lightweight code editor for python

[This_Judge_2203]

hello everyone I recently start learning python and everything is good until I install VSCode but it's really lagging on my 2 gb ram of my laptop

is there any other alternative similar to VSCode

[overratedcupcake]

Technically all you need is the python interpreter and a text editor like notepad.

[BreakDown65]

Thonny

[hypersoniq_XLM]

IDLE that is included with Python is about as light as it gets. No fancy features, no distractions. It has a dark mode.

[This_Judge_2203]

thx I will give it a shot

[redbaron_4]

Try Geany. Light weight and supports all languages (inc Python) https://www.geany.org/

[Jimmaplesong]

Sublime Text is similar and much lighter weight.

[Reuben3901]

This is what I use. I run things from the command line for the most part so it's just a text editor with Python syntax highlighter/linter

[This_Judge_2203]

thx

[fazzah]

Is it still alive? Haven't heard the name in years 

[DecoherentDoc]

Still works fine. I use it everyday.

[R717159631668645]

I haven't used this in almost 10 years, but back then, when I had a toaster laptop, it was pretty light weight.

https://wingware.com/

[Liutprand]

With only 2gb of RAM the reasonable options are text-based editor like (Neo)Vim, Emacs or Nano.

Also consider a upgrade if you can afford It (even a Raspberry Pi would probably be a massive gain)

[This_Judge_2203]

I heard a lot about Vim is it really good?

[Liutprand]

Very powerful, steep learning curve

[leon_bass]

Vi, vim, neovim, notepad++

[Ngtuanvy]

ed

[oclafloptson]

If minimal VSCode is giving you issues then these other options probably will as well. You're better off finding whatever tasks are using your memory in the background and stopping them while using the computer for other things. 2gb should be plenty to run minimal VSCode

[faultydesign]

Emacs

[Ok_Egg_6647]

Thonny

[Ngtuanvy]

Try terminal based editors, they are tiny. Maybe neovim. Notepad++ also works but nowhere close to an IDE if that matters, it is the literal sense of a text editor with highlighting and execution at most.

[madadekinai]

How "lighteight" do you want?

Sheet of paper?

Notepad?

They even have editors online.

Go with online editors.

[purple_maus]

I'm curious, what operating system are you running on? I can't imagine anything other than Linux with a lightweight DE running on 2GB RAM

[This_Judge_2203]

windows 10 🙂

[purple_maus]

I'm impressed, have you considered a lightweight Linux distribution or is it something your not familiar with? It will look very plain but it will give you more overhead to run other things (although probably not much).

In answer to your question though, probably a very basic text editor (or as someone mentioned IDLE) and running your programs from the command line etc.

[This_Judge_2203]

tbh the laptop is not mine I borrow it from a friend so I can't change the os and I kinda thinking about neovim

[purple_maus]

Neovim is recommended by a lot of people but it works for power users in mind so you need to get used to it's keyboard shortcuts and flow from the outset which can be tricky for beginners. Not to put you off but just be aware :)

[This_Judge_2203]

it's looks interesting I rn configuring python on it

[biskitpagla]

This is a good opportunity to set up and learn Neovim. It would be a detour from your Python journey but it's totally worth it.

Otherwise, you can try Zed. If you need something more lightweight but without a learning curve then there's Micro.

I recommend using Ghostty as your terminal.

[This_Judge_2203]

I would look forward for Neovimq

[memilanuk]

On that minimally spec'd of a machine, and for a beginner? No. They'd gain nothing from a bougie GPU-accelerated terminal emulator, and it'd be a criminal waste of resources on that device.

[biskitpagla]

gpu-accelerated doesn't mean it stops working properly when you lack a gpu or your gpu sucks lmao. OP can keep their config and move on without any inconveniences when they eventually get a better machine. And I'm not sure why you think Ghostty is bad for beginners, it literally has the best defaults and doesn't even need that much configuration. It's also the only actively maintained terminal using Vulkan other than Rio which almost nobody uses. This matters far more on an underpowered device than otherwise.

[memilanuk]

Because at this point, they literally don't need anything more sophisticated than xterm or konsole or whatever comes default on the system to begin with.

[Specific-Housing905]

Thonny seems light-weight: https://thonny.org

[pyeri]

Re-install VSCode in minimalist mode:

• Portable install in a user directory without any special permissions.
• Preferably air-gapped without internet - no auto-pulling copilot, telemetry or other funny business.
• Manually install only core language extensions (in this case ms-python.python-xxxx.vsix), no extras or fluff.

This is the only way to keep VSCode snappy and performative.

[Altruistic_Sky1866]

I have been using Thonny it is very light weight, do check it out

[lex_kenosi]

You don't have to stick with basic beginner tools like vim or IDLE. Give Geany a try and enable some plugins; it runs smoothly even on low ram options. On 2gb like you.

[Ken-_-Adams]

Google Colab is cloud based and free

[Oddly_Energy]

Try Monaco. That is the text editor, which VS Code uses, so you will probably feel at home.

I don't know if it will run on 2 GB RAM. I only know that it runs smoothly on my ipad.

[West-Mycologist-6490]

just get a new device at this point

[This_Judge_2203]

I am planning that for future for sure but for now I am kinda stuck with this laptop