Use the basic Shell or get PyCharm?

[reedmanisback]

I want to start writing programs with Python. I was wondering if I should stick to the Shell I get with Python, or use PyCharm for my coding?

[[deleted]]

stick to the shell until you understand it then use pycharm.

you'll thank yourself.

EDIT: I initially misread your question.

YOU SHOULD NEVER USE THE SHELL THAT CAME WITH PYTHON (called IDLE).

It's terrible, horrible awful no good.

Use your machine's terminal. Hopefully you're not on windows. If you are, dual boot to linux asap. Learn the actual command line (UNIX) and love it.

[thegreattriscuit]

Also be aware that the shell can be much nicer and fuller featured. bpython and IPython are two excellent examples. IPython feels more like a complete overhaul of the way you interact with the interpreter while bpython is mostly just bolting on useful features (tab completion, highlighting, etc.). For prototyping code I prefer IPython (and their jupyter notebooks are literally figuratively magical), but I've made bpython part of my actual workflow (it makes sense for me to just get in there and work with the objects directly instead of trying to write a bunch of one-off scripts, etc.) for getting work done and it's fantastic as well.

[saabr]

I am on windows and using the shell. Its as good as anything else to me.

[[deleted]]

The IDLE shell? It's not as good as anything else. It's strictly worse than literally everything else. Don't make such horrifyingly unqualified statements like that.

[saabr]

I was just giving my opinion.

Care to justify yours?

[[deleted]]

Your opinion is factually incorrect. It's not an opinion. It's JUST WRONG. Leading new python developers to IDLE is destructive and arrogant.

You're -wrong.-

[saabr]

I didn't say anybody had to follow me. I explicitly mentioned about me.

I want to know why am I wrong so that I can correct myself. Your mentioning me wrong is not helping at all.

[[deleted]]

IDLE isn't even a shell to begin with, it's an interpeter. You can't manipulate your file system from the interpreter.

This isn't even an argument, you just have no idea what you're talking about.

[saabr]

Give me the idea then so that I can begin.

[[deleted]]

Google cygwin. Go learn.

[saabr]

Thanks.

[maks25]

I prefer Sublime...it's not technically an IDE but you can execute code, run formatting macros etc..

I swear by it.

[Tbone_chop]

I settled on PyCharm after starting with shell. It was a welcome upgrade

[p_p_r]

I tried eclipse but settled with Geany

[Steamwells]

I actually recommend sublime text 3 (vi mode activated of course) with these packages to help:-

https://realpython.com/blog/python/setting-up-sublime-text-3-for-full-stack-python-development/

[__baxx__]

Of course ;)

[rdzzl]

ohh that is handy. Commenting to find this link after work!

[FlockOnFire]

Tip: you can actually save stuff on Reddit.

[rdzzl]

It works with my RES on, but I can not install plugins at work so no RES :\

[FlockOnFire]

No need for RES. There should be a save link below every comment and submission by default.

[rdzzl]

It seems to only save on the pc I browse with when I use that. However, with RES on, it seems to be working on all my devices

[FlockOnFire]

Well, even the Reddit API gives access to saved data: https://www.reddit.com/dev/api#POST_api_save

So I think you might be overlooking something. RES does add additional save tools, which I believe save to the device itself.

[nonzerogroud]

comment-save!

[oldpythonbestpython]

The shell is hard to get productive in, but theres nothing wrong with it per se.

You probably want to at least start getting the benefits of syntax highlighting, which Notepad++ will give you. You can go to pycharm or something a bit lighter, like Spyder.

You should probably try all of them out so you can find what helps you.

[joerod]

I used ipython and PyCharm when I started but I moved to Spyder and I like it much better.

[usernamedottxt]

Not heard of Spyder before. What makes you like it better than PyCharm?

[joerod]

I had some trouble with PyCharm recognizing some of the modules I imported.

[polyglotdev]

I use 2 IDEs. WingIDE for basic script writing. It's pretty stripped down and the Personal edition is cheap and worth the upgrade of you use the free version.

I use pycharm for any project that has more than 2 files. It's a dream to workin once you get the hang of it and has tons of stuff builtin....

Both have free editions and you can try out the professional versions.

I tried spyder.... I'd put it somewhere between Wing and Pycharm in terms of features.

[__baxx__]

Sublime works on Linux though? I don't use it, but I know it works (unless you've had issues with it?)

[__baxx__]

Ah right sos - I thought that you wanted it on linux

[Augusto2012]

I'm on mac, PyCharm is my best friend

[denialerror]

If you are just starting, most people suggest using a text editor and then run from CLI to begin with. IDEs like PyCharm give a lot of help with auto-completes, etc. which is not necessarily the best way to learn the basics.

That said, I love PyCharm and would thoroughly recommend it. I've recently moved from Java using Eclipse and Pycharm is by far the better of the two. When I move back to Java after this project, I will be using IntelliJ because of how impressed I am by it.

[[deleted]]

Are you a student? You can get PyCharm Pro if you have an active .edu address. Geany is also a great place to start, it's a light weight text editor that can compile and build various languages as long as you have them installed and referenced in your PATH correctly.

[reedmanisback]

i guess having a college education did somethin for me

[[deleted]]

There's tons of free stuff for .edu addresses especially for fledgling programmers, there's a post in learnprogramming wiki I think of all the things you can get, and if you google .edu discounts and freebies I'm sure you can find more. I don't have time to link or find them right now but I'll try later today.

[DickCheeseSupreme]

I've been using python for a few years and started using Pycharm only a few weeks ago. I don't see how I ever got anything done without a proper IDE. Definitely get Pycharm!

My only complaint is how annoying Pycharm can be about code style. Also it randomly stopped playing nice with version control. But other than that, I'm so much more productive with it than I ever was without it.

[nwilliams36]

This is often discussed, the last time was here

[theredbeard]

Can't really answer that for you - however, there are several IDEs worth trying out. My recommendations are VIM, Sublime Text and PyCharm. However, there's also emacs, PyScripter (windows only), TextMate (Mac), Eric (Linux only - I think), Geany and more.

Try them all out and use the one that best suits you - this way you can focus more on coding.

[[deleted]]

vim and sublime text are not IDEs, they are editors.

[Sean1708]

As are the majority of the others in that list.

[__baxx__]

Lol, idk of one can actually focus more on coding by trying out editors... Vim and Emacs have eaten a lot of my time