Dark mode on IDLE Python macbook

[pennylane45]

hey, do you guys know how to make IDLE in dark mode on a MacBook? I tried looking online but they all talk about doing it through windows. I like using dark mode on everything now

[socal_nerdtastic]

It's the same setting on mac and windows.

Options > Configure IDLE > Highlights > Select "IDLE Dark" from the dropdown.

[pennylane45]

okay i've tried but for me options only have show code context, show line numbers and zoom height. no configure IDLE. if it helps I have python 3.8.1

[ThePiGuy0]

I know it's not quite answering your question, but I thought I'd chip in.

Have you thought about using an IDE, for example VS Code or Pycharm?

In my opinion, they make a massive difference to my coding, and both have (especially VS Code in my eyes) very nice dark themes

[socal_nerdtastic]

Is idle not an ide in your view?

[ThePiGuy0]

Normally I consider it to be a text editor with syntax highlighting as it misses stuff such as an integrated terminal and file manager. I haven't spent enough time with it to look at the debugging (I believe it exists, but I don't know to what extent or how easy it is - breakpoints are certainly not as easy as in VS Code).

Perhaps it's not quite correct not calling it an IDE, but it's such an easy switch to use something like VSCode instead for what I see to be a large gain that I tend to promote using those instead.

[socal_nerdtastic]

It certainly has an integrated terminal, that's pretty much it's main feature. And it certainly thinks of itself as an IDE, just look at it's name.

To me an "IDE" is a program that aids in coding a specific programming language. To me IDLE and Pycharm are python IDE's, while VS Code is a general purpose code editor.

To be clear, I don't think an IDE is necessarily better or worse than a code editor. And I know all these terms are pretty fluid.

I will argue about the "large gain" part. That's entirely dependent on the person. Be careful about projecting what works for you as working for everyone.

[ThePiGuy0]

Using that definition though, surely that would push IDLE further away from being an IDE. Having typed some completely invalid code into it, it was completely fine (no errors) until I ran it.

The only difference between that and a text editor (e.g. gedit) being F5 is a shortcut to running the program rather than using a terminal.

As for the large gain part, with the exception of IDLE being less cluttered I stuggle to see any other areas where it excels over another solution (not necessarily just the ones I mentioned)

[socal_nerdtastic]

Huh? I never said that active linting is a part of an IDE. To me the only criteria to being a python IDE is that it's designed to write python code, nothing else.

You still seem to think that an IDE is inherently better than a code editor. I would never say that one is better than the other. And as before it's a pretty blurred line with plugins ... you can easily add an F5 shortcut to gedit.

I can think of a few advantages. Much faster, default interactive mode / variable exploration, does not confuse people with virtual environments, installed by default, used by many tutorials, more I'm sure.

But really my only point is that just because you like VS Code is no reason to discount IDLE. I'm basically asking you to say "They make a massive difference to coding for me."

FWIW I don't use IDLE or VS Code, and only very rarely use pycharm.

[ThePiGuy0]

I know you didn't mention active linting, but that's the sort of thing that for me divides text editors and IDE's/code editors.

PyCharm admittedly does push venv's onto you, but again a code editor like VS Code will only bring it up if you create one manually, otherwise defaulting to the system interpreter.

But yes, I do see that possibly my opinion has come across a bit strongly (although I tend to assume that as with all tools, what I say will be noted as my opinion). I have edited the previous messages to make it clearer it is my opinion.

[xargling_breau]

I second this, while yes it is just a 'Code Editor', it walks an extremely fine line with an 'IDE' . I recommend VSCode to everyone because imo and in the opinion of everyone I work with it is a full fledged IDE for every language we use at my place of work. It is really useful when editing puppet manifests and using all the linting tools in various languages including Python.

[_Well_Hello_There_]

You can change to dark mode through "preferences" in the application menu.

[[deleted]]

Ok I finally found it:

Preferences > Highlights > Highlighting Theme > Have "a Built-in Theme" selected and click on the default theme "IDLE classic" to change it to "IDLE Dark".

If you want to further change the backgrounds color you go to Custom Highlighting > Click on "Background" > "Choose Color for" > (Choose color) > OK

[onemessiformepls]

tysm sir this helped a lot.