Comparison between PyCharm and Visual Studio Code

In this video, Freddy Rivero, Tech Lead at Rootstack, walks us through a detailed comparison between two of the most popular editors for Python: PyCharm and Visual Studio Code.

We'll explore the key features of each, including integration with testing tools, code refactoring, auto-completion, and more. Freddy walks us through the pros and cons of each editor, helping you decide which is the best option for your projects.

PyCharm

PyCharm is an IDE developed by JetBrains specifically for Python development. It is designed to provide a comprehensive development experience with advanced features.

Key features of PyCharm:

Code auto-completion: Provides suggestions as you type.
Visual debugger: Easily detect errors with breakpoints and step-by-step tracking.
Version control integration: Like Git.
Testing support: Easy setup of automated tests.
Database support: Especially in the professional version, where you can work directly with SQL databases.
Code refactoring: Makes it easy to restructure and clean up code.

Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Visual Studio Code is a source code editor developed by Microsoft. Unlike PyCharm, VS Code is not limited to a single language, but supports a wide variety, such as Python, JavaScript, C++, Java, HTML, CSS, among others.

Key features of Visual Studio Code:

Lightweight and highly customizable: You can install extensions according to your needs (e.g. for Python, JavaScript, Docker, Git, etc.).
Multi-language support: Supports any programming language with the appropriate extension.
Built-in terminal: You can run commands directly from the editor.
Built-in debugger: Support for debugging with different languages, including Python.
Built-in version control: Works great with Git and other version control tools.
Extensions: You can add specific functionalities, such as auto-completion, linters (static code analysis tools), code snippets, etc.
Modern interface: Easy to use with many customization options.

Is Python an easy language to learn?

Python is considered one of the easiest programming languages to learn, ideal for those who are just starting out with programming. It is also one of the most widely used languages, Coursera said. According to the 2021 TIOBE ranking, Python is the second most popular language after C and its popularity continues to grow by the day.

What features have made Python so popular?

It is easy to understand and use, which is why many beginners start their careers with Python. This has spread its popularity and growth.
It has excellent forums, with participants from all over the world.
Since the forums are numerous, you will always find an answer to any question or problem you have.
There are a large number of libraries available for developers. There is a library for every thing a developer wants to create.
Django and Flask are two of the most used frameworks at the moment and both are based on Python.

Is Python good for game development?

Python can be used for game development. Some of the most popular games use Python in some way, such as The Sims 4, Battlefield 2, Overwatch, World of Tanks, among others.

But you should keep in mind that Python has limitations when creating video games, especially in terms of speed. “Speed is very bad, Python cannot be used for extremely fast or intense parts of a game. Many popular games have used Python on their servers and for the AI of their games, so you can use it that way,” they explained in a Quora forum.

Comparison between PyCharm and Visual Studio Code