As a developer, choosing the right editor is one of the most crucial decisions to make. A good editor can boost productivity and make coding more enjoyable, while a bad one can make coding a frustrating and slow process. After trying out various editors, I have chosen PyCharm by JetBrains as my preferred editor for project development. In this blog post, I will explain why I prefer PyCharm and highlight its features that make it stand out from other editors.
1. Firstly, PyCharm has a fantastic code formatting feature that makes my code look clean and organized. Writing code can sometimes become a mess, with inconsistent spacing, indentation, and other formatting issues. PyCharm’s code formatting tool automatically fixes these issues and ensures that the code is formatted consistently throughout the project. This feature saves me a lot of time and effort, as I can be less concerned with formatting and can focus on writing the code.
2. Another great feature of PyCharm is the availability of many plugins. These plugins allow me to extend the functionality of the editor and add features that are not available by default. The Git plugin allows me to perform Git operations directly from the editor, improving version control.
3. PyCharm’s compatibility with GitHub Copilot is another feature that I find extremely useful. GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool that suggests code based on the context. PyCharm’s integration with GitHub Copilot means that I can use this tool directly from the editor and get code suggestions based on my current project. This feature has saved me a lot of time and effort, especially when working on complex projects with multiple files and functions. I can rely on co-pilot to help with syntax, or recommend code that should solve a problem. It saves me from looking up documentation and is really helpful auto-completing verbose code. For example collating the variables used within a loop for printing or storing into a dataframe. Co-pilot will collate the variables and store them as required, or create a dictionary to produce a dataframe.
4. In addition to the features mentioned above, PyCharm is also widely used by my colleagues. This is beneficial because it ensures that our work flows are similar, and we can easily collaborate on projects. It also means that we can share knowledge and experience with each other, which leads to better code quality and a more efficient development process.
5. Another great feature of PyCharm is the pop-ups that show function definitions when clicked. This feature is handy when working with large projects with many functions and classes. Clicking on a function name shows a pop-up with the function definition, making it easy to understand the code and navigate the project. Using a plugin that prepares docstrings automatically, make this feature more useful and helpful when working on larger projects.
6. Finally, PyCharm is excellent at maintaining multi-folder projects. When working on large projects with multiple folders and files, it can be challenging to keep track of everything. PyCharm’s project management tool makes it easy to organize files and folders and navigate the project structure. This feature saves me a lot of time and effort, especially when working on complex projects with many files and folders. I like to maintain a modules directory with common modules with classes and functions that I add to each project. This means I can start a new project leveraging an common code base.
In conclusion, PyCharm by JetBrains is an excellent editor for project development, with many features that make coding more enjoyable and efficient. PyCharm’s code formatting, plugin support, compatibility with GitHub Copilot, and project management tools make it stand out from other editors. Its popularity among my colleagues and the pop-ups that show function definitions when clicked are additional features that make it my preferred editor. If you’re looking for an editor to boost your productivity and make coding more enjoyable, I highly recommend giving PyCharm a try.