PyDev Python IDE – the best choice
Filed Under (Editors, Python) by Marcin Kuźmiński on June-20-2009
Tagged Under : , , , , , , , , ,

I went through many of python editors, and always came back to PyDev. Pydev in an plug-in to eclipse it comes with load of features, among them:

  • Package Explorer showing outline for python modules
  • Mylyn integration (separate feature: org.python.pydev.mylyn.feature)
  • Jython and Python support!
  • Support for scripting Pydev with Jython
  • Nice PYTHONPATH configuration!
  • Project and module creation wizards
  • Ctrl+Shift+O: Organizes imports or sorts selection alphabetically
  • Ctrl+Shift+F: Autoformat your code (preferences can be set)
  • Python 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.0 syntax supported
  • Pydev builders can be disabled
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Spell checking (depends on JDT for Eclipse 3.3)
  • Hovering in errors shows descriptions
  • Matching brackets highlighted.
  • Parser errors marked in the task list
  • Outline view with imports/functions/classes
  • Tabs or spaces preference
  • Smart indentation (indent and dedent)
  • Navigation: keyboard shortcuts to previous or next function. Default: (Ctrl+Shift+Up and Ctrl+Shift+Down)
  • Comment and uncomment commands (on the popup menu) and keybindings. Default: (Ctrl+3 and Ctrl+Shift+3)
  • hyperlinks over functions//import statements
  • Code folding
  • Refactoring with bicycle repair man.
  • Code Completion (Ctrl+Space)
  • Templates Completion (Ctrl+Space Too)
  • Go to definition with F3 (powered by bicycle repair man)
  • Content Assistant (Ctrl+1)
  • Code Coverage
  • Pylint
  • TODO tasks
  • Background and current line color chooser.

I highly recommend using Pylint in pydev it really helps to keep the code good quality. Pylint analyzes your code and shows unnecessary variables and imports, provides helpers to clean up the code and many more.

To install pydev just add http://pydev.sourceforge.net/updates/ http://pydev.org/updates (see update below) link to eclipse by using software updates and addons option.
I’m using the nightly builds for eclipse (http://nightly.aptana.com/pydev/) because they always come with new features earlier than the main release but remember use it on your own responsibility. You can find how to setup pydev here. When your up and running with pydev download pylint from here don’t forget the necessary dependencies i.e: logilab-astng, logilab-common, links are on the pylint download site. The turn on pylint you have to add a path to lint.py file in pylint tab on pydev options in eclipse. After restart of eclipse you should see output from pylint on the eclipse console anytime when you save a python file.

Now enjoy the most powerful python IDE available :-)

UPDATE: since PyDev release 1.5 now the package have integrated a pyDev extensions… the new repository for eclipse containing the version 1.5 is :http://pydev.org/updates
I also added a post about the PyDev extensions see it here http://www.python-blog.com/2009/09/06/pydev-extension-now-open-source/

(7) Comments    Read More


Comments
Łukasz Balcerzak on June 22nd, 2009 at 22:18 #

Well, I have tried many IDEs/simpler editors too, among them Gaeny, Gedit, Kate, Editra, Komodo, WingIDE, Eclipse, IDEA, TextMate and even RedEditor (the last one is still under construction but it seems finally there would be TextMate-like editor for linux platform). Every one of them is great and every one of them lacks something in my view.

I really love bundles for Python and Django in TextMate and I have used them for quite a long time but I can’t stand it’s project management – I hate when files and folders are mixed together in files tree view and “folders on top” just doesn’t work well enough (it is turned off every time you make any changes to project files “outside” of TextMate, as running newly created file because it creates .pyc file – crazy!).

So I fall to Eclipsy+PyDev again. And then back to TextMate. And Eclipse after some time And so on and so one.

From time to time I tried to polish out IDEA’s Python Plugin’s configuration and, well I have to say, from some time now I use it with pleasure – its lighting fast (as for bulky Java IDE), has build in great tools for XHTML/HTML/XML, version control systems, database connectors, project management, structure view etc. I know I know – we don’t need most of this tools but they are there! I remember working with IDEA with JBoss Seam (J2EE) gives me very good opinion about this IDE. I only hope folks from JetBrains will finally put more effort on Python and eventually will create something similar to RubMine (http://www.jetbrains.com/ruby/).

python-blog » Blog Archive » Eclipse Galileo with PyDev custom setup on June 25th, 2009 at 01:45 #

[...] Now run eclipse save you workspace and setup pydev as in this post: http://www.python-blog.com/index.php/2009/06/20/python-ide-pydev-best-choice/ [...]

KonstantinMiller on July 6th, 2009 at 23:18 #

How soon will you update your blog? I’m interested in reading some more information on this issue.

Marcin Kuźmiński on July 6th, 2009 at 23:56 #

I’m updating it quite frequently. What exactly you would like to know ? :)?

Benjamin Chodroff on July 7th, 2009 at 21:01 #

I’m curious – has anyone tried pydev inside of Rational Team Concert yet (http://jazz.net)? They have an Eclipse client but I have not tried to integrate them together yet.

r4i on November 26th, 2009 at 12:20 #

I see 1.5.1 to be downloaded already. But the zip file contains a update site, and not the extracted and ready to be used zip file of the feature/plugin. Any reason for this?

Marcin Kuźmiński on November 26th, 2009 at 12:40 #

The update site is an eclipse repository, i don’t think there exists a standalone plugin.

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