DEV Community: Otitoju Mercy

The Language that Powers the Modern World: Python.

Otitoju Mercy — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 09:20:56 +0000

Python: The Language That Powers the Modern World

Otitoju Mercy ・ Nov 26

#programming #beginners #python #machinelearning

Python: The Language That Powers the Modern World

Otitoju Mercy — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:21:36 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered how Instagram keeps running smoothly, how Netflix knows exactly what movie you’ll enjoy next, or how AI tools like ChatGPT can understand and respond to you — the secret ingredient behind many of these is often Python.

Python has become one of the most loved programming languages in the world. From beginners writing their very first “Hello World” to tech giants building billion-dollar platforms — Python is everywhere.

But what makes Python so special? Let’s dive in.

Why Python Is So Popular

1. Simple and Easy to Learn
Python syntax is clean and readable, almost like writing plain English. For example, printing “Hello World” takes just one line:

print("Hello, World!")

This simplicity makes it a favorite choice for beginners who are just stepping into coding.

2. Versatile (Use It Anywhere!)
Python isn’t restricted to one field — it’s a Swiss Army knife of programming. You can use it for:

Web Development — (Django, Flask)
Data Science & AI — (Pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, PyTorch)
Automation — (scripts to save hours by doing repetitive tasks)
Game Development — (Pygame for fun projects)

In short: learn once, apply everywhere.

3. Strong Community Support
Python has one of the largest developer communities in the world.

That means:

Endless tutorials and free resources
Open-source libraries for almost anything
Forums like Stack Overflow where answers are just a search away

When you learn Python, you’re never coding alone.

Real-Life Applications of Python

Python isn’t just for hobby projects — it’s powering the modern world:

Instagram & YouTube: Backend systems built with Python help scale to millions of users.
AI & Machine Learning: From ChatGPT to self-driving cars, Python libraries are the backbone of innovation.
Everyday Life: People use Python to automate emails, manage Excel files, scrape data from the web, or even rename hundreds of files at once.

Think about it — Python is probably working behind the scenes of apps you use every single day.

Should You Learn Python?

Whether you’re dreaming of becoming a software engineer, a data scientist, or just someone who wants to save time by automating boring tasks, Python is a fantastic starting point.

It’s beginner-friendly
Yet powerful enough to build billion-dollar companies
And best of all — you can see results from your code in just minutes

Final Thoughts: Your Journey Starts Now

Python is more than just a programming language — it’s a bridge to creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. It’s not about writing lines of code — it’s about what you can create with it.

If you’re just starting out, don’t be intimidated. Open your laptop, type out your first “Hello World,” and you’ll see why millions of developers fell in love with Python.

The best part? You can literally write your first working program in under five minutes. And who knows — that one line of code could be the start of your journey toward building the next Instagram, Netflix, or even something bigger.

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Otitoju Mercy — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:06:16 +0000

Otitoju Mercy

Apr 28 '25

Azure VMSS: Deploy & Connect via SSH.

#cloudcomputing #azure #tutorial #learning

Comments

3 min read

Azure VMSS: Deploy & Connect via SSH.

Otitoju Mercy — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:06:04 +0000

Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS) help you deploy and manage identical VMs that auto-scale based on demand. In this guide, we’ll:

✅ Create a VM Scale Set in Azure

✅ Connect via SSH

✅ Install and Test Nginx (a lightweight web server)

Perfect for beginners! Let’s get started.

Step 1: Create a VM Scale Set in Azure

1. Log in to Azure Portal : Go to portal.azure.com and sign in.

2. Create a VM Scale Set

Click "Create a resource" > Search for "Virtual Machine Scale Set" > Create.

Fill in the details:
- Resource Group: Create new (e.g., my-vmss-rg).
- Name: Add a name.(e.g,my-vmss)
- Region:Select a Region that is close to your area (East US).

Image: Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS
Size: Standard_B1s (cheap for testing)

Orchestration mode: Select Uniform.
Security type: Select Standard.
Scaling mode: Choose the Autoscaling option.

3. Configure Scaling.

Instance count: Start with 2 VMs.

Scaling policy: Manual (or set auto-scaling rules later).

4. Add SSH Authentication

Authentication type: SSH public key.
Username: azureuser
SSH public key: Paste your key (or generate one).
Enter the Key pair name.

5. Network Configuration

Set the load balancer,choose a type.

Create a Network Interface.

Allow inbound SSH (port 22) and HTTP (port 80).

6. Review & Deploy

Click Review + Create > Create.

Select the Download private key and create Resource.

After the deployment is completed, click on the Go to resource.

