A development environment is a collection of tools used to write, edit, run, test, and debug Python programs. Python programs can be written using a simple text editor, a code editor, or a complete Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
A development environment provides the tools required to create and execute software programs.
For Python development, an environment may include a Python interpreter, code editor, terminal, debugger, package manager, and project files.
The Python interpreter executes Python programs. It is the core component required to run Python code.
When this code is executed, the Python interpreter processes the program and displays the output.
A code editor is a program used to write and edit source code. A good Python code editor provides features such as syntax highlighting, indentation support, code completion, and error detection.
Popular code editors include:
Visual Studio Code is a popular choice because it supports Python through extensions and provides many useful development features.
IDLE stands for Integrated Development and Learning Environment. It is included with many Python installations and provides a simple environment for learning Python.
IDLE provides a Python shell and a basic editor for creating Python files.
Visual Studio Code, commonly called VS Code, is a lightweight source-code editor that can be configured for Python development.
Useful Python development features include:
To work with Python effectively in VS Code, install Python on your computer and install the appropriate Python extension.
VS Code can be extended with additional functionality using extensions.
After installation, VS Code can provide Python-specific editing and development features.
It is a good practice to keep the files of each Python project inside a separate folder.
The main.py file can contain the main Python program.
The terminal allows you to execute Python programs and other commands without using a graphical interface.
Open the terminal in your project folder and run:
On systems where Python 3 is invoked using python3, use:
A virtual environment creates an isolated Python environment for a project. It allows a project to use its own installed packages without affecting other Python projects.
A virtual environment can be created using:
On systems where Python 3 is invoked with python3:
The activation command depends on the operating system and shell.
After activation, packages installed using pip are normally installed inside the virtual environment.
Python packages can be installed using pip, the commonly used Python package installer.
The command installs the Requests package into the active Python environment.
Jupyter Notebook provides an interactive environment where code, text, data, and visualizations can be combined in a notebook.
It is commonly used for:
Jupyter is especially useful when you want to execute code in small sections and immediately see the results.
PyCharm is an Integrated Development Environment designed for Python development.
It provides features such as code completion, debugging, project management, testing, and integration with Python development tools.
PyCharm is useful for developers who want a dedicated Python development environment.
| Tool | Suitable For |
|---|---|
| IDLE | Beginners and basic Python practice |
| VS Code | General Python development |
| PyCharm | Professional Python development |
| Jupyter Notebook | Data analysis and interactive programming |
For beginners learning Python programming, the following setup is sufficient:
This setup provides everything needed to learn Python and build practical projects.
Which tool is commonly used as a code editor for Python development?