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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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US Army Corps of EngineersInstitute for Water Resources, Risk Management Center
Developer Resources

RMC Python Quick Start Guide

Purpose​

This guide helps developers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Risk Management Center (RMC) set up a Python development environment from scratch. By the end of this guide, you will have:

  • Python installed and configured
  • Git and GitHub Desktop installed for version control
  • Visual Studio Code (VS Code) set up as your code editor
  • A Python virtual environment configured for project work
  • Python packages installed and managed with pip
  • Jupyter notebooks running inside VS Code

Who This Guide Is For​

This guide is designed for:

  • RMC developers setting up a Python environment for the first time
  • Engineers and scientists who need Python for data analysis, scripting, or tool development
  • Anyone at USACE who needs a reliable Python development setup on a government computer

Some Python experience is assumed. This guide focuses on environment setup and tooling, not on learning the Python language itself.

USACE vs. Non-USACE Computers​

Throughout this guide, instructions are split into two tracks where they differ:

  • USACE computers — Government-issued machines with restricted administrative privileges. Software installation is typically handled through the USACE App Portal, and users cannot run standard installers or modify system-level settings.
  • Non-USACE computers — Personal or non-government machines where you have administrative privileges and can install software freely.

Where the instructions are the same for both, they are presented once. Where they differ, tabbed sections clearly separate the two paths.

How This Guide Is Organized​

Setup​

  1. Installing Python — Install Python on your machine and configure it for use
  2. Installing Git and GitHub Desktop — Set up version control tools
  3. Installing and Navigating VS Code — Install VS Code and learn the interface

Python Development​

  1. Virtual Environments — Create isolated Python environments for your projects
  2. Installing Python Packages — Use pip to install and manage dependencies

Working with Code​

  1. Jupyter Notebooks in VS Code — Set up and use Jupyter notebooks for interactive development

Reference​

  1. Troubleshooting — Solutions to common setup and configuration issues

Ready to Begin?​

Start with Installing Python to set up the foundation of your development environment.

Proceed through the guide sequentially — each section builds on the previous one.

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