A survey of Python IDEs

[Justin Doak]

I am not interested in a full-blown IDE, but rather in a GUI builder
for Python. (Of course, if I get a good GUI builder with an IDE, then
I'd consider using an IDE.) Specifically, the GUI builder should be
cross-platform (i.e., the code it generates should work on Windows and
Linux at least) and an open source tool is preferable to a commercial
one for cost reasons. Using Tkinter seems to be the default way of
getting cross-platform GUIs with Python, but this involves writing
relatively low-level GUI code that I'd prefer to avoid. If anyone has
any thoughts on this matter, I'd love to hear them.

JD

p.s. I sort of use an IDE right now with python-mode in xemacs. 

web.mail at lycos.com (Alan Green) wrote in message news:<270c68fe.0108162046.15ee55ac at posting.google.com>...
> I've been looking at Python IDEs over the last week, and this is what
> I've found. On the theory that other people might be interested, here
> are the results...
> 
> 1. IDLE - comes with the standard Python distribution. USD0.00
> 
> 2. IDLEfork <http://idlefork.sourceforge.net/> "just like IDLE, only
> crunchy". An experimental fork of IDLE. USD0.00
> 
> 3. PythonWin - comes with ActiveState Python. Based on IDLE. Has a
> couple of nice, extra features, but basically the same animal. USD0.00
> 
> 4. Komodo - ActiveState's cross-language IDE. Looks like it would be
> really cool if you were working on a Perl/Python/XSLT/PHP system.
> Otherwise, PythonWin probably does what you want. USD295 a throw.
> 
> 5. PythonWorks Pro - from SecretLabs. Very cool looking IDE. Has a
> layout editor for Tk. USD395 a seat. Might take a few days to get the
> hang of.
> <http://www.secretlabs.com/products/works/index.htm>
> 
> 6. BlackAdder - from TheKompany. Has all of the features of IDLE +
> support for Ruby + GUI editor for Qt.
> <http://www.thekompany.com/products/blackadder/> USD250 a go.
> 
> 7. VisualPython - from ActiveState. A Python plug-in for Visual
> Studio.NET Beta 2. Still in Beta itself. USD0.00 at the moment.
> 
> All of these IDEs have a debugger. None support multi-threaded
> debugging :-(, although the VisualPython documentation threatens to.
> 
> Despite these IDE's, it seems that most Python developers use a text
> editor to program Python. Here are three theories about this:
> 
> a. Python is the kind of language that doesn't need a lot of tool
> support.
> 
> b. The IDEs that are there are fairly primitive compared to VC++ (the
> yardstick against which all other IDEs seem to be measured)
> 
> c. Python programmers are the kind of people that don't use IDEs.
> 
> If you develop or sell or otherwise know of a Python IDE that is not
> listed, please feel free to chime in. If I have listed your IDE, but
> missed out an amazing feature, please mail me ('avgreen' at 'avaya'
> dot 'com'), and I'll summarise to the list.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Alan.