What is the best IDE for Python? Which tools and frameworks should I use to develop my Python application? Although Python is a multi-purpose language, with a large collection of libraries, there are many IDEs for this popular programming language.
However, not all IDEs are equally suitable for all purposes, and selecting an IDE depends on your requirements and the way you want to use Python. In this article, we will look at some of the best alternatives to PyCharm for Python development.
CodePen
CodePen is a cloud-based editor for HTML, CSS and JavaScript that lets you render snippets in real time and then share them with others. The primary objective of CodePen is to enable developers to create demos of their front-end work.
CodePen demo
You can use stylesheets and scripts hosted externally on your CodePen demo. Additionally, CodePen gives you access to a JavaScript console to debug your code if you are creating an element within the platform.
CodePen demos can be embedded in your website too. Embedded pens have previews of the code, which makes them ideal for technical writers while creating tutorials for front-end technologies.
CodePen allows you to fork the work of other developers and build upon it. Various views of your code are provided, but some are only available on the pro version, starting at $8/month billed annually.
While the strength of CodePen is creating and sharing pens, it introduced Projects in 2017, which allow you to create entire front-end projects on the site, making it a complete IDE.
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PyCharm
Type: IDE.
Price: US $ 199 per User – 1st year for Professional Developer.
Platform Support: WINDOWS, LINUX, MAC etc.
Screenshots For Reference:
PyCharm is one of the widely used Python IDE which was created by Jet Brains. It is one of the best IDE for Python. PyCharm is all a developer’s need for productive Python development.
With PyCharm, the developers can write a neat and maintainable code. It helps to be more productive and gives smart assistance to the developers. It takes care of the routine tasks by saving time and thereby increasing profit accordingly.
Best Features:
- It comes with an intelligent code editor, smart code navigation, fast and safe refactoring’s.
- PyCharm is integrated with features like debugging, testing, profiling, deployments, remote development and tools of the database.
- With Python, PyCharm also provides support to python web development frameworks, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Angular JS and Live edit features.
- It has a powerful integration with IPython Notebook, python console, and scientific stack.
Pros:
- It provides a smart platform to the developers who help them when it comes to auto code completion, error detection, quick fixing etc.
- It provides multiple framework support by increasing a lot of cost-saving factors.
- It supports a rich feature like cross-platform development so that the developers can write a script on different platforms as well.
- PyCharm also comes with a good feature of the customizable interface which in turn increases the productivity.
Cons:
- PyCharm is an expensive tool while considering the features and the tools it provides to the client.
- The initial installation is difficult and may hang up in between sometimes.
Official URL: Pycharm
JSFiddle
JSFiddle is an early IDE that originated as a code playground, influencing many other competitors today. It allows you to create front-end elements and render them live in the browser.
JSFiddle demo
You are able to fork the work of others and build on it, in addition to embedding your work in external sites. JSFiddle is a simplified version of CodePen for those who wish to work with a simpler code editor but still have compilation abilities.
Spyder
Type: IDE.
Price: Open Source
Platform Support: QT, WINDOWS, LINUX, MAC OS etc.
Screenshots For Reference:
SPYDER is another big name in the IDE market. It is a good python compiler.
It is famous for python development. It was mainly developed for scientists and engineers to provide a powerful scientific environment for Python. It offers an advanced level of edit, debug, and data exploration feature. It is very extensible and has a good plugin system and API.
As SPYDER uses PYQT, a developer can also use it as an extension. It is a powerful IDE.
Best Features:
- It is a good IDE with syntax highlighting, auto code completion feature.
- SPYDER is capable of exploring and editing variables from GUI itself.
- It works perfectly fine in multi-language editor along functions and auto code completion etc.
- It has a powerful integration with ipython Console, interacts and modifies the variables on the go as well, hence a developer can execute the code line by line or by the cell.
Pros:
- It is very efficient in finding and eliminating the bottlenecks to unchain the code performance.
- It has a powerful debugger to trace each step of the script execution smoothly.
- It has a good support feature to instantly view any object documents and modify your own documents.
- It also supports extended plugins to improvise its functionality to the new level.
Cons:
- It is not capable of configuring which warning the developer wants to disable.
- Its performance reduces when too many plugins are invoked at the same time.
