The newly approved Python Enhancement Proposal 751 gives Python a standard lock file format for specifying the dependencies of projects. Here’s the what, why, and when.

Human-readable and machine-generated lock file will specify what direct and indirect dependencies should be installed into a Python environment.

You're taking a new programming class this fall, and you don't know anything about code. Python is taught widely in schools, and it's one of the most loved programming languages because it's simple.