Python as a programming language finds application in many sectors like Business Intelligence, Database management, Data Science, Machine Learning Deep Learning, etc. This language makes life easy for every coder around the globe. The codes that are written in this language are general English words that we use in our day-to-day life.
Now, to decorate these codes we have written and get fancy colors in our texts along with code suggestions, there are many text editors present on the internet. These text editors help in making programs more attractive and easily understandable along with easy execution of the same.
Some best free and open-source text editors for Python coding along with their download links:
Pycharm- All Python Tools in one place
The first one of the best text editors to start programming with Python is Pycharm. It is IDE which contains all the essential libraries of Python and one just needs to import the same from its environment. This text editor is very user-friendly. The OS platforms that it supports are Windows, MAC, and Linux. The text editor was built with the help of two programming languages namely Python and Java.
It comes in two versions that are, a full-fledged version which is a paid version, and a community version which is free for users to download and work on. Other frameworks that this text editor supports are HTML, CSS, Javascript, Angular JS, etc. Also, there is a provision for debugging, testing, profiling, and deployments in this text editor. The manufacturer of this amazing text editor is Jet Brains and the downloadable version of this IDE is present on their website.
- Platform: Supports Windows 10/8/7, macOS, and Linux
- Price: Free (open-source community version) and Professional cost $249/first year
Download PyCharm open source code editor
Spyder code editor
Spyder (Scientific Python development environment) is an amazing text editor that comes inbuilt with Anaconda installation which is a virtual Python installation. This text editor was built to make scientific Python-related work easy. The editor is built using pyqt and therefore it can be used as an extension as well.
It comes with some amazing features like editing, debugging, and data exploration within its environment. The text editor also provides a syntax highlighting feature that makes code very beautiful and understandable by the user. It also provides suggestions while writing codes and helps in code completion as and where necessary.
- Platform: Windows 10/8/7, macOS, and Linux
- Price: Free
Download Spyder Code editor for Python
Jupyter Notebook
JupyterLab is the most used open-source web-based text editor for carrying out Data Science related work and a very good IPython editor where data visualization and Machine Learning related work can be performed.
Also, the code written in this editor is very user-friendly because of its cell provision feature. We can write a full code in different cells and can run the selected parts of it or delete the selected parts. The notebook is pip installable and is a part of the Jupyter Lab. You can extend its functionality using the plugins.
- Platform: Web + Windows 10/8/7, macOS, and Linux
- Price: Free
Install JupyterLab or access via the web
Google Colab IPython console
Another one of the best web-based text editors or an IPython console that is available in the cloud. This is similar to the Jupyter Notebook in its feature. The only difference that is present and is very unique is the provision of free GPU and TPU. People who don’t have a good GPU laptop can use Google Colaboratory’s free GPU and run various Deep Learning programs.
The GPU service available to the user is valid for 12 hours and after that, the user needs to again start his work. This cloud editor also contains all the important libraries of Python like NumPy, Pandas, Scikitlearn, Tensorflow, Pytorch, etc. So, with this notebook being used there is no need to download Python packages separately.
- Platform: Web-based, thus supporting all available operating systems via the browser.
- Price: Free
Download Google Colab
Sublime Text – Code Editor
This is a very lightweight and cool text editor that is free to all. This editor can be used for various programming languages like Python, Java, Perl, C#, C++, and many more. The user just needs to select his/her desired language he wants to work in from the dropdown options given in Sublime Text and then start coding.
This text editor also provides color highlighting to our codes. Because of this, the code looks beautiful and interactive. This text editor also has features like code auto-completion and syntax correction. This is one of the most used text editors by all Python developers.
- Platforms: This editor is compatible with all OS platforms like Windows 10/8/7, Linux, Mac, etc.
- Price: Free
Visual Studio Code IDE
This is the standard widely used and one of the top free source-code editors for Python or carrying out any type of code development using various programming languages. It has plugins for various languages that we need to download and start our work.
This text editor has Intelli sense property and helps in completing syntax based on function definition, types of variables, etc. Also, there is a syntax highlighting feature present in this editor.
The interface is very interactive and provides multi-language support within its console. It is compatible with Git and can easily commit operations in Git with the help of this text editor. Also, there is a multi-window split option in this editor which allows any developer to run different programs in parallel with others.
- Platforms supported: Windows 10/8/7, Linux, and macOS
- Price: Free
Download Visual Studio Code editor for free
Notepad++ with Python Plugin
I will not say Notepad++ is the best Python text editor as compared to others listed in this article. However, if you are already a Notepad++ user then can easily add Python support to it using a plugin.
If you are looking for an editor to perform simple Python programming, especially for smaller scripts or quick edits then NotePad++ can be a good option with lightweight but not for complex Python projects or larger codebases.
It is because Notepad++ lacks some advanced features which you typically find in advanced IDEs such as PyCharm such as code completion, debugging, and advanced project management. These features can greatly enhance productivity and make development tasks easier.
Eclipse with PyDev
Eclipse is not some unknown IDE however to use its Python-specific features on it we need to add a third-party plugin known as PyDev. It offers a wide range of features in Eclipse IDE to make it useful for Python developers such as Code completion with auto-import, Code analysis, basic syntax highlighting, code folding, debugging, and project management. It also includes integration with popular Python tools such as virtual environments and supports the Python framework – Django.
It can be a good choice for developers who are already familiar with Eclipse and prefer to use a single IDE for multiple programming languages, or those who require advanced features for Python development in a professional setting. However, it may have a steeper learning curve compared to some other Python-specific IDEs.
Conclusion
Many more text editors are present in the market and one can choose any text editor that he/she is comfortable with and can start their coding journey. So, before downloading please go through the proper documentation and the number of features the editor possesses.
My python editor #1 is Codelobster – http://www.codelobster.com/python.html