Step 2: Connect via SSH & Install Nginx

1. Find the Public IP

Go to your VMSS > Networking > Check the Load Balancer’s Public IP.

2. SSH into a VM Instance

Open Terminal (Linux/macOS) or PowerShell (Windows) and run:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/your_private_key azureuser@<Public-IP>

(Replace your_private_key and <Public-IP> with your details.)

3. Install Nginx

Once logged in, run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install nginx -y

4. Verify Nginx is Running

sudo systemctl status nginx

(You should see active (running).)

5. Test in Browser

Open a browser and enter the Public IP of your VMSS.
You should see the Nginx welcome page! 🎉

Conclusion

You’ve successfully:

✔ Created a VM Scale Set in Azure

✔ Connected via SSH

✔ Installed Nginx

🚀 Need help? Drop a comment below!

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Otitoju Mercy — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:53:17 +0000

Otitoju Mercy

Feb 8 '25

How to Create and Connect to a Linux VM Using a Public Key

#devops #beginners #linux #azure

Comments

3 min read

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Otitoju Mercy — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:52:13 +0000

Otitoju Mercy

Jun 13 '24

Deploying and Connecting to a Windows Virtual Machine in Azure.

#azure #tutorial #virtualmachine #ai

Comments

3 min read

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Otitoju Mercy — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:32:43 +0000

Otitoju Mercy

Jun 6 '24

Core Architectural Components of Azure.

#cloud #devops #computerscience #azure

Comments

4 min read

Vagrant Concepts

Otitoju Mercy — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:27:45 +0000

Vagrant is an open-source tool that allows you to create, configure, and manage boxes of virtual machines through an easy to use command interface. It is a tool for building complete development environments with a focus on automation and easy workflow.

Vagrantfile?
The primary function of the Vagrantfile is to describe the type of machine required for a project, and how to configure and provision these machines. Vagrantfiles are called Vagrantfiles because the actual literal filename for the file is Vagrantfile.

Vagrantbox?
The basic unit in a Vagrant setup is called a “box” or a “Vagrantbox.” Boxes are the package format for Vagrant environments, you can add a box from the public catalog at any time. The box's description includes instructions on how to add it to an existing Vagrantfile or initiate it as a new environment on the command-line(process.https://portal.cloud.hashicorp.com/vagrant/discover).

Providers in Vagrant?
A provider allows Vagrant to create a Vagrant machine using a certain technology. Vagrant has the ability to manage other types of machines as well. This is done by using other providers with Vagrant. Different providers may enable a virtual machine manager (VirtualBox, VMWare, Hyper-V...), a container manager (Docker), or remote cloud hosts (AWS, Google Compute Engine...).

Provisioners in Vagrant?
Provisioners in Vagrant allow you to automatically install software, alter configurations. Vagrant supports different methods to provision virtual machines, among the others:** “Shell”, “Ansible”, “Chef”, “File” and “Docker”**. The “Shell” method is the most simple and involves the use of standard commands and shell logic, which can be specified “inline” or in a dedicated, executable script.

VMs
When you run the vagrant up command, Vagrant creates a new VM based on the configuration specified in the Vagrantfile. The VM is created using the virtualization provider (VirtualBox in our case). The VMs are isolated from the host machine and run their own operating system and applications.
Vagrant Architecture:
Vagrant consists of several components that work together to manage and provision VMs. Here is a high-level overview of the architecture:

Practical Examples:

To demonstrate the usage of Vagrant, let's walk through this example. We will use VirtualBox as the virtualization provider in these example.

Installing Vagrant and VirtualBox: Download the latest version of Vagrant from: (https://www.vagrantup.com/downloads.html) Download the latest version of Virtualbox from: (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) After that you can check your vagrant version.

vagrant --version or -v

2. Creating A Vagrant File.
Create a new directory for your project and navigate to it in your terminal. Run the following command to initialize a new Vagrantfile:

vagrant init

3. Configuring the Vagrantfile:
Open the Vagrantfile in a text editor and modify the configuration settings to suit your needs. For example, you can specify the base box and any additional provisioning scripts.

