# Getting Started

## 1. Read Course Information Pages

{% content-ref url="/pages/-Lu9\_2GknJpEjD9Msryg" %}
[Introduction](/master.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/kygfk9OXTyLTFmFPhuu3" %}
[SP26 Syllabus](/sp26-syllabus.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## 2. Apply to the course

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MFaoTGXWzZTcnjt9gqj" %}
[Apply to Take the Course](/apply-to-take-the-course.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## 3. Enroll on Student Center

Like all other courses, you must enroll yourself on Student Center before the add deadline. For your convenience, our course code is **16289**. This is not the permission number--this is just the code you use to find our course on Student Center.

## 4. Add Ed Discussion 

We use Ed to manage classroom communications and answering student questions. The course Ed discussion is linked on the left sidebar underneath `Getting Started.`

Join the Ed here: <https://edstem.org/us/join/jw7GCq>

{% hint style="danger" %}
Even if you do not anticipate asking questions, Ed will be the main method of communication between students and course staff, so take advantage of it!
{% endhint %}

## 5. Install & Get Acquainted with Recommended Tools

Completing assignments will rely heavily on three tools: Python, a text editor, Postman, and the command line.&#x20;

### Install Python

Before you do anything, make sure that you have Python 3.9.12 installed. The reason is that our course runs testing scripts that use 3.9+ features.

{% embed url="<https://www.python.org/downloads/>" %}

Check your Python versions to make sure you'll be using the right one. Notice that if you have both Python2 and Python3, you may have to use `python3` when you're running it as a command so that your computer knows only to use version 3.

```
$ python --version
Python 2.7.15

$ python -V
Python 2.7.15

$ python3 --version
Python 3.9.12

$ python3 -V
Python 3.9.12
```

### Install a Text Editor

{% embed url="<https://code.visualstudio.com/download>" %}

### Install Postman

{% content-ref url="/pages/-Lw\_IsDUKu2sa6KDel87" %}
[Postman](/cheat-sheets/postman.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

### Know Command Line Basics

{% content-ref url="/pages/-Lw\_J5gEPWGYjX\_aBA5n" %}
[Command Line](/cheat-sheets/command-line.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## 6. Prepare for Chapter 1

Our first lecture will introduce you to how computers communicate over the web and our demo will introduce you to the `Flask` python package which we will use throughout the course. We recommend watching a previous semester's lecture recording or reading the textbook chapter before coming to lecture.

{% content-ref url="/pages/-Lu9\_81li-lENzx-dZaE" %}
[1. Routes](/chapters/routes.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

####


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

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Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://backend-course.cornellappdev.com/getting-started.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.