Turning Sublime Text Into a Lightweight Python IDE¶ A solid text editor is a developer's best friend. You use it constantly and it becomes like a second pair of hands. The keyboard commands you use daily become so engrained in your muscle memory that you stop thinking about them entirely. Vim is an example of a text editor implementation that can be expanded into a full Python IDE using configuration files and plugins. Text editors and IDEs are a concept implemented by Vim, Emacs, Sublime Text, Jupyter Notebook and several other applications.
- Written by a Google engineer, named Jon Skinner, the sublime text is a cross-platform IDE established in Python and C. This IDE for Python on Windows has elementary inbuilt support for Python. Sublime text is rapid and you can modify this editor as per your requirement to form a complete Python development ecosystem.
- Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free and open-source IDE created by Microsoft that can be used for Python development. You can add extensions to create a Python development environment as per your need in VS code. It provides features such as intelligent code completion, linting for potential errors, debugging, unit testing and so on.
Python is one of the prominent and high-level languages that was first released in 1991. It is largely used for the development of software, server-side web development, artificial intelligence, and scripting. It runs on manifold platforms like Mac, Windows, Linux, and Raspberry Pi.
The best Python IDEand code editors are intended for developers to code and debug programs effortlessly. Using such Python IDEs, you can administer a huge codebase and attain rapid deployment. Before discovering more about Python IDE, let's understand what an IDE is.
Table of Content
- 9 Best Python IDE to Use in 2021
- FAQs
What is IDE?
An integrated development environment is a software app that offers wide-ranging services to computer programmers for any software development. Such an integrated development environment (IDE) usually comprises build automation tools, at least a source code editor, and a debugger.
Some of the IDEs, namely, Eclipse and NetBeans, have the required interpreter, compiler, or both; while others, like Lazarus and SharpDevelop, do not.
The border between an IDE and other fragments of the wider software development ecosystem is not clearly defined. At times, a version control scheme or several tools that streamline the structure of a graphical user interface (GUI) are unified.
Various contemporary IDEs also have an object browser, a class browser, and a class hierarchy illustration for usage in object-based software development.
What are Code Editors?
A code editor is a text editor software package intended explicitly for editing the source code of computer programs. It may be built into an IDE or maybe a standalone application or web browser.
These source-code editors are a vital programming tool, as the chief task of software programmers is to write and edit source codes.
Source-code editors have characteristics specially planned to streamline and speed up the typing of source codes, like indentation, autocomplete, syntax highlighting, and brace matching functionality.
Such editors also render a suitable way to run an interpreter, debugger, compiler, or another program pertinent to the software development procedure.
Therefore, while numerous text editors like Notepad can be utilized to edit source code, if they do not augment, mechanize or ease the editing of code, they are not the best code editors.
9 Best Python IDE to Use in 2021
Sublime Text
Written by a Google engineer, named Jon Skinner, the sublime text is a cross-platform IDE established in Python and C++. This IDE for Python on Windows has elementary inbuilt support for Python.
Sublime text is rapid and you can modify this editor as per your requirement to form a complete Python development ecosystem. You can set up packages like auto-completion, debugging, and code printing.
It is built in such a way that it supports numerous other mark-up and programming languages. It permits users to add supplementary functions with the assistance of plugins.
The following is the list of characteristics of Sublime Text:
- ‘Command palette' utilizes adaptive matching for rapid keyboard invocation of random instructions
- Goto anything, symbols, quick navigation to files
- Python oriented plugin API
- Simultaneously make the identical interactive alterations to manifold selected areas
- Wide-ranging customization via JSON setting files, comprising platform-specific and project-specific settings
- Project-related preferences
- Well-matched with various language grammars from TextMate
- Cross-platform (macOS, Windows, and Linux) and supportive plug-ins for these cross-platform
- Good compatibility with language grammars
- Permits users to select specific preferences
- GoTo Definition feature to produce an application-wide index
- Dominant cross-platform user interface toolkit
- Sometimes intimidating to new users
- No strong GIT plugin
Eclipse PyDev
Eclipseis an integrated development environment (IDE) generally intended for the Java language. Owing to its system of extensions or plugins, it can be utilized with other languages, comprising PHP and C/C++.
