Best python ide

7 Best Python IDE For Pythonist

Choosing the best Python IDE can improve the way you work and execute your python projects. With so many options to choose from, it becomes tough for anyone to pick up the best Python IDE.

In the past few weeks, I have been busy building up an army of best IDE’s for different languages. Interested in PHP? Then, I have it covered with 7 Best PHP IDE for Developers and Programmers. I have also covered the 8+ Free PHP Editor for PHP. You might also be interested in taking a look at 5 Best JavaScript IDE for Front-end and Web Engineers.

Contents of the Article

  • Do You Need a Python IDE?
  • Best Python IDE for Pythonist
  • Why is Python Awesome?
  • Wrap Up: Which one to choose and Why?

Python is the one of the leading programming languages used in all facets of the programming world. It is used to build amazing web applications, desktop applications(GUI), Scientific endeavors, database applications and much more.

The wide-spread use of Python programming language in the industry, undoubtedly, speaks about the Python’s Awesomeness.

Apart from being used widely, what maks it super awesome?

Let’s dive deep into the awesomeness of Python.python-awesome

The above image from a webcomic and clearly depicts the beauty of Python programming language. A simple comparison will show how easy it is to use Python is compared to other programming languages.

Comparing programming languages is an entirely different topic and I do not want to discuss it here. Let’s shift our focus on Python.

Do You Need a Python IDE?

Best python ide

In short, the answer is Yes! Development requires using tools from different spheres. If you are not using tools, then development can become a tiresome and time-consuming affair.

An IDE offers all the necessary tools and features for coding effectively and efficiently. Features such as code completion, debugging tools, FTP support, SVN support and many others makes a life of a beginner or a developer easier.

Handling projects also become easier for the programmer.

The answer is debatable, but from my experience, it is doable to a real extent. Many developers use text editors with plugins installed to find the desired result. The prime example of a modern text editor that can easily be setup and worked with is Sublime Text. It also supports tons of plugins for easy configuration.

Best Python IDE For Pythonist

bestpythonideforpythonist

After so much wait, we finally arrive at the best Python IDE. The Best Python IDE will make your programming life easier and help you develop amazing applications in less time.

So, why wait? Let’s start the Best Python IDE list.

1. PyCharm

1-pycharm

Pycharm by Jetbrains is a powerful Python IDE that comes with tons of features.

According to JetBrains, PyCharm is the most intelligent Python IDE, and I do agree with their claims. You can work extensively with PyCharm IDE.

Using PyCharm can quickly increase your productivity and also offers great coding experience. The UI of the IDE is pleasing and can be customized according to your preferences.

PyCharm also supports different programming languages such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Coffee Script, CSS and much more. With the backing of other programming languages, you might not need any other tools ever!

The Pycharm IDE comes in two flavors. The Professional Editon, which includes all the tools and integrations for excellent Python development experience and Community Edition, which contains all the necessary tools for Python development.

The downside of using PyCharm is of course speed. This problem has been prevalent in most of the IDE’s is speed, and the trade-off is, of course, extensive functionality and availability of tools. Many users have also reported how UI doesn’t feel right on different systems. PyCharm team has taken the matter in their hands and is improving the speed and UI issues in the latest versions.

Features of PyCharm:

  • Smart Code Navigation for the faster coding experience. Use file or symbol to jump to any desired place of your code.
  • Intelligent Coding Assitance supports auto-completion and tons of other programming languages.
  • Code Refactoring is fast and safe to do. The IDE supports various methods such as Rename, Extract, Introduce variable for safe and quick refactoring.
  • Supports Web Development frameworks such as Django, Google App Engine, Pyramid and others for web development with Python.
  • A great set of development tools available such as Git, SVN, Database querying, terminal, testing and debugging tools.
  • Extensively customizable and cross-platform IDE so that you don’t have to worry about other platform’s compatibility.
  • Excellent Documentation. Can be used easily and covers all the topics in a modern way.

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac in Professional and Community Edition
  • Price: Paid/Free(Community)
  • Download: PyCharm

2. PyDev

PyDev is an open-source Python IDE for Eclipse. If you are using Eclipse and want to integrate Python without leaving Eclipse, then PyDev is for you.

The installation of PyDev is easy and straightforward. All you will need is LiClipse, a modern distribution system of Eclipse. After installation, you will be able to use a full-fledged Python IDE.

Eclipse history is quite colorful knowing the fact that it comes with poor documentation and complicated way of doing the simple task, but nevertheless, it is also praised by many of the developers out there.

PyDev comes with more goodies, all installable through LiClipse. You can easily work with web development frameworks such as Django, JavaScript, CoffeScript and more. PyDev is also full of features.

