PyCharm

Pros

• A high-quality Python IDE with commercial polish
• A best-in-class list of features
• Numerous licensing options and editions

Cons

• Will seem like overkill to some Python programmers
• Far more complex than the average text editor

PyCharm is an integrated development environment for the Python programming language. As an IDE, PyCharm aims to make programming simpler with features like code completion and debugging tools.

Python programs can be created using a simple text editor, but PyCharm's popularity suggests that even many veterans find it helpful. By streamlining the code-creation process and making it easier to fix problems, PyCharm has made many Python developers more productive.

A Full-Featured IDE for a Language That Does Not Necessarily Need One

As with other high-level languages like JavaScript and PHP, Python is designed to keep busywork and tedium to a minimum. Many Python developers happily stick to text editors like Vim that provide a bare minimum of programming- and language-specific support.

This state of affairs stands in stark contrast to languages such as Java and C#, where heavy reliance on an IDE is almost a given. PyCharm's appeal might be immediately obvious to Python newcomers with such professional experiences. Others who prize Python's high-level abstractions and lack of syntactic cruft will likely be more skeptical about its value.

An Interesting Option for Both Professionals and Enthusiastic Hobbyists

PyCharm has made a strong-enough case with coders from both camps that it enjoys widespread adoption. It regularly ranks atop lists of the best IDEs for Python alongside competitors like the PyDev plugin for Eclipse.

Free for educational use and open-source development, the IDE is also available in a number of commercial editions targeted at individuals and organizations. Although JetBrains, the company behind PyCharm, emphasizes professional users, hobbyists and other part-time coders can enjoy the IDE's power without paying for a license.

A Full Complement of Industrial-Strength IDE Features

That power comes courtesy of a feature list that covers every stage of the development process. While some text editors are capable of proposing static code-completion candidates, PyCharm's intelligent engine allows it to account for project-specific variable, function and class definitions.

Navigating around any code base is easy using PyCharm, since it automatically indexes identifiers of all kinds. Passengers on the modern unit-testing bandwagon will find that PyCharm makes managing even the largest of suites simple.

Aging code often benefits from being refactored to account for new requirements and infrastructure. PyCharm's refactoring tools go far beyond the simple search-and-replace approach to which developers who stick to text editors sometimes feel confined.

Naturally enough, PyCharm integrates gracefully with the industry-standard version control system Git. It also works with less-popular alternatives like Mercurial and Subversion, as well as the classic CVS platform.

One of Python's great strengths as a language is its vibrant ecosystem of mature, polished frameworks and supporting tools. PyCharm includes special support for Python web frameworks like Django and Flask, along with apps like the interactive Jupyter Notebook.

This already-impressive list of features is only the tip of the iceberg. PyCharm rivals the leading IDE solutions for heavyweight languages like Java and C++, despite Python's vaunted minimalism.

A Small Investment Can Easily Pay Off

Of course, learning to make the most of PyCharm will always take at least a bit of time and commitment. Whether that is a price worth paying will depend on a developer's personal preferences, background, and situation.

Python fans who want a bit more support than is built into editors like Vim might find that adding some strategic plugins will close all the relevant gaps. Editors like Sublime Text, Atom, and even GNU Emacs can match PyCharm in certain respects when configured appropriately, as well.

On the other hand, PyCharm's commercial backing means that enterprises can easily arrange for high-quality support. That might not matter to lone-wolf coders, but PyCharm's many features can still make for a compelling package for them.

There is no denying that PyCharm is both exceptionally polished and very powerful. Anyone who enjoys writing Python or who is just getting started could do worse than to give it a try.

Pros

• A high-quality Python IDE with commercial polish
• A best-in-class list of features
• Numerous licensing options and editions

Cons

• Will seem like overkill to some Python programmers
• Far more complex than the average text editor