Python is one of the favorite programming languages for most of them, and today we’ll look at the finest Python IDEs. Because we spend so much time with a text editor or IDE as coders, we need it to be the best one for our purposes.
So, before we go to the list of IDEs, let us first answer two simple questions.
What exactly is a Python IDE, and why do we need one?
IDE is an abbreviation for Integrated Development Environment, which is a feature-rich software tool that includes a debugger. They have auto-complete capabilities to allow for quick coding, hence they are large packages. IDEs use more system resources and take up more memory than text editors.
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What distinguishes a text editor from an IDE?
A text editor is a simpler version of an IDE that uses less memory space and allows users to install plug-ins for easier development and improved performance. As a result, code editors are preferable for less advanced devices.
The Top 5 Python IDE are:
- PyCharm
- Sublime Text
- Visual Studio code
- Atom Editor
- VIM Editor
1)PyCharm
In the industry, PyCharm is used by the majority of professional developers, and it is often regarded as the greatest IDE for Python developers. It is a cross-platform IDE created by the Czech company JetBrains. It provides daily advice to help you learn how to use it more effectively, which is a very useful tool. It is available in two versions: community and professional. The community version is free, but the professional version is not. Other features of this IDE are listed below.
- It is regarded as an intelligent code editor, a fast and safe refactoring tool, and a smart code generator.
- Debugging, profiling, remote development, code testing, auto code completion, quick fix, error detection, and database utilities are all available.
- Popular web technologies, web frameworks, scientific libraries, and version control are all supported.
It is a powerful debugger that is very comparable to VS Code editor. It can install a variety of plug-ins and packages.
One of PyCharm’s drawbacks is that it consumes a lot of system resources, making it a heavyweight IDE. While indexing files, it stalls on loading.
2)Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a well-known code editor. It supports a variety of languages, including Python, and it is very flexible. It also provides quick development speeds and dependability.
Free of charge
Sublime Text 3’s most notable features are as follows:
- Syntax highlighting
- Custom user commands for utilizing the IDE
- Effective project directory management
- It supports additional Python packages for web and scientific development.
Sublime Text can be downloaded and evaluated for an extended period of time. However, you may receive pop-up advising that “you must purchase a license for continuous use.”
3)Visual Studio code
Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code is an open-source code editor. Code has grown in popularity among developers, and it’s an excellent solution for your Python projects as well, provided you’ve installed the Python extension. The code has its own debugger, linting support, and interface with a variety of source control tools. It also features an integrated terminal and a well-stocked extensions marketplace (don’t worry, they’re all free). It can also run and debug unit tests in your project using the unittest, pytest, or nose frameworks.
If all of this sounds a little overwhelming, it also offers a minimalist ‘zen mode’ that shows you only the file you’re working on, masking not only the Code’s interface but also the rest of your desktop.
Code is very flexible, and it has a settings panel that will appeal to those with a certain mindset — each part reveals the relevant section of the options. Of course, everything is properly highlighted in the JSON file.
Code, like Atom, is an Electron software, therefore it is cross-platform and a little large. Unlike Atom, it has Intellisense, Microsoft’s version of code completion. In Python, this not only suggests completions but also gives on-the-fly popups with documentation for classes and functions.
The following are the key features of Visual Studio Code:
- The finest smart code completion is based on a variety of factors.
- Integration with Git
- Debugging code within the editor
- It has an extension for adding other features such as code linting, themes, and other services.
4)Atom Editor
Atom is a cross-platform open-source IDE developed with web technologies. It is based on the Electron framework developed by GitHub. Atom is very customizable, and it has Python language support, which is installed when Atom is launched. Some useful Python development packages include atom-python-run, Python Black, python-indent, atom-python-test, autocomplete-python, Python Tools, linter-flake8, python-debugger, and more. The Atom has some wonderful characteristics, which are listed below.
- Support for third-party packages is enabled.
- Lightweight, smart auto-completion, multi-language support, and excellent syntax highlighting
- Several panes and themes
- Allows package installation and management.
Atom is a stylish, lightweight editor that many developers adore. It is both free and simple to start up. It was created by GitHub and has a number of plug-ins that may be used to build IDE-like functionalities.
5)VIM Editor
Vim is a command-line text editor that is both lightweight and powerful. It is compatible with all operating systems. It can also be accessed via the command line. Vim offers powerful keyboard shortcuts that can only be customized to a limited extent.
It has a large number of plug-ins accessible. The only drawback to VIm is its steep learning curve! This may be a deal-breaker for many developers who are just getting started with Python programming.
If you’re already familiar with Vim, it can be a useful tool for Python programming. If you don’t, you’ll need to spend some time learning Vim and its commands before you can use it with Python.
Vim can be used as a Python IDE by adding plugins for syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging, refactoring, and so on.