Features of PyDev:

  • Comes with Code Completion feature
  • Supports Code Analysis
  • Debugging tools are integrated. Also, supports remote debugging
  • Offers Interactive console for faster work environment
  • Supports code coverage.

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac
  • Price: Free(Open Source)
  • Download: PyDev

3. WingWare

3-wingware

With over 15 years in development and still going strong, WingWare is one of the best Python IDE’s out there. It offers tons of features for completely Python development experience. The more impressive feature of WingWare is its debugging tools.

To make the experience much better, WingWare offers other frameworks such as Django, Google App Engine, Pyramid and others.

The only downside of the WingWare is its dated UI and UX. You might feel pretty old using the IDE. But if you are looking for extensive Python Development, WingWare is a must try!

Features of WingWare

  • Emulate other editors like emacs, vim and others.
  • Go To code quickly for a faster way around through code.
  • Auto-completion uses static and dynamic context analysis.
  • Shows documentation and other information as you move through the code.
  • Auto was refactoring tool with no errors.
  • Introduce variables for expression.
  • Extremely Customization with many preferences, key bindings, and UI customization.
  • Easily creation of block for existing code.
  • Supports auto indentation.
  • Supports extensive Debugging. Supports Django templates. Inspect program state from stack state. Also offers python shell for extra debugging. Can isolate bugs as well.
  • Integrated PyLint Tool

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac
  • Price: Free/Trail(30 Days)
  • Download: WingWare

4. Komodo IDE

4-Komodo

Komodo IDE has already been covered in 5 best JavaScript IDE. And it again gets a warm welcome in the best Python IDE.

The extensive support for different languages under one roof make it a great contender for many developers out there. The UI has been improved and is easy to look at.

I am not going to discuss it again; you can read it in the 5 Best JavaScript IDE.

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac
  • Price: Free/Trail(21 Days)
  • Download: Komodo

5. KDevelop

5-Kdevelop

KDevelop is yet another decade old IDE that supports Python, C, C++ and other languages. It is open source in nature and offers great libraries for easy development.

The current version of KDevelop is 4.7.1.

KDevelop comes with extensive documentation and offers tons of features for comfortable working.

Features of KDevelop:

  • Syntax Highlighting and Automatic Indentation.
  • GUI Designer
  • Supports Front-End debugger
  • Revision Control is supported.
  • Class Browser

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac
  • Price: Free(OpenSource)
  • Download: KDevelop

6. Spyder

Capture6-Spyder

If you are in scientific development, then Spyder is what you are looking for. Spyder is best known as Scientific Python Development Environment.

It offers powerful interactive development environment with all the necessary features such s debugging.

It also supports major scientific libraries, and you can easily plot maps using the 2D/3D plotting.

The IDE is available on all the major platform such as Linux, Windows, MacOS X. To support extensive workflow, the console is available. Debugging is done using the PDB.

Features of Spyder:

  • Open Source in nature
  • Supports features for scientific development. Very familiar with Matlab.
  • Offers editor with Syntax highlighting.
  • Supports Code Compilation

Other Stats:

  • Available for Windows, Linux, Mac
  • Price: Free(OpenSource)
  • Download: Spyder

7. Python Tools for Visual Studio

Love Visual Studio? Then, you are going to love the Python Tools for Visual Studio. The Python Tools for Visual Studio offers one of the best Python IDE experience.

Just like any other Visual Studio tool, PTVS is open source. Debugging tools and other features are supported by the tools. It also supports CPython, IronPython, and others.

Features of Python Tools for Visual Studio

  • Open Source
  • Supports Intellisense
  • Debugging tools.
  • Offers cloud computer libraries
  • Remote debugging and profiling supported

Other Stats:

Why Python Is Awesome?

Python is a programming language that has been taken up by many firms as their primary source of inspiration. Quora, for example, uses Python as its main language. Let’s discuss some of the features of Python programming language.

The Similarities With Natural Language

We humans use natural language in our daily lives. It does not matter to us, how the syntax and semantic works during our regular conversations. We always pick it up and make meaning out of it.

Computers, on the other hand, do not like ambiguous sentences. They will throw out an error or exception, just like a baby who for unknown reasons throw things without any reason. But, computers have a reason for such behavior.

They do not understand ambiguous statements. They are machines and understand instructions that are well-thought and are not ambiguous in nature. In other words, they need to be fed with instructions that are from point A to B, solving it an orderly fashion.

With the English language as an analogy, we can easily say that Python is simple and incredibly easy to read or understand.

