Comprehensive Comparison of 15 Python IDE Tools

The best way to write Python code is to use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). They not only make your work simpler and more logical but also enhance the programming experience and efficiency.

Everyone knows this. The problem is how to choose the best Python development environment from many options. Beginner developers often face this issue.

This article will outline the most popular Python IDEs among programmers, as well as other options worth considering. But first, let’s take a look at what an IDE is.

What is an IDE? What is it used for?

An IDE is a software package that developers use to create programs. It integrates multiple highly related components through a simple user interface, maximizing programmer productivity. Essentially, an IDE is a tool that improves the processes of code creation, testing, and debugging, making these tasks simpler.

Tools used in an IDE include:

• Text editor
• Compiler and/or interpreter
• Assembly automation tool
• Debugger

There is a term similar to IDE—code editor. Let’s first explore the similarities and differences between the two.

What is a code editor?

A code editor is a text editor that can highlight syntax and arrange code formatting. Advanced code editors can develop and modify code.

Significant Features of IDEs and Code Editors

What common advantages do IDEs and code editors share? They both help developers:

• Store and reopen scripts
• Run code
• Debug
• Highlight syntax

The Most Popular IDEs Among Python Developers

PyCharm

Download link: https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/

PyCharm is developed by the renowned software company JetBrains. It is considered the best Python IDE when it comes to artificial intelligence and machine learning. Most importantly, PyCharm integrates multiple libraries (like Matplotlib and NumPy), helping developers explore more available options.

Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Main plugins and features:

• Built-in developer tools
• Remote development capabilities
• Real-time editing mode
• IPython Notebook

Advantages:

• PyCharm supports web development frameworks like Pyramid, Flask, and Django.
• Provides intelligent code features that can perform more precise and faster bug fixes.
• Allows program development on remote hosts with the help of Docker, Vagrant connections, and SSH terminals.

Disadvantages:

• Cluttered interface
• The cost of its advantages is high.

Visual Studio Code

Download link: https://code.visualstudio.com/Download

Visual Studio Code is sometimes confused with Visual Studio IDE, which is not commonly used by Python users. VS Code is a complete code editor with many excellent features, and many programmers refer to it as the best IDE editor.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS

Main plugins and features:

• Built-in Git
• Custom tool extension plugins
• Breakpoint debugging
• Interactive console

Advantages:

• Its Electron framework allows developers to use VS Code on almost all platforms.
• Debug directly in the editor.
• Supports multiple keyboard shortcuts to speed up programming.

Disadvantages:

• Debugging features are limited.
• No built-in templates.

Sublime Text

Download link: https://www.sublimetext.com/

Sublime Text is considered the best Python editor because it is simple, versatile, and convenient. It is widely used across different platforms.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS

Main plugins and features:

• Easy navigation for high performance
• Supports various packages for customizing the editor
• Copy common code snippets with just one keyword
• Instant project switching and split editing

Advantages:

• Can handle multiple markup languages.
• Allows users to choose which projects to work on.
• Equipped with important tools that provide class and function indexing.
• Offers a powerful API and organized ecosystem for high performance.

Disadvantages:

• Too advanced for beginners.
• Its Git plugin is not particularly powerful.

VI/Vim

Download link: https://www.vim.org/

Vim ranks among the top 5 Python IDE tools. It is a modal editor that can split files from “file editing.” Compared to the original Vi, Vim has made significant improvements and is much more powerful.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, iOS, Android, UNIX, AmigaOS, MorphOS

Main plugins and features:

• Its scripting allows almost all programming tasks to be executed with Python.
• Ctags, which helps achieve better tag navigation.
• Built-in basic vocabulary completion.

Advantages:

• Has a keyboard interface that can improve efficiency.
• Supports multiple plugins (like version control tools, file management tools).
• Achieves different extended functionalities through the .vimrc file (like highlighting search results).

Disadvantages:

• Clunky interface; some developers find it inconvenient to use.
• Its modal editor requires users to spend some time learning.

