# Python SDK - getting started

**URL:** <https://forum.flow.com/t/python-sdk-getting-started/2763>\
**Category:** ⚙️ Flow SDKs\
**Created:** [January 31, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.flow.com/t/python-sdk-getting-started/2763 "2022-01-31T15:59:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tnugent](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.flow.com/tnugent/32/658_2.png) [@tnugent](https://forum.flow.com/u/tnugent)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.flow.com/t/python-sdk-getting-started/2763/1 "2022-01-31T15:59:48Z")

</div>

Hi there,

I’m just getting started with Flow/Cadence using the Python SDK.

Coming from Ethereum - I’m trying to find out how I can read public variables from a contract, or call a read-only function (with arguments). Is this possible via the Python SDK?

Thanks  
Tim

(edit - looks like I can use something like ExecuteScriptAtLatestBlock - what I really need is an example of executing against a contract that has already been deployed)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheOneSock](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.flow.com/theonesock/32/185_2.png) [@TheOneSock](https://forum.flow.com/u/TheOneSock)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.flow.com/t/python-sdk-getting-started/2763/2 "2022-02-10T16:56:31Z")

</div>

Hi,

Sorry the docs link was bad for a while 🙂

To read data from the chain you need to execute scripts.

There are docs on how to run scripts here: [Overview - Python Flow SDK](https://janezpodhostnik.github.io/flow-py-sdk/python_SDK_guide/#execute-scripts)

And there are examples here: [flow-py-sdk/examples/scripts\_examples.py at master · janezpodhostnik/flow-py-sdk · GitHub](https://github.com/janezpodhostnik/flow-py-sdk/blob/master/examples/scripts_examples.py)

Let me know if that answers your questions, or if you need more help.
