Jupyter Notebooks

Interactive environments for writing and executing Python code.

Developing Python with Notebooks

Jupyter notebooks provide an interactive environment where you can write Python code, execute it cell by cell, visualize outputs, and document your work using Markdown.

The most common notebook environments are:

• Jupyter Notebook
• JupyterLab (Recommended)
• Google Colab
• VS Code Notebooks

Jupyter Notebook

The classic notebook interface, ideal for learning and experimentation.

Install

pip install notebook

Start

jupyter notebook

This opens a browser where you can create and run .ipynb notebook files.

Best for

• Learning Python
• Practice programs
• Small experiments

JupyterLab ⭐

JupyterLab is the modern version of Jupyter Notebook with a richer interface.

Install

pip install jupyterlab

Start

jupyter lab

JupyterLab includes:

• File Explorer
• Multiple notebooks
• Terminal
• Text editor
• Output console

Best for

• Daily Python development
• Data Science
• AI and Machine Learning

Google Colab

Google Colab is a cloud-based Jupyter Notebook that runs entirely in your browser.

Website

https://colab.research.google.com

Create a notebook from File → New Notebook.

You can also open a new notebook instantly by visiting:

https://colab.new

Install packages for the current session:

%pip install pandas

Advantages

• No installation required
• Accessible from anywhere
• Easy notebook sharing
• Free GPU/TPU (limited)

VS Code Notebooks

Visual Studio Code can create and run Jupyter notebooks alongside Python projects.

Install

Install the following VS Code extensions:

• Python
• Jupyter

Install notebook support:

pip install notebook ipykernel

Create a notebook by selecting:

File → New File → notebook.ipynb

or open the Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P) and search for:

Jupyter: Create New Jupyter Notebook

Running Commands in Notebooks

Python

print("Hello, World!")

Install Packages

%pip install pandas

Using %pip is recommended because it installs packages into the active notebook environment.

Shell Commands

!python --version
!git status

The ! prefix runs operating system commands directly from the notebook.

Package Management

Install multiple packages:

pip install numpy pandas matplotlib

Upgrade a package:

pip install --upgrade pandas

View installed packages:

pip list

Save dependencies:

pip freeze > requirements.txt

Install from a requirements file:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Useful Notebook Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Shift + Enter	Run current cell
Ctrl + Enter	Run and stay in current cell
Alt + Enter	Run and create a new cell
Esc	Command mode
Enter	Edit mode
A	Insert cell above
B	Insert cell below
D D	Delete current cell
M	Convert to Markdown
Y	Convert to Code
Ctrl + S	Save notebook

Which One Should You Use?

Tool	Best For
Jupyter Notebook	Learning and practice
JupyterLab	Daily notebook development ⭐
Google Colab	Cloud-based AI and ML
VS Code Notebook	Professional Python development