Supercharge Your Data Projects with Google Colab

Your Gateway to Effortless Setup and Powerful Tools for Python and Data Science Project

Shreya Singh
Towards Data Engineering
2 min readJun 6, 2023

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A Screenshot of Google Colab

In the world of Python programming and data science, having a robust development environment is crucial.

Enter Google Colab, a cloud-based platform that offers a seamless setup and a host of powerful tools for Python and data science projects. Setting up a Google Colab for Python or data science projects is relatively straightforward.

I’ve used Google Colab extensively during my Masters wherein I specialized in data science.

In this article, we’ll go over the steps to set up and leverage Google Colab for exciting data-driven projects.

So, let’s begin!

1. Open Google Colab
Go to the Google Colab website and sign in with your Google account.

2. Create a new notebook
Click on New Notebook to create a new Python notebook.

3. Choose a runtime
In the top menu, go to Runtime and select Change runtime type. Choose the desired Python version and hardware accelerator (e.g., GPU) if needed.

4. Write and run code
In the notebook, you can write Python code in code cells. To execute the code, either click the Play button on the left side of the cell or use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Enter.

5. Install libraries
If your project requires additional Python libraries, you can install them using pip or other package managers directly in a code cell using the !pip install command.

6. Upload and access data
You can upload datasets or files to your Colab environment. Use the Upload button in the sidebar to upload files, and then access them in your code using file paths.

7. Save and load notebooks
Your Colab notebooks are automatically saved in Google Drive. You can also download notebooks or save them to GitHub or Google Drive for version control.

8. Collaborate and share
Google Colab allows for real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same notebook simultaneously. You can also share your notebooks with others by providing them with the notebook’s URL.

That’s it! With these steps, you can set up and start working on Python or data science projects using Google Colab. Remember to save your work regularly and take advantage of the powerful features and resources provided by the platform.

If you like this story, you’d also like my other stories on data science. Feel free to check them out and leave a feedback or comment: https://medium.com/@jscvcds

Disclosure: I have used AI to make this article more helpful, but the thoughts and viewpoints are my own.

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Shreya Singh
Towards Data Engineering

Software developer w/ specialization in data science | passion for food, finance, travel cooking. https://riavel.wixsite.com/shreya-singh