Pydev is a great plugin that permits Eclipse to be utilized as a Python IDE that supports IronPython and Jython. Pydev employs progressive inference techniques to supply elements like code analysis and code completion.
Pydev is independent, free, and endorses exceptional integrity with the Eclipse universe. Python development has become equivalent to Java software development on Eclipse, creating the experience much more impressively.
The major emphasis of this online Python IDE is on debugging in the graphical pattern, analysis of code, and refactoring of python code. Eclipse PyDev is stable and offers decent performance for the Python project life cycle. Below listed are some of its vital features:
- Code completion and code folding with auto-import
- Pydev supports Unittest, Django, and PyLint integration
- Permits you to make Google App Engine (GAE) Python project
- Collaborating console
- Remote debugger and syntax highlighting
- Strong syntax highlighting, code folding, parser errors, and multi-language support
- Decent outline view
- Support for Jython, CPython, Iron Python, and Django
- Allows communicating probing in suspended mode
- Provides smart indent, tabs, preferences, Pylint integration, auto-completion of keywords, ToDo tasks, and content assistants
- Plugins become unstable by creating issues in app development
- Performance decreases if the app is too huge with manifold plugins
Vim
Vim is the best Python text editor, letting manipulation of the text files. The source code of Vim was first printed in 1991 by Bram Moolenaar, its chief developer. Ever since then, the software has progressed and been upgraded by its developers and also has received contributions from the developers' community.
Vim varies from most of the text editors for Python framework in its modal mode of procedure. Vim has three rudimentary modes – normal or command, command line, and insert mode.
Vim can be customized fundamentally by modifying its configuration file or adding extensions. This means that you can certainly adapt it for web development in Python.
This is free software and includes an assembly of characteristics such as automatic indentation adapted to the language and multi-buffers that support simultaneous file editing.
- Extremely persistent and also has a multi-level undo tree
- Contains a wide-ranging system of plugins
- Provides an extensive variety of support for numerous programming files and languages
- Has an influential integration, examination and interchange functionality
- Provides two modes – editing mode and normal mode
- Comes with its scripting language
- Allows to alter behavior and customize functionality
- Supports non-programming applications
- Command sequences like Strings can save and reuse again
- Does not have a dissimilar colour for the pop up presented
- No easy learning curve
Atom
Atomis a lightweight, cross-platform, and open-source IDE developed utilizing web technologies. It is established on a framework built by GitHub called Electron. Atom is extremely customizable and offers Python language support, installing the extension when Atom is executing.
Some of the packages for Python development are python black, atom-python-run, atom-python-test, python-indent, python tools, autocomplete-python, python-debugger, and linter-flake. Below are some features of Atom:
- Contains an inbuilt file system browser and package manager
- Functions on cross-platform editing effortlessly, thereby increasing the performance
- Facilitates manifold pane features, searches, and replaces text across an application
- Assists the users to write scripts more rapidly with a flexible and smart auto-completion
- Smart auto-completion, lightweight, and multi-language support with decent syntax highlighting
- Allows support for third-party packages
- Simple to use
- Allows UI customization
- Support from the team at GitHub
- Quickly open the file to retrieve information and data
- Consumes more time to sort plugins and configurations
- Tabs are clumsy, hence reduces the performance
- Sometimes loads slowly
Pycharm
In the industry, most of the experienced developers utilize PyCharmand it has been believed to be the best IDE for Python in Windows. PayCharm is a cross-platform IDE established by the Czech company JetBrains. You are my movie.
It can be used on macOS and Linux. This software comprises an API that can be employed by the developers to transcribe their Python plugins so that they can prolong the straightforward functionalities.
PyCharm stands out from the competition due to its productivity tools, like quick fixes. Obtainable in three versions, the Educational (Edu) version, the Apache-licensed Community version, and the proprietary Professional version. The first two versions are free of charge as they are open source, while the Professional version is paid.
