Practical Skills in Computational Biology

Structure of the course

• Part 1 (April 13 - 27): Python intro. Material/instructions in python-intro folder.
• Part 2 (April 28 – June 1): Analysis of high-throughput sequencing data. Material/instructions in htseq folder.
• Part 3 (June 2 – July 7): Analysis of bioimaging data. Material/instructions in bioimaging folder.

Install Git (one-time setup)

You need Git for this course.

Check whether Git is already installed:

git --version

If this prints a version number, you are ready.

macOS

Option A (recommended): install Xcode Command Line Tools:

xcode-select --install

Option B: install with Homebrew (if you already use Homebrew):

brew install git

Windows

Install Git for Windows:

• https://git-scm.com/download/win

Then open a new Git Bash or PowerShell window and run:

git --version

Linux

Use your distribution package manager:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Fedora:

sudo dnf install git

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S git

After installation, verify again:

git --version

Create a GitHub account (one-time setup)

GitHub is a website where you can store and share your code repositories online.

Why this is useful in this course

• Keep your own work backed up online.
• Track your progress over time with commits.
• Share your code with instructors or collaborators when needed.

How to create an account

1. Go to https://github.com/signup.
2. Enter your email address and create a password.
3. Choose a username (this will be visible to others).
4. Verify your email when GitHub sends the confirmation message.
5. Sign in at https://github.com.

Optional but recommended for students:

• Use a recognizable username (or add your real name in profile settings).
• Add a profile picture so collaborators can identify you.