GNU Emacs

Download link: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/emacs.html

GNU Emacs is also a strong contender among the best Python editors. It is often described as extensible, self-documenting, and real-time displaying. Although it is not the newest in the industry, it is frequently updated to meet developers’ needs.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, iOS, Android, UNIX, AmigaOS, MorphOS

Main plugins and features:

• Uses the Lisp programming language
• Syntax highlighting
• Supports Unicode

Advantages:

• Lisp as a second language can help programmers code better.
• Emacs can be compatible with multiple different platforms.
• Offers a wealth of custom scripts for developers to use.

Disadvantages:

• Users may need to spend some extra time learning the complex customization process of the editor.
• Usage is more complicated than some other IDEs.

IDLE

Download link: https://docs.python.org/3/library/idle.html

IDLE code editor is popular among students; it is the built-in editor for Python. This editor is simple, versatile, and supports different devices. Developers can learn the basics through IDLE before using more complex tools.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS

Main plugins and features:

• tkinter GUI toolkit
• Multi-window interface
• Configuration with dialogs, browsers, etc.

Advantages:

• Allows users to highlight errors, auto-code, and accurately identify issues.
• Includes a lightweight Python shell.
• Its built-in correction function can enhance performance.
• Allows users to search and replace files within the editor.

Disadvantages:

• Does not support copying to libraries.
• Scripts cannot exceed 100 lines of code.

The Best Python-Compatible IDEs for Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Big Data

Python is one of the preferred languages in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data. This section will introduce IDEs suitable for Python development in these fields.

Atom

Download link: https://atom.io/

Atom is an open-source editor that can be compatible with almost all programming languages, such as PHP and Java. It is regularly updated, reliable, and versatile. GitHub has developed powerful features for Atom to provide a good programming experience, including multiple plugins like SQL queries package, Markdown Preview Plus package, and packages for editing, visualizing, and rendering LaTeX formulas.

Spyder

Download link: https://www.spyder-ide.org/

Spyder is developed for data science. It is an open-source tool that can be compatible with a large number of platforms, making it a better choice for IDE beginners. To achieve perfect development, it integrates multiple key libraries like NumPy, Matplotlib, and SciPy.

Jupyter/IPython Notebook

Download link: https://jupyter.org/

Jupyter is a web-based editor that allows developers to build and run scripts or notebooks. It is relatively simple and more user-friendly. Jupyter also uses Seaborn and Matplotlib for data visualization.

Other Python Development IDEs

This section will introduce some less well-known and popular IDEs that are still worth checking out.

Eclipse + PyDev

Download link: https://www.eclipse.org/https://www.pydev.org/

Eclipse is an open-source editor and one of the preferred Python IDEs for Windows. Its extensions and plugins are very expensive, sufficient to build anything you want. Eclipse, supplemented by the PyDev extension, can achieve intelligent debugging and improve code quality.

Eric Python

Download link: https://eric-ide.python-projects.org/

Eric is another less popular Python IDE, but it is powerful and efficient. Whether for commercial or personal use, Eric can provide suitable functionality. It runs on all platforms.

Wing

Download link: https://wingware.com/

Wing is a well-known Python IDE that enables intelligent programming. Its editor is user-friendly, the debugger is powerful, and it supports remote programming, error checking, and other features, making it worth trying.

PyScripter

Download link: https://sourceforge.net/projects/pyscripter/files/latest/download

PyScripter outperforms other Python IDEs for Windows due to its outstanding functionality. It is also a useful Python IDE on Mac systems, with its commercial version supporting most programming languages. PyScripter has a rich feature set but is also lightweight.

Pyzo

Download link: https://pyzo.org/start.html

Pyzo is a free open-source programming tool that can be used with any Python interpreter, including Conda environments. Its two standout features are simplicity and interactivity. It is easy to use, making it very suitable for beginners.

Thonny

Download link: https://thonny.org/

Thonny, developed by the University of Tartu, is suitable for beginner programmers. Its interface has no complex or unnecessary features, making it easy to get started. Another aspect that is friendly to beginners is that you can see how Python evaluates your expressions at each step.

Conclusion

This article outlines a large number of excellent Python IDEs and other tools. The decision of which tool to use depends on the convenience of the tool and the proficiency with it. Of course, there are tools that everyone loves (like PyCharm), but you can try several tools to see which one suits you best.

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