Here's an example of a Vagrantfile that uses the ubuntu/trusty64 box and provisions it with Apache

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  config.vm.box = "ubuntu/trusty64"
  config.vm.box_version = "base"

  config.vm.network "forwarded_port", guest: 80, host: 8080

  config.vm.provision "shell", inline: <<-SHELL
    apt-get update
    apt-get install -y apache2
  SHELL
end

4. Start the Virtual Machine: In your project directory, run:

vagrant up

Vagrant will download the specified base box if it doesn't already exist, and then start the VM using VirtualBox.
To apply the provisioning of the shell script to install apache in your VM do:

vagrant provision

5. Accessing the Virtual Machine:
Once your VM is up and running, connect to it using:

vagrant ssh

Also do:

vagrant box list

To see availabe installed box, you can alway add the --help flag to see more options of this command. This opens a secure shell connection to the new virtual machine.
Generating Vagrantfiles online
To generate Vagrantfiles online you can check this site Generating Vagrantfiles Online

Here are some commonly used Vagrant commands:

Basic Commands

vagrant init – Initializes a new Vagrantfile in the current directory.
vagrant up – Starts and provisions the virtual machine.
vagrant halt – Stops the virtual machine.
vagrant destroy – Stops and deletes the virtual machine.
vagrant reload – Restarts the virtual machine.

Managing VMs

vagrant status – Checks the status of the Vagrant machine.
vagrant suspend – Saves the current state of the VM.
vagrant resume – Resumes a suspended VM.
vagrant ssh – Connects to the virtual machine via SSH.

Provisioning and Configuration

vagrant provision – Runs provisioning scripts defined in the Vagrantfile.
vagrant up --provision – Starts the VM and provisions it at the same time.

Networking and Sharing

vagrant port – Lists forwarded ports.
vagrant share – Shares the Vagrant environment over the internet.

Box Management

vagrant box list – Lists all installed Vagrant boxes.
vagrant box add <box-name> – Downloads and adds a new Vagrant box.
vagrant box remove <box-name> – Removes a specific Vagrant box.

Snapshot Management

vagrant snapshot save <name> – Saves the current state of the VM as a snapshot.
vagrant snapshot restore <name> – Restores the VM to a previous snapshot.

Conclusion

Vagrant simplifies virtual machine management, ensuring consistency across development environments. With easy configuration, automation, and multi-provider support, it eliminates the "works on my machine" problem. Start using Vagrant today to streamline your workflow and boost productivity! 🚀

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Otitoju Mercy — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 01:01:00 +0000

Vagrant: Beginner's Guide

Otitoju Mercy ・ Feb 8

#devops #vagrant #beginners

How to Create and Connect to a Linux VM Using a Public Key

Otitoju Mercy — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 01:00:23 +0000

What is a Linux Virtual Machine?

A Virtual Machine (VM) is like a computer in the cloud. In this case, we’ll be creating a Linux-based VM, which can run distributions like Ubuntu, CentOS, or Red Hat. Instead of managing physical hardware, you can use Azure to deploy and manage your Linux VM securely.

Step 1: Create a Linux VM in Azure

Now, let’s create the Linux VM in Azure.

Sign in to Azure Portal: Go to the Azure Portal and log in with your credentials.
Click “Create a Resource”: In the left-hand menu, click “Create a resource”.
Select “Virtual Machine”: Choose the option and click “Create.”

Configure Basics:
- Subscription: Select your subscription.
- Resource Group: Create a new one or use an existing one.
- Virtual Machine Name: Enter a name.

Region: Choose the region closest to you.
Image: Select a Linux distribution.

Authentication Type: Choose “SSH public key.”
Username: Enter a username.

SSH Key Type: Select "RSA SSH Format".
Select inbound ports: Select "HTTP(80), SSH(22)".

Configure Networking: Leave the default settings unless you need custom configurations.
Review + Create: Review all settings and click “Create” to start deploying your VM.

Step 3: Wait for Deployment and Download private key

Azure will take a few minutes to create your VM. Once the deployment is complete, you’ll see a notification saying, “Your deployment is complete.”

Step 4: Connect to Your Linux VM

Now that your VM is deployed, let’s connect to it using SSH.

Connect via SSH:
- Open a terminal (on macOS/Linux) or a tool like PuTTY/Windows Terminal (on Windows).
- Run the following command:
```
 ssh azureuser@<Public-IP-Address>
```
Replace <Public-IP-Address> with the actual IP address of your VM and azureuser with the username you configured earlier.

Authenticate:
- If you set a passphrase for your private key, you’ll be prompted to enter it.
- Once authenticated, you’ll see the Linux shell prompt, and you’re now connected to your VM!

Step 5: Manage and Delete Your VM

When you’re done using your VM, it’s important to manage it properly to avoid unnecessary costs.

Stop the VM: To save costs, stop the VM when you’re not using it. You can do this from the Azure Portal by clicking “Stop” on the VM overview page.
Delete the VM: If you no longer need the VM, delete it to stop incurring charges. Make sure to also delete associated resources like disks and network interfaces.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created and connected to a Linux Virtual Machine on Microsoft Azure using a public key. This method is secure, efficient, and widely used in cloud environments. Whether you’re testing applications, running scripts, or learning Linux, Azure provides a flexible and powerful platform to meet your needs.

