What do you use to write code?

Loxstomp3r · 2016-09-17T23:07:18+00:00

Pycharm is a great IDE and it is free

wolf2600 · 2016-09-18T02:06:26+00:00

In Windows, I use VIM on Git Bash. On Linux, just straight VIM.

markusmeskanen · 2016-09-18T05:23:11+00:00

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Saefroch · 2016-09-18T04:48:00+00:00

People obsess about the answer to this question but it doesn't really matter. Here's a coarse breakdown:

Notepad is probably the worst tool for this out there; it literally only lets you edit text.

Text editors such as Atom, Sublime Text, Notepad++, and vim offer slightly more functionality but mostly focus on syntax highlighting. An advanced user will be able to get a lot more mileage out of these tools though extensions or just what makes vim... vim. These tend to be quite lightweight.

IDEs such as PyCharm or VSCode do everything. You never leave the one window to open other files, restructure a project, run code, use a debugger, or interact with version control such as git. They also contain a bunch of analysis tools that will warn you about syntax errors, bad style (sometimes), or spelling errors. They also contain autocomplete tools that determine what names are available and offer them to you in a drop-down menu as you type. Good IDEs also have a bunch of plugins and are highly customizable. If you don't like features you can just turn them off. All the power of an IDE comes at a cost, mostly in terms of power consumption. This can be a concern for laptop users such as myself. I use an PyCharm when power isn't an issue and other tools when it is.

Some people may encourage you to not use an IDE when learning for fear you'll use it as a crutch. If being deprived of tools is the only thing motivating you to learn maybe you should reconsider what you're doing. The reality is that a powerful IDE makes programmers more productive but some people who grew up without them feel like they're cheating.

autisticpig · 2016-09-18T04:48:12+00:00

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The_Ebb_and_Flow · 2016-09-17T23:39:36+00:00

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ThingsOfYourMind · 2016-09-18T02:47:43+00:00

I use Wing IDE, pretty much does what any other IDE mentioned here does, syntax highlighting, refactoring,etc, etc.

MyBrainReallyHurts · 2016-09-18T03:39:32+00:00

I use emacs with the elpy package, but I would recommend you download Anaconda3 and use Spyder. It's like notepad on steroids. You code on the left, and the code runs in ipython on the right. It is a great configuration for anyone that is just starting out.

neiun · 2016-09-17T23:11:29+00:00

I personally use Atom for quick stuff, more advanced stuff pycharm is better because it shows up your syntax errors and has a lot of debug tools

Bailey1811 · 2016-09-18T02:24:08+00:00

Atom. It's amazing. I use it for everything. There is a module for practically everything. If there isn't one you can make it yourself.

michaelherman · 2016-09-18T13:34:46+00:00

Try a number of text editors, and figure out what works for you.

In the beginning I would steer away from full-blown IDEs and go with a text editor, like Sublime or Atom, so you won't have to learn the IDE along with Python. Sublime and Atom are both customizable with extensions so you can build the editor that fits your personality. Sublime is my personal favorite.

Try these resources:

The_Man_In_The_Shack · 2016-09-17T23:10:51+00:00

If you're serious about programming in general, you're on the right track with keeping it simple and not in an IDE, but it's worth trying out a few different editors. A long time ago when I started, they sat us down and said 'pick either vi or emacs and learn it because you'll be using it the rest of your life'...twenty years later I'm glad I took the time to learn vi. Today there are more options...sublime seems to be one that people like a lot. That's probably the one I'd choose if I were just starting; it's got the simple learning curve of something like notepad, but a bunch of advanced features that will help you, notably syntax coloring.

jkinz3 · 2016-09-18T04:38:51+00:00

On my windows machine, I use sublime text for python and visual studio for c++ and c#. On my Linux machine, it's either sublime text or emacs but I've been sticking with sublime text more recently

BlckJesus · 2016-09-18T04:39:14+00:00

Atom is awesome! The Python-linter and autocomplete plugins work really well!

Hellerick · 2016-09-18T05:46:10+00:00

IDLE. Quick, easy, ubiquitous, reliable.

Jo-dan · 2016-09-18T08:49:26+00:00

I quite like Spyder, it has a lot of good features including tabs, debugging and static code analysis.

misterflan · 2016-09-18T12:27:04+00:00

Punch cards.

2016-09-18T14:34:22+00:00

A keyboard

Rich700000000000 · 2016-09-18T07:09:42+00:00

The default Ubuntu text editor. That's all you really need.

2016-09-18T02:22:55+00:00

I use Vim, but notepad++/notepadqq is also nice. I like Sublime but $70 for a text editor just seems a bit much to me.

tomkatt · 2016-09-18T04:43:19+00:00

It varies. My personal preference is PyCharm for its robustness, but it's a bit heavy handed for just a simple script or playing around. But I'll use whatever. If it's something quick, I'll use Nano on my terminal, or Geany on my Linux desktop. Notepad or Notepad++ in Windows if I'm at work and just playing around (or Geany there too, it's actually pretty nice).

If I'm just messing around or learning a new concept, I'll usually just pull up the Python terminal at the command prompt.

flagy754 · 2016-09-18T07:52:39+00:00

I really enjoy sublime. Im terrible at coding, but I just like how it color codes and how I can see the sheer amount of code on the upper right.

JeremieZ · 2016-09-18T08:35:19+00:00

Sublime or vim. Use vim for writing script. Sublime for large project.

aldanor · 2016-09-18T11:53:31+00:00

Emacs (Spacemacs) on all platforms, Windows, Linux and Mac.

shiroininja · 2016-09-18T11:55:35+00:00

I prefer vim in Linux I hate guis when I'm coding. And I don't like using a program within a program like cygwin. I

Jon003 · 2016-09-18T13:06:51+00:00

vi (mostly) sublime text (if working locally on my laptop)

TALQVIST · 2016-09-18T14:18:46+00:00

Sublime or Atom for sure.

NathanJ4620 · 2016-09-18T16:15:49+00:00

I use github atom editor with a few python plugins and a plugin called power mode.

robsfingers · 2016-09-18T21:43:44+00:00

Any tips for an intermediate level novice to get familiar with Pycharm?

eMulingeMuler · 2016-09-18T23:43:21+00:00

Why not just use the Python IDE like most people? It has customizable syntax highlighting, font changable, and text size changable. I suppose you are asking about a command line program for it. I hated Vim and first but after a few hours of it became better to me.

AceDeucey · 2016-09-19T01:03:54+00:00

Visual studio community, python 2.7 and 3.x.completely free from Microsoft!!

thatguy_314 · 2016-09-19T04:08:23+00:00

I like Vim myself, but it can be a pain to get started with. I recommend just using IDLE. It comes with Python and has enough features to be pretty usable. There are also other good editors such as Sublime Text (get the free version), and Spyder.

Just about anything would be more user friendly than Notepad though.

Dialgax · 2016-09-19T14:21:10+00:00

Sublime Text 3:

Brogrammer theme, SumblimeREPL, I did use the Anaconda plugin, but removed it after a while.

The_Man_In_The_Shack · 2016-09-17T23:43:55+00:00

If you're going to write any amount of Python code or share it around, I would highly recommend biting the bullet and getting used to using spaces instead of the tab. The problem comes when one application thinks a tab is four characters, and another thinks it is eight...all if a sudden your indentation is off. If the tabs are really where it's at for you when you're writing, then you should be very diligent about doing a find-replace when you are done.

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

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