The Community version is very fascinating as it has diverse features such as live code verification, syntax highlighting, and auto-completion. Whereas, the paid version contains more advanced traits like complete database management and an assembly of more imperative frameworks than the Community version namely Flask, Django, Pyramid, web2py, and Google App Engine.
Below mentioned are some additional features of this IDE.
- Considered as one of the best Python code editors. As it has smart code and safe refactoring
- Has more features for profiling, debugging, testing the code, remote development, quick fixing, error detection, auto code completion, and tools of the database
- Support for prevalent web frameworks, web technologies, version control, and scientific libraries
- Provides manifold framework support
- Provides smart platform when it comes to error detection, auto code completion, and quick fixing
- Customizable interface increases the productivity
- Supports cross-platform development. With this, developers can transcribe script on diverse platforms
- The default setting may need adjustment before projects can be employed
- Sluggish loading time
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code or VS Code is a free open-source code editor generated by Microsoft that can be utilized for Python development. You can add extensions to make a Python development setting.
It delivers support for embedded Git control, debugging, IntelliSense code completion, syntax highlighting, code refactoring, and snippets.
Visual Studio Code is exceptionally well-designed, and its foremost benefit is that it delivers an extension-based structural design. Because this IDE is lightweight, it can be prolonged by adding sequential components as required.
Some of its preeminent features are given below:
- Visual studio is greatly customizable and extensible through which we can insert debuggers, languages, and themes
- Has a commanding debugger and the users can debug from the editor itself
- Supports auto-code complete and syntax highlighting feature with IntelliSense which finishes syntax based on variable types and function definition
- Has a strong integration with GIT. Hence, the user can execute GIT operations like commit straight and push from the editor
- Good layout and smart interface
- Provides multi-language support and many additional functionalities
- Supports the use of multi-split window and vertical orientation trait
- Sanctions the usage of many plugins
- Initially, it takes time to launch
- Examining with VS code is extremely slow
Emacs
Emacs was developed in 1976 by Richard Stallman. It is a completely free Python IDE. It is customizable software obtainable on all platforms.
Emacs utilizes a form of the commanding Lisp programming language for customization, and numerous customization scripts exist for development in Python. Guido van Rossum, the creator of Python, accepted Emacs as the best text editor for Python in one of his tweets in 2016 – Emacs of course!
Below mentioned are some of its imperative features:
- 24-bit color encrypted support for the terminals assisting it
- Programmed indentation such as newlines, spaces, and brackets for constant formatting in the file
- Syntax highlighting to distinguish document elements like comments and keywords
- 24-bit colour encrypted support for terminals supporting it
- Automatic inclusion of elements like newlines, spaces, and brackets
- Free and completely customizable
- Not easy to use for beginners
Thonny
Thonny is an IDE created by the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Tartu in Estonia. This software has been intended essentially to make life easier for beginners in Python by supplying them with a simple and lightweight IDE.
Thonny is accessible for all chief platforms, with installation directions on the site. It sets up its own bundled version of Python, by default, so you do not require to install anything new.
It has a basic and functional user interface and does not necessitate a huge amount of memory to function. Below stated are some of its vital features:
- Offers the capability to the users to examine how python internally assesses the written expressions
- Permits developers to observe how their shell commands and code affect Python variables
- Python function call unlocks a different window with discrete local variables table and code pointer
- An easy debugger with F5 to F7 function keys
- Supports good demonstration of highlighting errors, function calls, and auto code completion trait
- Automatically identify the syntax error
- Friendly for the beginners
- Clean and simple Graphical user interface
- Helps to elucidate scopes by highlighting spots
- Users can alter the mode for explaining the reference
- Creation of plugin is slow
- Interface design is limited to text editing
- Lack of support for templates
Spyder
Termed Pydee in its initial versions, Spyderwas established by Pierre Raybaut in 2008. Spyder is another decent cross-platform and open-source IDE written in Python. It is also known as Scientific Python Development IDE and is the most lightweight Python IDE.
It is mostly exercised by data scientists who can incorporate with SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, NumPy, IPython, SymPy, Cython, and other such open-source software. It comprises Anaconda package manager distribution and has some helpful advanced traits such as debug, edit, and data exploration.
