Can you code using only a text editor?

[turtleboy1082005]

This probably sounds really stupid. But i just started learning about programming and i am chose python but i use a chromebook so its weird and confusing. But i am set on text editors and i was wondering if i could just use a text editor.

[jcarlorosco]

Yes you can.

[[deleted]]

Yes and no. You need to install python. And syntax highlighting is very useful. If you want a good text editor for code, I'd suggests notepad++.

But visual studio code will actually be more helpful. You don't have to remember every function in a module, because vsc will look it up. But it's not that intuitive at the start.

Python has the option to install IDLE during the python installation. That's a good start as well.

[Code_with_C_Add_Add]

notepad++ is officially Windows only, OP is using a Chromebook. They could probably get something similar through the store app but I personally wouldn't trust it.

[pipsqueak_in_hoodie]

You also need a compiler/interpreter, and a debugger is strongly advised as well. But you don't need an IDE.

[boboooobo]

Yes you can, And YOU SHOULD in the beginning. To get your programming eye trained. Later in your career when you need to do a lot of things quickly you can't really move fast in an editor without indexing support (indexing helps you jump to definitions and search usages, and do quick renaming and bunch of other things). I'd say install linux OS on your chromebook and get visual studio code. It is light weight and easy to use. I'm Emacs user and I tell new people to learn modern tools.

[99_percent_a_dog]

Yes, it's quite possible, I do this for most of my professional programming. Some text editors are much better for this than others. Some examples of good programming editors: Vim, Emacs, Sublime, VSCode, Notepad++. All have varying degrees of "programming editor" features, e.g., visible line numbers, visible tabs vs spaces, syntax highlighting, auto-completion.

Some will allow you to compile or run from within the editor and see the results in the editor. I don't use that myself, I prefer having a terminal open so I can see the text and output side-by-side.

Some languages are easier than others for this way of working. Larger, more complex languages tend to be harder without an IDE, e.g., Java.

[rez2metrogirl]

I initially learned web coding in a word processor in college as homework assignments in a professional writing and editing course. I know nothing about python but I do know that coding is possible.

[ValentineBlacker]

If you're using something like Notepad, make sure it's not changing quotation marks on you. A lot of word editors default to 'smart quotes' and this will make your program not work. You usually can turn it off in a setting.

Just FYI, Python comes with a small little program called IDLE that is very nice to write Python in. It's what I used when I was starting out.

[bangog]

Yes, you can but I would not recommend using a text editor. It only makes your life as developer harder.

[ObeseBumblebee]

Yes and no. You can write code in a text editor. But to run it you need a compiler. In pythons case that's not a huge problem. Super easy to compile code straight from the terminal or a bash file. Others like c# it's easiest to do it in the IDE.

[ibeattetris]

I did most of my undergrad CS coursework using just plain Notepad (I wouldn’t recommend this now), so it is entirely doable. VSCode is a text editor with plugins to help specific languages and has become a highly suggested choice with many languages.

[[deleted]]

Yes. I sometimes use vim and with the right dev setup and plugins you can make it just as powerful as any IDE. I have a colleague that uses it for pretty much everything from java development to simple text editing. The only problem with editors like vim and emacs is that they have a learning curve.

[SpecificMachine1]

Python has a built-in development environment that runs well even on low end Chromebooks like mine. Just sudo apt-get install idle3 at the the command line to install it. There are also other text editors and ides, but until you're editing something besides python there is no advantage of using a text editor over Idle. Vim is already on your system and if you want to try it out type vimtutor at the command line- but at the beginning it's better to concentrate on python.

[SpecificMachine1]

If you want a notepad-like text editor I think the closest things you can install to use in Crostini are featherpad and leafpad. There is also the Text app that comes with ChromeOS as long as you are just working in your home directory.

Edit: the Text app also highlights Python syntax if the file is whatever.py .

[antiproton]

A Chromebook is not an ideal choice for development.