This is a bonus chapter to give complementary information about the Python interpreter.

In the previous chapter, you have learned Python basics by typing code in the Output Log of UE. But you can do this directly in the Python Interpreter itself or in VS Code.

Table of contents

The Python Interpreter

Everything we did in Python Basics, you can also do it outside of Unreal, directly with the Python Interpreter.

If you installed Python 3 on your machine, just run it, otherwise, open python.exe provided with UE.

This will open the interpreter, and here it’s exactly the same as the Python (REPL) mode of Unreal.

<aside> ❔ You might need to install Windows Terminal to use that https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9N0DX20HK701

</aside>

However, here you can’t use unreal API:

This interpreter is super useful if you want to try stuff, or use it as a calculator.

Running Python in VS Code

You can also run python code directly from VS Code, without having to use UE or the Terminal like above. But in that case you can’t use unreal features, it’s just for vanilla Python.