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🛠️ Technical Tools and Programming Fundamentals

Overview

This section covers essential technical skills and tools needed for modern archaeological research, from basic programming concepts to specialized software applications.

Core Technical Skills

System Requirements

You should be fine as long as your computer can stay on, but here are the specific requirements:

Processor: Modern multi-core processor (Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent)

RAM: 8GB minimum

Storage: At least 50GB free space (for tools, IDEs, and development environments)

Graphics: Basic integrated graphics (found in most current computers)

Essential Tools

Core Setup

Follow the links above to navigate to the required installation processes.

  1. Install Visual Studio Code
  2. Install Git
  3. Install Python
  4. Install Anaconda

GitHub Basics

What is Github?

Github

  • GitHub is a cloud-based platform where you can store, share, and work together with others to write code.

Storing your code in a "repository" on GitHub allows you to:

  • Showcase or share your work.

  • Track and manage changes to your code over time.

  • Let others review your code, and make suggestions to improve it.

  • Collaborate on a shared project, without worrying that your changes will impact the work of your collaborators before you're ready to integrate them. - Github Docs

Feel free to go ahead and create a github account it is free to create and can be a doorway to learning more about code.

Github Sign Up

With the rise of AI and github copilot it is the perfect time to teach yourself to code, If you dont understand something or get stuck rely on an AI model to explain the basics to you. 😼

It is important to have a basic understanding of multiple tools so that communication with colleagues and peers can be concise and you can remain informed

Technical Writing

What is Technical documentation

  • Well, this is an example of technical documetation! Not all things surronding the field of programming and technology requires a deep understanding of computer science. If you have the ability to write critically and document your processes you can be a great asset to technical teams. This documentation was written using Markdown which is pretty basic, matter of fact this is what it looks like: 

## This Is Markdown 

### This is a Heading 

Now I can see how this could be complicated but its not.

- now I am in a bullet point 

*This is how you Italicize*

and these are emojis: :cookie: :jar:

>Very Interesting Huh
and it will end up looking like this:

This Is Markdown

This is a Heading

Now I can see how this could be complicated, but its not.

  • now I am in a bullet point

This is how you Italicize

and these are emojis: 🍪 🫙

Very Interesting Huh

Practical Exercises

Examples OF Hands-on Tutorials

  1. Setting up your development environment
  2. Creating a Github account
  3. Setting up a Database

Project Examples

  • Technical Documentation template
  • Sample archaeological artifact database
  • Working with Jupyter Notebooks to analyze datasets
  • GIS project with Qgis (plotting found artifacts)

Next Steps

After completing this section, you should:

  1. Be comfortable with basic technical tools
  2. Understand fundamental programming Ideas
  3. Be able to set up and manage an environment
  4. Have practical experience with a software tool

Continue to the next section: Domain-Specific Applications