Official URL: SPYDER
Wing
The wing is a product of Wingware and is a committed Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python. It is a lightweight Python IDE that surfaces with an incredible debugger and smart code editor that makes the interactive Python development speed accurate and supports numerous Test-Driven Development/test-driven development with unit test, pytest, and Django testing framework. It has a customizable interface and also supports remote development. Wing concocts three of its variants – Wing Pro, Wing Personal, and Wing 101 form.
Source: WingDownload Link: https://wingware.com/
The Wing Pro is a full-highlighted paid adaptation for proficient Python developers – notwithstanding, the preliminary form for the equivalent is additionally accessible for the clients. The Wing Personal and Wing 101 are also paid versions but include their respective free versions also, barring some premium and advanced features, for understudies and armature in software development.
PyDev
Here comes another efficient and popular amongst the best Python IDEs – PyDev, developed by Aleks Totic. This is one of the most powerful and advanced Python IDEs out there. It has been around since 2006 and was originally called PEP. It is now known as PyDev. It is basically a third-party (external) module written in JAVA and empowers Eclipse to go about as an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python advancement.
Source: WikipediaDownload Link: https://www.eclipse.org/; http://pydev.org/
There are three versions of PyDev: Community Edition, Professional Edition, and Enterprise Edition. All have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at them below:
Advantages of PyDev
- It is very famous among the designers due to its unmatched Code Analysis, Smart Code Completion with auto import, smart indent, Debugger, and Safe Refactoring highlight with fast and safe methods.
- What’s more? Apart from basic features PyDev offers you a few other advanced features for Python Development like code folding, PyLint, and Django integration, basic syntax highlighting, Tokens Browser to name a few.
- The latest release includes new features like debugging, profiling, remote execution, and much more.
- It’s easy to learn and supports CPython, Jython, and IronPython.
- Active community support.
- Compatible with all major platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- It is a free, platform-independent IDE that promotes excellent integrity with the Eclipse universe.
Disadvantages of PyDev
If you have previously worked with Eclipse then you can definitely give PyDev a try, even though it may be harder to download and install Eclipse.
Observable
While Jupyter is responsible for increasing the popularity of Python in the cloud, it has also inspired the creators of Observable to build a similar solution meant for JavaScript.
Observable notebooks are JavaScript cloud notebooks that can include a mix of scripts and Markdown. The primary objective of Observable is to share JavaScript-based graphs through the cloud.
You can check out the features of Observable without creating an account through the demo notebook.
Observable demo
Upon creating an account, you will be able to save any changes you make to a notebook and share the results with others.
Let’s now move to slightly more complete end-to-end solutions to find the other best cloud IDE platforms.
Idle
Type: IDE.
Price: Open Source.
Platform Support: WINDOWS, LINUX, MAC OS etc.
Screenshots For Reference:
IDLE is a popular Integrated Development Environment written in Python and it has been integrated with the default language. It is one of the best IDE for python.
IDLE is a very simple and basic IDE which is mainly used by the beginner level developers who want to practice on python development. It is also a cross-platform thus helping the trainee developers a lot but it also called as a disposable IDE as a developer moves to more advance IDE after learning the basics.
Best Features:
- IDLE is developed purely in Python with the usage of Tkinter GUI toolkit and is also a cross-platform thereby increasing the flexibility for developers.
- It has a good feature of multi-window text editor which has many features like call tips, smart indentation, undo and python colorizing.
- It has a powerful debugger with continuous breakpoints, global view, and local spaces.
- It also supports dialog boxes, browsers, and editable configurations.
Pros:
- IDLE also supports syntax highlighting, auto code completion and smart indentation like other IDE’s.
- It has a Python shell with a high lighter.
- Integrated debugger with call stack visibility which increases the performance of developers.
- In IDLE, a developer can search within any window, search through multiple files and replace within the windows editor.
Cons:
- It has some normal usage issues, sometimes it lacks focus, and the developer cannot directly copy to the dashboard.
- IDLE does not have the numbering of line option which is a very basic design of the interface.
Official URL: IDLE
Conclusion
The best and top-rated IDE for python is undoubtedly PyCharm. It is the python version of popular dreamweaver and free to download and use. It is one of the most popular python IDES on the market with both paid and free versions.