that end in .py. Here's how to create and run your first one:

1. Create a folder for your practice code, for example python-practice on your Desktop.
2. Open your editor (such as VS Code or IDLE) and create a new file in that folder called hello.py.
3. Type the code below and save the file.

print("Hello, World!")

Now open a terminal and move into your folder with the cd ("change directory") command, then run the file:

cd Desktop/python-practice
python hello.py

Hello, World!

On macOS and Linux, type python3 hello.py. In VS Code, you can also click the ▷ Run button in the top-right corner, and in IDLE, press F5.

How do you print multiple lines?

Each print() starts a new line, so write one per line of output. Python runs them in order, top to bottom:

print("Good morning!")
print("Today's forecast: sunny")
print("High: 75°F / 24°C")

Good morning!
Today's forecast: sunny
High: 75°F / 24°C

An empty print() prints a blank line, which is useful for spacing:

print("Your order is ready.")
print()
print("Thanks for shopping with us!")

Your order is ready.

Thanks for shopping with us!

How do you print numbers and calculations?

Numbers don't need quotes. Python can even do math inside print() and show the answer:

print(42)
print(7 + 5)
print("7 + 5")
print(10 / 4)

42
12
7 + 5
2.5

Notice the difference between lines 2 and 3. Without quotes, 7 + 5 is a calculation, so Python prints 12. With quotes, it's just text, so Python prints it exactly as written.

You can print text and numbers together by separating them with commas. Python adds a space between each item:

print("Tickets:", 4)
print("Total cost:", 4 * 15, "dollars")

Tickets: 4
Total cost: 60 dollars

Common mistakes in your first program

Errors are a normal part of programming, not a sign you're doing badly. Python's error messages tell you what went wrong; learn to read them and you'll fix problems in seconds.

1. Missing a quote

print("Hello, World!)

SyntaxError: unterminated string literal (detected at line 1)

The text was opened with " but never closed. Every opening quote needs a matching closing quote.

2. Missing a parenthesis

print("Hello, World!"

SyntaxError: '(' was never closed

Brackets come in pairs. Add the closing ) at the end. (In the interactive shell, Python shows ... instead and waits for you to finish the line.)

3. Writing Print with a capital P

Print("Hello, World!")

NameError: name 'Print' is not defined. Did you mean: 'print'?

Python is case-sensitive: it treats uppercase and lowercase letters as different. The function is print, all lowercase.

4. Using Python 2 style

print "Hello, World!"

SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to 'print'. Did you mean print(...)?

Old Python 2 tutorials leave out the parentheses. In Python 3, print is a function, so the parentheses are required.

5. Forgetting the quotes completely

print(Welcome)

NameError: name 'Welcome' is not defined

Without quotes, Python thinks Welcome is the name of something you created earlier. Text always needs quotes.

Mini project: print a greeting card

Let's combine everything into something you could actually send to a friend. This program prints a birthday card using several print() lines, blank lines for spacing, and a neat trick: "=" * 30 repeats the = character 30 times to draw a border.

print("=" * 30)
print("   Happy Birthday, Jordan!")
print("=" * 30)
print()
print("  Wishing you a year full of")
print("  laughter, adventure and cake.")
print()
print("  Love,")
print("  Priya")
print("=" * 30)

==============================
   Happy Birthday, Jordan!
==============================

  Wishing you a year full of
  laughter, adventure and cake.

  Love,
  Priya
==============================

Change the names and the message to make it your own. Try a thank-you card or a holiday card next.

Practice exercise

print("*** MOVIE TICKET ***")
print("Film: Space Pirates")
print("Seat: Row F, Seat 12")
print("Price:", 2 * 11, "dollars")

*** MOVIE TICKET ***
Film: Space Pirates
Seat: Row F, Seat 12
Price: 22 dollars

What's next?

You've written and run your first Python program. But what actually happens when you press Enter? Find out in How Python Runs Your Code.