Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create a simple Python file and run the classic `import this` command to reveal _The Zen of Python... 19 guiding principles for writing better code.
👨💻 Steps:
1. Open Terminal (on Mac) and make sure Python is installed
2. Enter python3 --version to check for Python
3. Create a blank text file called `zen.py`
4. Right-click on text file and select Open with IDLE (Python’s built-in editor)
5. Type `import this`
6. Select 'Run...Run Module (F5))'
The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters
1. Beautiful is better than ugly.
2. Explicit is better than implicit.
3. Simple is better than complex.
4. Complex is better than complicated.
5. Flat is better than nested.
6. Sparse is better than dense.
7. Readability counts.
8. Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules.
9. Although practicality beats purity.
10. Errors should never pass silently.
11. Unless explicitly silenced.
12. In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
13. There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it.
14. Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch.
15. Now is better than never.
16. Although never is often better than *right* now.
17. If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea.
18. If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
19. Namespaces are one honking great idea -- let's do more of those!
In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create a simple Python file and run the classic `import this` command to reveal _The Zen of Python... 19 guiding principles for writing better code.
👨💻 Steps:
1. Open Terminal (on Mac) and make sure Python is installed
2. Enter python3 --version to check for Python
3. Create a blank text file called `zen.py`
4. Right-click on text file and select Open with IDLE (Python’s built-in editor)
5. Type `import this`
6. Select 'Run...Run Module (F5))'
The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters
1. Beautiful is better than ugly.
2. Explicit is better than implicit.
3. Simple is better than complex.
4. Complex is better than complicated.
5. Flat is better than nested.
6. Sparse is better than dense.
7. Readability counts.
8. Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules.
9. Although practicality beats purity.
10. Errors should never pass silently.
11. Unless explicitly silenced.
12. In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
13. There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it.
14. Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch.
15. Now is better than never.
16. Although never is often better than *right* now.
17. If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea.
18. If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
19. Namespaces are one honking great idea -- let's do more of those!
