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Choosing the right Python Integrated Development Environment

This blog is solely intended to be used as a reference to learn which Python integrated development environment (IDE) might be best for you or your organization. Since there are many IDEs to choose from, picking the right one can very well depend on the platform you use (Windows or Linux), specific features, or the cost. However, one thing is true, whether you are writing a single script or many scripts for a large project, a Python IDE will accelerate your development time and it’s strongly recommended you use one.

At a minimum, a good IDE will have the following features:

What Python IDEs are used at Esri?
At Esri, our preference varies from person to person. Some of our Windows only users are choosing PyScripter, a free, open-source Python IDE, while others use Wing IDE Professional or PyCharm because they have support on Windows and Linux.

Reviews of Python IDEs
Here are some recommended articles providing reviews of various Python IDEs. It is encouraged to test drive at least a couple IDEs to find the best one for you.

From Python Central:

From StackOverflow:

One IDE grabbing our attention at Esri is PyScripter. It is not listed in the reviews above, however, if you are a windows developer, we recommend giving this IDE a trial run. It is free with 32bit and 64bit flavors and includes most features available in a commercial IDE.

Here is a short review of PyScripter by techworld:
http://review.techworld.com/applications/3238828/pyscripter-review/

For a complete listing of Python IDEs:
http://wiki.python.org/moin/IntegratedDevelopmentEnvironments

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