It presents an exclusive combination of innovative debugging, analysis, interactive execution, editing, in-depth inspection, and visualization competencies of scientific software packages.
These chief components are documentation viewer, interactive console, development tools, and variable explorer. Below are some of the vital characteristics of this IDE:- Capability to identify and edit variables from the graphical user interface
- Syntax highlighting and auto-code completion
- Proficient in tracking every step of the script execution by an influential debugger
- Static code scrutiny
- Plan a time-series or histogram, make alterations in NumPy array or data frame
- Considered as the best Python editor for Windows which permits you to execute Python code by line, cell, or file
- Powerful debugger traces every step of script execution
- Efficient in searching and eradicating bottlenecks to unchain code presentation
- Supports prolonged plugins to invent its functionality to another level
- Instantly view object documents and alter your files
- Performance decreases when numerous plugins are invoked at the same time
- Execution dependencies
Necessities for Python Coding Environment
There are some of the major and standard requirements that are needed by every project in and after its development phase. A project can possess more necessities than the ones mentioned below, but these are the fundamental ones that any IDE must contain:
- Implementation from Within the Ecosystem
It must have an inbuilt compiler to perform your code. If you are not implementing it in similar software, then perhaps it is a text editor.
- Save and Load Again Source Code
The top Python IDEs and code editors should save your work and reopen the whole thing later, in the same way it was when you left. Hence, this saves time for development.
- Syntax Highlighting
Being capable of finding out variables, keywords, and symbols in your code quickly make reading and understanding the code easier.
- Automatic Code Configuring
This is a fascinating feature where the code marks itself as the developer utilizes functions, loops, or any other block code.
- Debugging Support
The debugger in most of the Python IDEs and code editors delivers moving through your code and executing breakpoints for the code's fractional performance.
Why Are IDEs Essential for Python?
The overall objective and foremost benefit of an integrated development environment (IDE) are enhanced developers' productivity. Python IDEs for Windows increase productivity by increasing the speed of development tasks, decreasing setup time, keeping developers updated and regulating the complete development process.
Debugging Function
Identifying bugs or errors in your code is a procedure called debugging. Most of the expert developers in the globe spend time debugging. Writing seamless code on the first documentation is practically difficult. Subsequently, the debugging competencies of your Python IDE for Windows are crucial.
Inopportunely, the debugging abilities of native Python tools are nearly non-existent. If you devote time to debugging, you rapidly discover the native tools are bothersome as they do not tell you about the code.
Creating better code
A decent IDE encompasses a definite amount of intelligence. For instance, the IDE can propose substitutes when you type the inappropriate keyword, or it can convey that a specific line of code merely would not function as written.
The more intellect that an IDE comprises, the less difficulty you have to work to transcribe better coding. Writing enhanced code is crucial because no one wishes to spend hours looking for bugs.
Which Python IDE is Apt?
Only you can choose the correct Python IDE as per your business requirements. But here are some of the basic recommendations:
- If you utilize a text editor for other related tasks like documentation or web pages, you must look for code editor resolutions.
- If you are already building other software, you may find it simpler to affix Python capabilities to your prevailing toolset.
- Developers that are new to Python must try the solutions with as few customizations as possible. The less time gets in the development procedure, the better it turns out to be.
- For large-scale businesses, they prefer best Python IDEs like Atom, Sublime Text, PyCharm, and Wing so that they can avail all the characteristics with extended support for all the matters.
- Whereas, for medium and small scale companies that use Python, they look for open-source tools, mostly prefer PyDev, Spyder, IDEL, and Visual Studio Code for their projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free IDEs for Python?
In Python programming, you have numerous choices for a great open-source integrated development environment. Social messenger list. Some of the free best IDE for Python are Pyzo, Eric, Eclipse with PyDev, Spyder, and PyCharm.
Is PyCharm good for beginners?
PyCharm is one of the most prevalent editors utilized by professional Python programmers and developers. The immense features of PyCharm do not make this IDE tough to employ. Many of the features like debugging, profiling, testing the code, quick fixing, remote development, error detection, and auto code completion aid in making Pycharm good for beginners.
