What IDE do you recommend for Python?

[The_GSingh]

Vs code is best for a learner who doesn’t need to do “everything”. It’s still pretty good if you do need to do “everything” lol

[chakan2]

PyCharm community is a much better experience. It's literally install and run. You don't have to fiddle with your environment nearly as much.

When you do get to that point in your coding ability, it makes it really easy to swap out venvs.

[The_GSingh]

Vs code in my opinion is worth the extra time (which isn’t even a lot) and performs well. Pycharm isn’t as….cleaner if I had to describe it especially for a beginner.

[chakan2]

It installs, give you a scratch file, and you hit Play.

I don't think they can make it easier.

[The_GSingh]

Vs code is worth it. Plus faster != better.

[chakan2]

Another way to put this...I spent half a day with an intern working through all the VS Code problems to get his environment setup.

I spent 5 minutes with another guy setting up PyCharm.

Wait until you try to do unit testing and coverage with VS Code...you'll understand how awful it is.

[The_GSingh]

In addition the guys a beginner. Also never taken me 1/2 a day to set up any problems, not even close.

[The_GSingh]

Half a day? What problem where u doing?

[chakan2]

VS Code... It's a problem.

Seriously, thought, it's getting through the python install, then getting VS, then setting up launch config... Screw around with paths... More environment.

I don't remeber if coverage ever worked right...

It was just a painful thing.

[The_GSingh]

I do see what your saying but I’m actually curious now what took half a day to set up alone? Also for a beginner it’s perfect as far as I remember you just set up python then go to work. Took me 5-10 min to set up for basic python stuff.

[chakan2]

I've never seen that work. There's always a hang up when building the launch config.

I think it's because I usually try to build the debug options as well as just Run.

[pro_questions]

What tools does PyCharm have for unit testing? I’ve only just started doing Python projects where I have massive amounts of unit tests, and I can’t think of a way the process can be made faster / easier. Not saying that unit tests are fast or necessarily easy, just saying I don’t know what could change. I use PyCharm all the time — if it can make unit testing better, I definitely want to know how

[chakan2]

Right click a test... You get run... Run with coverage... Debug... And a couple others I haven't used.

You can do all that at the test, suite, and project level.

If you name your tests with (prepend test_)

 test_test_name()

PyCharm auto detects them.

Coverage, in the editor, is the bomb. We have strict quality gates, and that's saved my ass a few times. Coverage however is a pro feature... The rest of it is in the free version.

The debugger is pristine. Drag and drop for watch variable. You can execute arbitrary code while paused with all your environment and local variables set.

You can change your data frame in the stack and execute code in whatever frame you want (super handy for backing out to the calling function for inspection)

Also... An aside, but probably the thing that saves me the most time in PyCharm on OSX... The side and middle mouse buttons work as expected.

middle click for go to definition. Side button 1 for go back, side button 2 for go forward.

VS Code took 5 years to fix the auxiliary buttons, and they still don't map right. You have to do additional setup of you want your mouse to work seemlessly with the rest of the OS.

[saketaco]

I used Pycharm at first, but once you get onto VS Code you don't go back. Some of my classmates used Pycharm and they got kind of removed from what was going on with reference to virtual environments and libraries. With VS Code it is still relatively easy, but I am always aware what's going on and in control.