The Essential Toolbox of Data Science: Python, R, Git, and Docker.

ABSTRACT

The daily work in data science involves a set of essential tools the programming languages Python and R, the version control tool Git and the virtualization tool Docker. Proficiency in at least one programming language is required for data science. R is tied to a computing environment that focuses on statistics, in which many new algorithms in genomics and biomedicine are first published. Python has a root in system administration, and is a superb language for general programming. Version control is critical to managing complex projects, even if software development is not involved. Docker container is becoming a key tool for deployment, portability, and reproducibility. This chapter provides a self-contained practical guide of these topics so that readers can use it as a reference and to plan their training.