Hi Guys.
I'm getting bored, and so I'm looking at Python for a new challenge. I hoped to be able to use my Java NetBeans IDE to avoid an IDE learning curve, but it seems that NetBeans support for Python died years ago.
So, all you Python gurus... what do you IDE do you recommend for an experienced Java/SmallTalk developer? Must run on MacOS, must be free.
Stay safe
James
It's been a few years since I tried it but I was impressed with Komodo IDE. It's by ActiveState and they have versions for all major platforms. They also have their own implementation of Python. Best of all, they recently made Komodo IDE free. I'd start with that one. The only reason I don't use it is because I use the Visual Studio IDE for debugging.
First we ended our Apple work years ago. Let's not get into why. But it did give me a view into work there.
Why not Xcode? Read how to use it at https://github.com/moayes/Xcode-python
Hate Xcode? Look over others at https://wiki.python.org/moin/IntegratedDevelopmentEnvironments
BTW an excellent Python book is Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional by Magnus Lie Hetland.
I looked at IDLE, but I hated its fragmented windows.
I tried PyCharm Community Edition and immediately felt at home - same overall L&F as Netbeans or Eclipse, and a full feature set.
So now I'm having fun taking some demos from my Java tutorial/demo library and trying to implement them (from scratch, not by translating line-by-line!) in Pyton 3.8
No big gotchas yet, but I love the way it treats lists as a primary data type and ignores arrays.
I'll give anothet thumbs up to Komodo and also further suggest that if you need to create a GUI you look at wxPython rather than tkinter.
I got the impression that tkinter was like a de-facto standard - it's the only one included in the standard dowenload (?). For learning I want to stay completely mainstream.
I did have another look at Komodo. Obviously better for multiple language support, but PyCharm seems to rate higher on things like utocomplete and refactoring that are inportant to me.
Firther thoughts please?
Wow, Python classes are weird. It seems like a class is just a namespace and anyone can add or corrupt anything whenever they like. Scary.
I'll have to have a look at PyCharm. tkinter is the default but my understanding is that it hasn't been updated in years. Wxpython is current and is a python wrapper for the wxwidgets tool set. Wxwidgets uses the native look and feel of the host OS so if you run your app on Mac it looks like a Mac app; on Windows it looks like a Windows app, etc. Wxpython also has a decent forum for user questions.
The most recent updates to tkinter that I stumbled across were Dec 2019, with build activity to end Feb 2020.
However native L&F is important to me, so WxPython is a must-evauate.
How different are they to use? Do the packing and event handling use the same architecture and similar APIs?
I've only dabbled in tkinter and that was a few years ago. I really don't recall much about it. I found a lot more information/books are available for wxPython, particularly those bt Michael Driscoll. WxPython in Action is also good if a tad outdated. It's by Robin Dunn who runs the wxpython forum (and who created the wxpython wrapper).
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