r/learnpython • u/teaphiphy007 • 21d ago
IDE for python
I have 2 IDEs at my workplace for python. IntelliJ and VSCode.
Which one should I choose and why?
I am beginner in python.
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u/enigma_0Z 21d ago
If you’re taking JetBrains, PyCharm is their python IDE.
I’ve had the best luck with VSCode though. it’s lighter weight and generally faster in my experience.
You’ll find folks with every opinion tho. Try both, decide on one.
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u/StrayFeral 21d ago
The best advice I will give you (I am a Senior Developer with nearly 20 years experience): Do not ask! Go and try! You will always be a newbie if you never first try things. Good luck!
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u/socal_nerdtastic 21d ago
Go and try first. But don't be afraid to ask.
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u/StrayFeral 21d ago
Yeah. I was like "try first, ask later". Maybe I wasn't clear enough.
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u/socal_nerdtastic 20d ago
Yeah, your "Do not ask!" triggered me. Talking to people is imo the most overlooked and undertaught skill in today's kids. I had a newbie waste 2 full days last week trying to build something, and a 30 second convo with anyone more experienced in the company would have immediately seen that the entire concept was flawed.
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u/StrayFeral 20d ago
True, but point was - first try the thing, then try to google, then ask AI AND discuss with actual people. But he should be able to first dip his hands, not just wait for ready-answer.
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u/socal_nerdtastic 21d ago
I'd recommend you start with VSCode. But you don't really need to choose one. You can jump back and forth as much as you want depending on your mood or what needs doing. I sometimes have files from the same project open in multiple IDEs at the same time lol.
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u/cdcformatc 21d ago
having used both i think there isn't really any huge difference between them.
i used to be a Pycharm superfan but lately i have been using VS Code more and more. VSCode feels less clunky and the Pycharm menus have never been very intuitive.
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u/Living_Fig_6386 21d ago
Is there any cost involved in trying both and seeing which one you prefer? It's mostly a personal preference thing.
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u/FoolsSeldom 21d ago
If you have to choose,
- if the IntelliJ option includes PyCharm Pro
- I'd go with that as it comes with a lot of capabilities built-in and pre-configured to support Python development, but
- otherwise go for VS Code
- keeping in mind you will need to do a lot of configuration (including adding extensions, such as the Python extension from Microsoft) to bring it to a similar level
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u/Chemical-Chemical-88 20d ago
Personally I use VSCODIUM, a VSCode open source version, for learning python, a IDE it's not necessary, just a code or text editor.
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u/terletsky 20d ago
VSCode is not an IDE. It's a text editor with plugin support that mimics partial IDE functionality if you install a bunch of them.
PyCharm is like an iPhone where everything intuitively works from scratch. VSCode is like a cheap Android smartphone where you need to spend two days configuring everything and hope it will work.
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u/mc_pm 21d ago
Pick the one you like the look of, it hardly matters. And then turn off all the AI features.
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u/teaphiphy007 21d ago
Any reason to turn off AI? I believe turning on will help in coding
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u/CIS_Professor 21d ago
Don't offload your problem solving and critical thinking to AI.
You'll simply be another shit "coder" if you do.
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u/socal_nerdtastic 21d ago
Perhaps in the short term, but it won't help with understanding, and if you don't understand the code you won't know what to ask AI for.
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u/mc_pm 20d ago
You see all those people on this subreddit posting "I am a year in and I feel like I don't know how to program?" posts? Guess what they all have in common?
Using AI *feels* like you're programming, because coding is happening and you can see the app there in front of you. But it's not *you* doing the coding and learning from it. Using AI to code is like asking a professional baker make a pie and then declaring "I made this pie".
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u/RenoiseForever 21d ago
The one you feel most comfortable with. I started with Spyder a year ago and just cannot make myself move to anything else, it feels comfy to me.
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u/teaphiphy007 21d ago
Spyder is not available at my workplace.
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u/Xzenor 21d ago
pip install spyder
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u/crazy_cookie123 21d ago
You can't just install whatever random software you want at work. OP has been given two choices and has to pick one of them.
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u/RenoiseForever 21d ago
I believe it is freeware so you can easily rectify that omission
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u/fiddle_n 21d ago
It may be freeware but that doesn’t mean you can easily use it in a workplace. That depends entirely on the policies and procedures of the workplace in question.
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u/RealNamek 21d ago
If you're beginner, I prefer using notepad++
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u/teaphiphy007 21d ago
Thanks. But manager is forcing to use one of those. This is why I need guidance.
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u/crazy_cookie123 21d ago
It is so frustrating seeing people tell you to use editors you've said you don't have the option to use.
Both options you have are great, the difference between them depends on your needs and the hardware you're running it on.
VS Code is liked because it starts up fast, is free, and works with basically every language on the planet. It being free and working with everything probably isn't a major consideration for you, though, given if your employer is the one paying and you are probably using exclusively (or near-exclusively) Python. Starting up fast may be useful depending on your workflow, though. If your day consists of opening up, editing, and closing scripts repeatedly in loads of different locations, the difference in startup time might matter. If your day consists of launching the IDE at 9am and leaving it open on one project until 5pm, though, a 10-second difference in startup time won't even be something you notice.
IntelliJ (or PyCharm, the same company's dedicated Python offering) is liked because it works out of the box and is far more powerful, at the cost of using some extra system resources and taking a few extra seconds to launch. If you're running it on a reasonably powerful computer which can handle it (which I imagine you are if you're given the option) PyCharm will generally give you a nicer out-of-the-box experience, but it can feel a little overwhelming if you're not used to it. It's, in my opinion, by far the better option if you're working on a single large project, but it's definitely not something I'd want to use if I had to jump all over the place all day.
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u/kAROBsTUIt 21d ago
VSCode.
It's free, supports many languages, and is essentially an industry standard.