While you are able to write Python code within the Command line terminals, it can only be done by executing one line of code at a time.
In order to create and run Python code more efficiently, we need a better solution, using an IDE.
Let’s quickly take a look at what an IDE is, before covering what the Best IDEs for Python are.
This tutorial requires that Python is already installed, so check out my tutorial on how to install Python on Windows, MacOS and Linux if you haven’t already
What is an IDE?
An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a scripting program used for developing and testing software applications, making it the all-in-one toolbelt for software developers.
What makes IDE’s superior to text based editors or interpreter methods (such as the Command line terminal), is that they facilitate all programming needs through a single graphical user interface (GUI) based application, thereby helping a developer code, test and create applications faster.
An IDE consists of the following main features:
- Code Editor: An advanced text editor, specifically designed for writing and editing source code such as Python. Code Editors are superior to basic text editors such as Notepad, thanks to how they enhance or simplify the writing of code syntax in both color and shortcuts.
- Libraries: Package/Modules of code, that assist in the development of an application.
- Compiler: Transforms human readable source code written in the Code Editor into computer readable binary code, which allows the created application to run on an installed computer.
- Debugger: Tool used during the writing of code to help test and find issues or enhance the application’s performance.Build automation tools: Tools that automate common developer tasks, thereby reducing a lot of manual, repetitive work.
An IDE can also contain features such as programmable editors, object and data modeling, as well as integrate with third-party version control libraries, such as GitHub and Apache’s Subversion.
Types of IDEs
IDE’s can be built to be code specific, designed with a single coding language (such as Python) in mind, while others handle almost all coding languages using optional, installable modules, depending on the coding language you want to create.
There are also several types of IDEs ranging from:
- Web-Based IDEs
- Cloud-based IDEs
- Mobile IDEs
What are the Best IDE’s for Python?
Now that we know a little more about what an IDE is and what it’s designed to do, the next big question is what IDE is the best for Python scripting? Well, thankfully there are quite a few great options for us to choose from.
The most popular IDEs for Python are:
- PyCharm
- Spyder
- Visual Studio
- Python IDLE
1. PyCharm IDE
- Price: Free & Paid ($89/year)
- Platforms: Windows | MacOS | Linux
Created by JetBrains, PyCharm is one of the widely used Python IDEs available, and also one of the best.
PyCharm contains everything you need for productive Python development.
Using PyCharm, allows you to write a neat and maintainable code, as it increases your productivity by giving you and gives smart assistance. Its automation features take care of the mundane routine tasks, saving effort, time and money once you start coding professionally.
There is both an Open Source/Free Community version as well as a paid version of PyCharm.
Free Version of PyCharm
The free version will give you everything you need as a Python developer.
It also offers some Web Development features such as HTML, XML, YAML, JSON, RelaxNG.
Paid Version of PyCharm
The paid version offers even more Web Development features on top of the free version, including CSS, SASS, SCSS, LESS, HAML, Stylus, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, Node.js, React and Angular.
It also expands the Python Web Frameworks allowing you to use Django, Flask, Google AppEngine, Jinja2, Mako, Pyramid and web2py.
The paid version also facilitates Remote Deployment and Containers for Docker, FTP/SFTP/FTPS, Kubernetes (via Plugin), Remote debugging and interpreters, SSH remote tools and Vagrant.
On top of this it also supports Databases such as SQL, SQLAlchemy and DataGrip.
If you require Scientific Tools such as Conda, Panda, Numpy, Matplotlib, Jupyter Notebook, Interactive Python console, R Plugin and SciView, then the PyCharm Commercial version also has you covered.
Best Features:
- Includes an Intelligent Code Editor, Smart Code Navigation, as well as fast and safe Refactoring.
- Superb Debugging, testing, profiling, deployments and database tools.
- Support for a ton of Web Development & Python Web Frameworks
- Powerful integration with Jupyter Notebook, Python Console, and Scientific Stack.
PROS
- Free Community Driven Version for advanced Python development
- Smart platform to help developers with auto code completion, error detection & quick fixing.
- Multiple framework support
- Cross-platform development, allowing developers to write a script for different platforms.
- Very Customizable interface.
CONS
- Year/Monthly fees for Professional version if you want the advanced features
2. Spyder IDE
- Price: Free
- Platforms: Windows | MacOS | Linux
Spyder is another popular, free and open source IDE, being most well known as a Python development and compiler tool.
It’s mainly developed for scientists, engineers and data analysts who use Python in scientific environments, but can be used for regular Python coding and development as well.
