Setting up Nuvolos

How to set up Nuvolos for the practice assignments or for when you need to run code on a remote machine.

What is Nuvolos?

Nuvolos is a cloud-based platform that offers an interface for accessing the terminal and writing and running Python scripts directly from your browser – no installation required.

Why use this platform?

1. To practice the Terminal & Python commands without having to install anything on your computer.

2. When you need to run a piece of code that will take a long time to execute, you can run it on Nuvolos and continue working on your computer.

3. If your computer cannot run the software required for a specific task, you can use Nuvolos to run it.

💡 Tip: I will explain Nuvolos on the first lecture but you you can start using Nuvolos from day 1 of the course, if you want.

👉 Eventually, you will want to run code directly from your computer, especially to practice working with Git/GitHub. However, Nuvolos will be helpful in the first few weeks of this course for two reasons: 1) You can make progress with the teaching material even if you haven’t fully set up your computer yet, and 2) It helps you learn how to work on a remote machine, a skill that can come in handy if you ever need to run big data tools and algorithms.

Accessing Nuvolos

Simply go to the Nuvolos website and log in using your LSE email address. If you have already created an account, you can log in using your credentials.

First Access? You need an invitation link first!

The invitation link will not appear here on the public website. Instead, you will find it on Slack or on Moodle.

1. Locate the invitation link on Slack or Moodle:

Slack:

• Go to Slack and find the #announcements channel.
• You will find useful links under the “Welcome to DS105A” tab:

Figure 1. List of links on Slack where you can find the invitation link.

Moodle:

• Go to our course page on Moodle and locate the Nuvolos button.

Figure 2. Nuvolos Button on Moodle.

2. Click on the invitation link. When asked, create an account using your LSE email address. You will receive a confirmation email to activate your account.

3. Access the platform. After logging in, you will be able to access the platform. You will see a screen similar to the one below:

   

   Figure 3. Your Nuvolos frontpage will have a ‘Space’ dedicated to this course.

4. Click on the ‘DS105A-2024’ words to access the Overview page.

   

   Figure 4. The Overview page has a list of all available assignments (if any) at the top and a bit of information about how to use the platform.

Using Nuvolos

Navigate the files

Click on the ‘Files’ tab to see the files and folders available to you. You can create new files and folders, upload files, and download files.

💡 Tip: The 📝 W01 Formative Exercise will guide you through navigating the file system via the Terminal.

Run applications like the Terminal or VS Code

Visit the ‘Applications’ tab to see the available apps. You should see the Terminal app enabled by default and eventually other apps like VS Code.

Figure 5. The Applications tab shows the available applications.

💡 Tip: Although the 📝 W01 Formative Exercise assumes you are using the Terminal on your computer, feel free to use the Nuvolos Terminal.

Run Python

Nuvolos already comes with Python installed and pre-configured. Simply open the Terminal or the VS Code app and type python to start the Python interpreter.

💡 Tip: The 📝 W02 Formative Exercise will guide you through running Python scripts on Nuvolos.

Run Jupyter Notebooks

We will run Jupyter Notebooks exclusively via the VS Code application - whether on Nuvolos or on your computer.

💡 Tip: The 📝 W03 Formative Exercise will guide you through running Jupyter Notebooks on Nuvolos.

Submitting Assignments

When an assignment is available, the instructions will tell you that you need to create or modify files in specific folders. Follow the instructions of the assignment guide to complete the work then follow the steps below to submit your work.

👉 The first assignment that explicitly requires a submission is the 📝 W02 Formative Exercise.

When it is time to submit your work, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Assignments Tab. There you will find the list of assignments available.

   For example, if you are working on the 📝 W02 Formative Exercise, locate the assignment named ‘📝 W02 Formative Exercise’ and click on the ‘Hand-In’ Button

   

   Figure 6. In the assignments page, you will find the ‘Hand-In’ button

2. Hand-in the submission. You will see a list of all the files you changed or created which are related to the assignment.

   You will also be asked to type an identifier. Use your LSE candidate number as the identifier.

   

   Figure 7. You will be asked to type an identifier. Please add your LSE candidate number.

3. Re-submit whenever you want. If you need to make changes to your submission, you can hand it in again. Only the last submission will be the one considered for feedback.