▼Fall 2026:
Accelerated Introduction to Computer Science
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CSCI 0190 · Fall 2026

Software🔗

This course will expose you to multiple programming languages. Some we will only see in class, and you won’t be asked to program in; some you will see in lab, with a handout that guides you; some may show up in homeworks, and you will be given instructions along the way.

Pyret on the Web

Most of your work will be in Pyret. The simplest way to run Pyret is in the browser: code.pyret.org. You can sign in to save programs on the cloud, or just program without logging in.

Pyret on Your Machine

There may be some homeworks where we want you to run Pyret on your desktop, because it runs a lot faster than on the Web.The reason for this is not Pyret per se, but rather the architecture of JavaScript. The simplest way to do this is to install Visual Studio Code (VSC). In it, you can install Pyret in one of two ways, depending on how your system is configured:

  • You may be able to just visit this URL and click on "Install".

  • If that doesn’t work, go to the VSC Extension Marketplace. In there, search for “Pyret Interactive Editor for VSCode”. You should see the Pyret logo. To be safe, click on it, click on the Manage icon (looks like a little gear wheel), and Copy Extension ID; it should read PyretProgrammingLanguage.pyret-parley. Install it.

In either case, when you open a file named .arr, you should get Pyret. If that doesn’t happen, hit the three-dots at the top right and choose Open Editor With… to choose Pyret. If this still doesn’t work, get in touch!

Pyret on Your Machine, Faster

If you feel adventurous, install Pyret from npm. This runs purely on the command line, and will be much faster than either of the above two versions. Unfortunately, it’s hard to support everyone trying to do this; so feel free to give a try and come for help, but not every staff member can assist you and if the lines are long, we’re going to focus on course material-related issues instead, sorry!

Pyret with AI

Some homeworks allow you to use AI tools. Brown provides you with access to Google’s Gemini; using it with your Brown account gives you some data protections and the cost is covered.

However, raw Gemini is not a good way to obtain code. Therefore, Prof. Fisler has created a Gemini “gem” that has been trained to provide Pyret code that is consistent with the course’s policies. You can access it using this link.

If you have any questions, or run into any problems, ask!

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