Setup

Please complete these steps before the tutorial begins. If you run into trouble, find us before the session starts or post in the workshop chat.

ImportantPython Version

Please make sure you are using a version of Python BELOW 3.15

Any of Python 3.11.x, 3.12.x, 3.13.x, 3.14.x will be fine.

Check the GitHub Actions of the install tests on different python versions here: https://github.com/chendaniely/pycon-2026-shiny/actions/workflows/test-install.yml

Python Environment

Pick one of the following methods — they all produce the same result.

Here are the packages you’ll be installing:

requirements.txt
# core code examples
palmerpenguins
plotnine
shiny

# website rendering
ipykernel
jupyter
shinylive

# mybinder
jupyter-server-proxy

# AI slides (07-08)
anthropic
chatlas
openai
python-dotenv
querychat
shinychat

# extended Shiny UI
faicons
shinywidgets

# data & visualization
altair
pandas
plotly
ridgeplot
seaborn

# testing
playwright
pytest
pytest-playwright

python -m venv .venv

# macOS / Linux
source .venv/bin/activate

# Windows
.venv\Scripts\activate

pip install -r requirements.txt
conda create -n pycon2026 python=3.12
conda activate pycon2026
pip install -r requirements.txt
uv venv .venv

# macOS / Linux
source .venv/bin/activate

# Windows
.venv\Scripts\activate

uv pip install -r requirements.txt
pixi init .
pixi add python==3.12 pip
pixi run python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
pixi shell

Playwright Browser

Shiny app testing uses Playwright to drive a real browser. After installing the Python packages, install the Chromium browser that Playwright will use:

playwright install chromium

This downloads a Playwright-managed copy of Chromium (about 150 MB) — it won’t touch any browser you already have installed.

IDE

We recommend Positron, this is what the workshop will be using. VS Code works just as well.

Whichever you choose, install the Shiny extension (it works in both).

Note

We will not be using Jupyter Notebooks during this workshop.

Run in the Cloud

No local install needed — see the Cloud page for GitHub Codespaces, MyBinder, and Posit Cloud instructions.

Warning

It’s best to do a local installation of everything you need. The cloud experience will be slow, and some things may not work.

This is really provided as a backup.

AI / Chat Model

Local LLM via Ollama (optional, no account needed)

  1. Download and install Ollama
  2. Pull a model that fits your machine:
Model Download Size Install Command
qwen3:0.6b 523 MB ollama run qwen3:0.6b
phi4-mini-reasoning 3.2 GB ollama run phi4-mini-reasoning
qwen3 5.2 GB ollama run qwen3
devstral 14 GB ollama run devstral

Verify Your Installation

  1. Clone or download this repository: https://github.com/chendaniely/pycon-2026-shiny
  2. Activate your Python environment

Step 1 — check that all packages import correctly:

python test-install.py

You should see a ✓ next to every package and a final All good! message.

Step 2 — check that Shiny is working:

shiny run test-install.py

You should see:

INFO:     Started server process [...]
INFO:     Waiting for application startup.
INFO:     Application startup complete.
INFO:     Uvicorn running on http://127.0.0.1:8000 (Press CTRL+C to quit)

Open http://127.0.0.1:8000 in your browser and confirm the page loads.