It offers an advanced level of editing, analysis, debugging, and profiling functionality to assist in your development with the Data Exploration, Interactive Execution, Deep Inspection, and Graphical Visualization.
Spyder offers a superb Code Editor, Interactive Python Console, a Variable Explorer, Plots and Debugger.
Best Features:
- Includes an Intelligent Code Editor with Syntax Highlighting and Auto Code Completion.
- Superb Debugging and Testing features.
- Advanced Scientific and Data Analysis tool for Python.
- Powerful integration with Interactive Python Console, which modifies the variables in realtime.
PROS
- Free Community Driven Version for advanced Python development.
- Capable of exploring and editing variables visually, using its Variable Explorer.
- Powerful debugger that traces every step of the script execution.
- Support for extended plugins
- Customizable interface.
CONS
- Lack of debugging and warning customization
- Performance drops when too many plugins are used.
- Only basic support for Jupyter Notebook
3. Visual Studio IDE
- Price: Free & Paid (Professional ($1299/year) & Enterprise ($5999/year))
- Platforms: Windows | MacOS | Linux
Developed by Microsoft, Visual Studio is an extremely well known and capable IDE that has decades of development behind its name.
It offers a Free Community version as well as two paid for versions, being the Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.
The major difference between it and an IDE like PyCharm, is that Pycharm is designed specifically with Python coding and development in mind, while Visual Studio encompasses and facilitates almost every coding language there is, although it does this via extensions.
Visual Studio’s base install is very light weight, barebone installation (which is good), as it keeps it fast with a small installation footprint. It does then reply on the user to install extensions that they require, depending on their coding language and needs
So if you want to code in Python in Visual Studio, you would need to install the Python Extensions, either during or after the setup process in order to do so, whereas Pycharm comes with everything you need to write Python code right out of the box.
This is both a positive and negative, depending on which way you look at it. While the extensions allow you to create the perfect coding environment, it does take time and experience to set up and configure correctly.
Even with the extensions, Visual Studio doesn’t offer the same Python specific capabilities that a dedicated Python IDE like PyCharm does.
PyCharm is however slightly slower than Visual Studio.
Visual Studio is also much more expensive if you want the paid features, compared to PyCharm.
Best Features:
- Includes an Intelligent Code Editor with Syntax Highlighting and Auto Code Completion.
- Real-time collaboration with Visual Studio Live Share.
- Support for Azure cloud services.
PROS
- Free Community Driven Version.
- Support almost all coding languages
- Powerful debugger
- Lightweight and fast
- Support for extended plugins
- Customizable interface and usability via Extensions.
CONS
- Lack of advanced Python development features that PyCharm offers
- Extremely expensive for paid versions
4. Python IDLE
- Price: Free with Python Install
- Platforms: Windows | MacOS | Linux
Python actually comes bundled with its own built-in IDE, called Python IDLE, which is coded 100% in Python, using the tkinter GUI toolkit.
The IDLE (Integrated Development and Learning Environment) Shell is a cross platform program, so anyone can run it, no matter what Operating System they are on.
While IDLE does provide several useful features that you’ll see in professional IDEs, such as basic syntax highlighting, code completion, auto-indentation, as well as saving and opening .py files, it’s still a very basic IDE compared to other more capable IDE’s available.
This makes IDLE a good starting point for beginner Python developers who want to write their first Python code, but eventually, even beginners will quickly find its imitations, due to it being an Interactive Interpreter.
An Interactive Interpreter, is the same as when you create code in the Command Line Terminal. It only allso you to type one line of code, and execute it when you press Enter. In other words, you cannot create a multi-line piece of code and execute it at once, like you can in the more advanced IDEs.
You can however get around this by creating and saving a .py file, and opening it. This will open a separate window where you can do multi-line code, then Run it by pressing F5. It will then send the command to the IDLE Powershell to execute the script.
This is however a clunky way of doing things, as you now need two windows open, whereas a more capable IDE has it all under one window GUI.
Best Features:
- Free and auto installed with Python
- Good for beginners wanting to quickly write their first lines of Python code
- Multi Platform Support, which help educators teach Python to anyone on any OS, without the need for a 3rd party IDE like PyCharm to be installed
PROS
- Free and Bundled with Python Installation.
- Syntax Highlighting
- Support for Python out the box
- Able to Save and Open .py files
CONS
-
- Limited use due to Interactive Interpreter inhibiting fast advanced coding
- Slow performance that can lag
- No single consolidated GUI, but rather multiple windows and lackluster interface.
- Average debugging features.
- No Intelligent Code Editor and Auto Code Completion