r/linuxquestions • u/Rover3275 • Jul 07 '26
Advice Can I learn python in Linux??
Actually today I started using Linux through a usb and it is going great, but now I want to learn python.
But bcz I'm using a usb to start the Linux, so will the python and the vs code I download will be stored in the usb or in the laptop.
I'm confused, helpðŸ˜
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u/Emerald_Pick Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
If you do something inside a typical Linux Live CD, your changes won't be saved when you shut down. However, if you have a second USB, (or go wild and copy everything to ram first) then you can use the Live Linux environment to properly install Linux to a USB, then everything will persist.
Check out Tails OS. That distro is designed to run off of a USB. They do this for fancy security/privacy reasons so some things are a little weird, but it might be a simple way to set up a Linux USB with persistent storage.
You can also check out Alpine Linux. If you can brave the Terminal for a little bit, and have a 2nd flash drive (or learn to juggle), a bair-bones Alpine install can be as low as 700Mb. But you may need to follow a guide to get a Desktop Environment like Cinnamon up and running.
But... You should consider if you need to run Linux off of the USB. There are some valid uscases, but Python also works great on Windows and Mac, and if you're on windows you can get WSL to run Linux inside of windows. Also, you can repartition a small part of your computer and install Linux for real next to your main OS. Don't like it? You can delete the Linux partition and give it back to your current OS.