DEAP is a Python library of functions and structures for evolutionary computation. Online documentation is imperfect but helpful. You can find it here: DEAP Documentation
The Department of Computer Science operates a computer lab for students in CS courses in Wing Technology Center 16. The computers in that room are setup with the tools you need for the programming assignments in CS 224. You may also take your laptop if you prefer.
Regular lab hours will begin soon after the start of Spring semester. The hours are to be determined.
Python is open source and freely available. If you use a Mac, then you probably already have Python. To determine if Python is installed on your computer, open a terminal window (Mac) or command line (Windows) and type the command: python
If python is installed, this will launch the Python interpreter, tell you the Python version running, and provide the Python command prompt. To quit, type: exit()
If you do not already have Python, whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux, you can
download Python 2.7.15 from python.org.
There are many tools that will allow you to edit Python code. While you are welcome to use any of them on your computer, I recommend PyCharm. PyCharm is a full-featured Development Environment (IDE). There are two versions of PyCharm: Community and Professional. The Community version is free. The Professional version requires a license. Students are eligible for a free one-year license. PyCharm can be downloaded from the developer, JetBrains. Be sure to choose your operating system if it is not auto-selected for you. Installation is painless.