Keep experimenting with Azure’s features, and soon you’ll feel confident managing cloud resources!.

Vagrant

Otitoju Mercy — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:12:41 +0000

Git and GitHub: A Comprehensive Guide

Otitoju Mercy — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:58:42 +0000

What is Git?
Git is a distributed version control system used to track changes in files, typically source code. It allows multiple developers to collaborate on a project by managing and recording changes over time. Git is widely used because of its speed, efficiency, and flexibility, making it an essential tool in modern software development.

What is GitHub?
GitHub is an online platform for storing, sharing, and collaborating on code using Git. With GitHub, you can store your code online, collaborate with other developers, and track changes over time, all in one place.

Basic Git Command

Here are some basic Git commands:

git init: Start a new Git repository in your current directory.
git clone <repository-url>: Download an existing repository to your local machine.
git add <file>: Stage changes to be included in the next commit.
git commit -m "message": Save staged changes with a commit message.
git status: Show the current status of your working directory and staging area.
git log: View the history of commits.
git push: Upload local commits to a remote repository (like GitHub).
git pull: Download and merge changes from a remote repository.
git branch: List all branches or create a new branch.
git checkout <branch>: Switch to a different branch.
git remote add origin [repository link]: Connect the local folder to the GitHub repository.
git push -u origin main: Push code to the 'main' branch on GitHub.

Before the end of the blog will be able to set up git on window's, creating a respository , making commits, pushing and pulling.

Setting up Git on Windows.

Install Git: Download from https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git website, run it, and follow the installation instructions.

Configuring Git:After installation,Open Gitbash as ADMINISTRATOR,and run the following Git command :

git version -TO KNOW THE GIT VERSION.
git status -TO KNOW GIT STATUS IF THERE IS ANY PENDING CHANGE.
git config --global user.name githubusername -LIKE LOGIN USERNAME.
git config --global user.mail githubemail -LIKE LOGIN EMAIL ADDRESS
mkdir filename -TO CREATE FOLDER IN FILE EXPLORER
cd filename -TO ENTER INTO A PARTICULAR FILE NAME
git init -TO MAKE A FOLDER A GIT REPOSITORY SO AS TO HAVE ACCESS TO GIT COMMANDS
code . -TO TRANSIT INTO VS CODE

This takes you to Visual Studio Code.
Click on the icon to create a file.
Name the file index.html.

Paste your HTML code into it,
Click on the three dots at the top,
Click on Terminal, then New Terminal.

In the terminal type the following command;

git add <file>: Add a file to the staging area.
git status: Show the status of changes.

Creating a Repository.

Repository (often abbreviated as "repo")serves as a structured place where various types of digital resources are stored, managed, and accessed Creating a repository on GitHub is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

Go to GitHub,Log in to your GitHub account.
Click the "+" icon in the top right corner of the page. Select "New repository" from the dropdown menu.

Repository Name: Enter a name for your repository.
Description: (Optional) Provide a brief description of your repository.
Private or Public: Choose people that can see this repository.
Add a README file.

Click the "Create repository" button at the bottom of the page.

Making a Commit.

A commit is a record of changes made to the files in a repository. It represents a snapshot of the project at a particular point in time. Making a commit in Git involves a few straightforward steps. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

Use the git commit command followed by the -m flag and your commit message in quotes.

Pushing and Pulling.

Pushing is the process of uploading your local commits to a remote repository. This updates the remote repository with changes made locally. Here is the command used for pushing changes:

Copy The Link Of the remote Repository.

Issue a git push command using url of the remote repository:

git push master: Pushes changes to a specific remote and branch.

If you are Pushing for the first time, you will be taken to GitHub sign-in and authorization.

Go to GitHub, to see the recent Push

Type git commit -m "adding readme.md", To check the readme file, go to your GitHub account, refresh, and click on readme.md to see the message earlier typed when you created the readme.md file.

To edit click on the edit icon after editing your text, click on Commit Changes

Pulling in Git is the process of updating your local repository with changes from a remote repository .This command helps keep your work synchronized with your team's changes, ensuring you're always working with the latest version of the project.

Go to Visual Code terminal, type this git pull origin master

"Congratulations on successfully setting up Git on Windows! You've mastered the essentials of version control by creating a repository, making commits, and learning how to push and pull changes. This is a solid foundation that will serve you well in your development journey. Great job!"