Is Visual Studio a good Python IDE?
Visual Studio Code is a python code editor that was formed primarily for the web app development and debugging of the latest cloud and web projects. It is an open-source that is proficient in merging both editor and good development traits very effortlessly. It is one of the prime choices amongst Python developers.
Conclusion
Python is one of the most popular programming languages used worldwide. As with most chief languages, you have an assembly of practical, useful, and robust IDEs, paid as well as free. The chief Python IDEs and code editors which are favored by most of the software developers universally are enclosed in this article.
Observing the advantages and disadvantages of each IDE, the developers can decide to select the best Python IDE for heir web application development.
Contact our Python experts at Monocubed, if you are still confused about which one to opt for your next Python development project.
| Original author(s) | Jon Skinner |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sublime HQ |
| Initial release | January 18, 2008; 13 years ago |
| Stable release | 3.2.2 Build 3211 / October 1, 2019; 17 months ago[1] |
| Written in | C++, Python |
| Operating system | Linux 32/64-bit, macOS 10.6 or later (version 2), 10.7 or later (version 3), Microsoft Windows 32/64-bit |
| Type | Source code editor, debugger |
| License | Proprietary[2] |
| Website | www.sublimetext.com |
Sublime Text is a sharewarecross-platformsource code editor with a Pythonapplication programming interface (API). It natively supports many programming languages and markup languages, and functions can be added by users with plugins, typically community-built and maintained under free-software licenses.
Features[edit]
The following is a list of features of Sublime Text:[3]
- 'Goto Anything,' quick navigation to files, symbols, or lines
- 'Command palette' uses adaptive matching for quick keyboard invocation of arbitrary commands
- Simultaneous editing: simultaneously make the same interactive changes to multiple selected areas
- Python-based plugin API
- Project-specific preferences
- Extensive customizability via JSON settings files, including project-specific and platform-specific settings
- Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and Supportive Plugins for cross-platform
- Compatible with many language grammars from TextMate
Version 2[edit]
Sublime Text 2.0.2 was released on 8 July 2013. Changes from the first version of the software as promoted by Skinner on the official Sublime blog include Retina display support and 'Quick Skip Next' functionality.'[4]
Interface Guide[edit]
Themes
- Sublime Text contains 23 different visual themes, with the option to download additional themes and configure custom themes via third-party plugins
- The minimap feature shows a reduced overview of the entire file in the top-right corner of the screen. The portion of the file visible in the main editor pane is highlighted and clicking or dragging in this view scrolls the editor through the file.[5]
Panels, groups and screen modes
- The program offers a number of screen modes including panels that can show up to four files at once as well as full screen and distraction free modes which only show one file without any of the additional menus around it
Features[edit]
Column selection and multi-select editing
This feature allows users to select entire columns at once or place more than one cursor in text, which allows for simultaneous editing. All cursors then behave as if each of them was the only one in the text. Commands like move by character, move by line, text selection, move by words, move by subwords (CamelCase, hyphen or underscore delimited), move to beginning/end of line, etc., affect all cursors independently, allowing one to edit slightly complex repetitive structures quickly without the need to use macros or regex.[6]
Auto completion
Sublime Text will offer to complete entries as the user is typing depending on the language being used. It also auto-completes variables created by the user.
Syntax highlight and high contrast display
The dark background on Sublime Text is intended to reduce eyestrain and increase the amount of contrast with the text. Syntax highlighting also makes syntaxes of the language easier to read.[citation needed]
In-editor code building
This feature allows users to run code for certain languages from within the editor, which eliminates the need to switch out to the command line and back again. This function can also be set to build the code automatically every time the file is saved.[clarification needed]
Snippets
This feature allows users to save blocks of frequently used code and assign keywords to them. The user can then type the keyword and press tab to paste the block of code whenever they require it.