For example, you can easily read the following solution a problem Cut the Sticks on HackerRank.

def stickcut(sticks):
    sticks = list(sticks)
    while len(sticks) != None:
        small = find_smallest(sticks)
        for each in sticks:
            each = each - small
        if len(sticks) != None:
            print (len(sticks))
        sticks = [x for x in sticks if x!=small]
        
    
def find_smallest(sticks):
    if len(sticks) == None:
        return 0
    else:
        small = sticks[0]
    for each in sticks:
        if each < small:
            small = each
    return small

if __name__ == '__main__':
    NumOfSticks = int(input())
    sticks = map(int, input().strip().split(" "))
    print(stickcut(sticks))

If you read the problem and then the solution, you can quickly follow — just like reading in English. For any reason, if you wish not to know the problem, you can still make sense of the code that is written above. And that make Python straightforward and super-awesome.

Free and Open Source

python-opensource

The current trend of the industry is towards an open source solution? And, Why should everyone do it? The answer is more eyes on the code and rapid development.

The community behind the open source project increases tenfold, and that’s why it is quite obvious for the next generation tools and languages to follow the Open Source regime. Python is completely open source and is available under the FLOSS(Free/Libra and Open Source Solution Software). The Open Source tag gives all the freedom to the user. You can download the code, edit it, modify it and even sell the modified code.

And that’s why Python community is huge and thriving all the time.

Portable

With so many different architectures out there, the most important feature that makes any programming language successful is portability.

What does that even mean?

python-portable

It means that your programs will on any platform and you don’t have to write system-specific code.

Easy to Learn

In my language learning experience, the easiest of all of them was Python, and I think, you also know how easy it is to learn.

High-Level Language

Current generation languages and the programmer thrive on high-level languages, i.e., you don’t have to bother of low-level functions and don’t have to take care about them.

Some of the basic low-level functions are Memory management, garbage collection, I/O management, etc.

Object Oriented

Objects are awesome! They are simple chunks of the capsule, which can be used in programming solutions.

Python is an object-oriented language, which also supports the procedural way of coding as well.

In procedural programming, functions or procedures are used for writing programs. In object oriented coding, objects are created, transferred, destroyed to gather the desired result.

Python provides all the necessary tools for creating available programs — built using the OOP methodologies.

Interpreted

Portability of any language depends on how it is translated into machine code. Languages such as C/C++ and converts source code into binary code and there are several steps to achieve the desired result. In simple words, the program is copied from hard disk to memory by a linker/loader and starts running it from there

On the other hand, Python does the conversions on the fly. All the workings are controlled by Python itself, and the final result is known as bytecode — acting as an intermediate step for the machine to understand the source code.

Depending on the machine or the system, it is translated into the native machine code. The two-step process makes sure that portability is maintained, and you do not have to worry about anything!

Extensible And Embedded

Python can work with another programming language. In other words, if you need faster execution and want you code to be written in C/C++, then you can code the solution in C/C++ and let the Python ecosystem take care of the conversion and compatibility.

Similarly, the code can also be written in Java and other popular programming languages.

The whole thing works reverse as well. You can embeds small python scripts within your C/C++ or Java Scripts quickly.

Wrap Up: Which One to Choose and Why?

With many choices comes analysis paralysis. There can be many potential best Python IDE, but we settled for only seven right now.

The choice of IDE depends on the requirements of the developer or programmer. There are both paid and free alternatives available, and it is quite natural for programmers an IDE that bits the bill. If you are looking for a free alternative, then PyCharm Community Edition is an excellent choice. PyCharm with every update is becoming better.

PyDev and WingWare are also a good choice. If you are stuck with Visual Studio, then PTVS is an excellent opportunity to get started with Python Development.

Spyder, on the other hand, is an excellent selection for scientific projects. Inherent support for 2D/3D graphics and other scientific libraries make it more awesome.

Which IDE are you going to use for your next project? Comment below and let us know. I am also open to suggestion to add new IDE’s to the list. So, feel free to comment below your favorite IDE not listed in the article.

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1 thought on “7 Best Python IDE For Pythonist”

  1. Hi Nitish,
    My name is Ravi Singh. I have been working in MNC for last 4 years . my current designation is sr. android developer.

    I have already started learning python with the help of YouTube videos because I would like to lean new technology now.

    I have a question that which IDE is good for python?

    I have already gone through the list that you have mentioned above but still I am confused to choose best one.

    I found that pycharm is much better but its paid . its free community version does not have all the framework.

    Second I would like to go with pydev with Eclipse. Because I have already worked on eclips for android development so I know much about it. But I have know idea pydev would be good for future.

    Please help me . thank u!!!

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