GitHub is home to millions of open-source Python projects. Whether you’re exploring a new machine learning model, a web app, or a utility script, downloading and running Python code from GitHub is a great way to learn and contribute.
In this blog post, you’ll learn how to run a Python script from a GitHub repository step by step — even if you’re new to Python or GitHub.
🛠️ Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
✅ Python installed
✅ Git installed
✅ Access to a terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Terminal)
✅ (Optional) A virtual environment tool like venv or conda
You can check your versions with:
python --version
git --version
✅ Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Find the GitHub Repository
Go to https://github.com and search for the Python project you want to run.
Example: https://github.com/username/project-name
Step 2: Clone the Repository
Use Git to download the project to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/username/project-name.git
Replace the URL with the actual repo URL. This creates a folder with the project files.
Step 3: Navigate to the Project Directory
cd project-name
This puts you inside the cloned repo where the Python code lives.
Step 4: (Optional) Set Up a Virtual Environment
To avoid dependency conflicts, it’s best to use a virtual environment:
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On macOS/Linux
venv\Scripts\activate # On Windows
Step 5: Install Dependencies
Many projects list required packages in a requirements.txt file. Install them with:
pip install -r requirements.txt
If there’s no such file, check the README or documentation for dependencies.
Step 6: Run the Python Code
Look for the main Python script — often named something like main.py, app.py, or run.py.
Run it with:
python main.py
Or if the script is in a subfolder:
python folder/script.py
🚨 Common Errors and How to Fix Them
- ModuleNotFoundError: You missed installing a required package. Double-check
requirements.txt. - Permission denied / Access errors: Try running with administrative privileges or check file permissions.
- Python not recognized: Make sure Python is added to your system’s PATH.
📦 Bonus: Run Code Without Git (Using Download ZIP)
If you don’t want to use Git:
- Go to the repo page.
- Click the green “Code” button.
- Choose “Download ZIP”.
- Unzip the folder and follow Steps 3–6 above.
✅ Summary
| Task | Command or Action |
|---|---|
| Clone repo | git clone https://github.com/user/repo |
| Navigate to project | cd repo |
| Create virtual environment | python -m venv venv |
| Activate environment | source venv/bin/activate or venv\Scripts\activate |
| Install dependencies | pip install -r requirements.txt |
| Run the script | python script.py |
🚀 Final Thoughts
Running Python code from GitHub is easier than it seems — and it opens the door to exploring, learning from, and contributing to real-world projects. Once you’re comfortable, you can even fork a repository and submit improvements via pull requests.