Goto anything
This feature is a tool that allows users to switch between open, recent or project files and also navigate to symbols within them.[7][clarification needed]
Other features
Sublime Text has a number of features in addition to these including:[8]
- Auto-save, which attempts to prevent users from losing their work
- Customizable key assignments, a navigational tool which allows users to assign hotkeys to their choice of options in both the menus and the toolbar
- Find as you type, begins to look for the text being entered as the user types without requiring a separate dialog box
- Spell check function corrects as you type
- Macros
- Repeat the last action
- A wide selection of editing commands, including indenting and unindenting, paragraph reformatting and line joining
Package manager[edit]
Package Control is a third-party package manager for Sublime Text which allows the user to find, install, upgrade and remove plug-ins, usually without restarting Sublime Text. The package manager keeps installed packages up-to-date with an auto-upgrade feature and downloads packages from GitHub, BitBucket and a custom JSON-encoded channel/repository system. It also handles updating packages cloned from GitHub and BitBucket via Git and Hg, as well as providing commands for enabling and disabling packages. The package manager also includes a command to bundle any package directory into a .sublime-package file.[9]
Notable third-party packages include:
- SublimeCodeIntel – Features include Jump to Symbol Definition, Function Call Tool-Tips.[10]
- Sublime Goto Documentation – Opens relevant documentation for the highlighted function
- LSP - Support for the Language Server Protocol
- Bracket Highlighter – Enhances the basic highlights Sublime Text provides for bracket pairs
- Sublime dpaste – Sends selected text to the dpaste.com service
- SublimeLinter – Code linting (validation) for JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and others
- Side Bar Enhancements – Enhancements to the Sublime Text 2 sidebar with new options for deleting, opening, moving, creating, editing, and finding files
- ColorSublime – Expands the number of Themes available from the standard 22 to over 250 community-submitted color schemes[11]
- WordPress – Adds autocompletion and Snippets for the blogging platform WordPress
- Git – Integrates Git functionality into Sublime Text
Version 3[edit]
Version 3 entered beta on 29 January 2013. At first available only for registered users who had purchased Sublime Text 2, on 28 June 2013 it became available to the general public. However, the very latest development builds still required a registration code.[12] Sublime Text 3 was officially released on 13 September 2017.[13][14]In May 2018 it was followed by version 3.1[15] and by version 3.2 in March 2019.[16]
Two of the main features that Sublime Text 3 adds include symbol indexing and pane management. Symbol Indexing allows Sublime Text to scan files and build an index to facilitate the features Goto Definition and Goto Symbol in Project. Pane Management allows users to move between panes via hotkeys.[17]
Sublime Merge[edit]
Sublime HQ also offers Sublime Merge, a Git GUI and merging tool, released in 2018.[18]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^https://www.sublimetext.com/3
- ^'Sublime Text EULA'. Sublime HQ Pty Ltd.
- ^'Sublime Text'. Sublime HQ Pty Ltd. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
- ^'Sublime Blog'. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^'Interface'. 1stwebdesigner. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^'Features'. makeuseof.com. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^'Features'. thewebdesignbay.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^'Features'. 1stwebdesigner. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^'Package Control'. wbond.net. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ^'Package Manager'. rockettheme.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^'Colorsublime'. Colorsublime.com. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^'Sublime Text 3 Dev Builds'. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ^Skinner, Jon. 'Sublime Text 3.0'. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^Brinkmann, Martin (15 September 2017). 'Sublime Text 3.0 is out'. gHacks Tech News. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^Sublime Text 3.1 Released, Sublime HQ Pty Ltd, 7 May 2018
- ^Sublime Text 3.2, Sublime HQ Pty Ltd, 13 March 2019
- ^'Sublime Text 3 Beta'. Sublime Blog. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ^Booker, Logan (22 September 2018). 'Sublime Merge Is A Slick Git Front-End From The Makers Of Sublime Text'. Australia: Lifehacker. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
Further reading[edit]
Peleg, Dan (2013). Mastering Sublime Text. Birmingham, UK: Packt Publishing. ISBN978-1-84969-842-9.
Text Editor Download
Bos, Wes (2014). Sublime Text Power User: A Complete Guide.
Sublime Text Python Ide
External links[edit]
- Official website
Sublime Python Ide
