When comparing Wing Python IDE vs IDLE, the Slant community recommends Wing Python IDE for most people. In the question“What are the best Python IDEs or editors?” Wing Python IDE is ranked 12th while IDLE is ranked 35th. The most important reason people chose Wing Python IDE is:
Wing IDE provides local and remote debugging.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Built-in debugger
Wing IDE provides local and remote debugging.
Pro Checks for errors in the source code
Pylint has a static analysis tool integrated which checks the source code for any potential errors and bugs.
Pro Exceptionally responsive support
Pro Totally worth the price -- it's a steal, in fact
Pro Advanced debugging features (multi-process, remote, recursive)
Pro Totally programmable keystroke shortcuts
Pro Debugging in threads
Pro Customizable plug-ins if desired
Pro VI and Emacs editor modes
Pro Super-flexible macro capabilities
Pro Sometimes simple is best
For short scripts, a heavyweight IDE just gets in the way. It's also easier for beginners to understand.
Pro Written in pure Python/tkinter
You can dig in and change how it works.
Pro Included in standard Python distributions
You probably already have it.
Pro Debugger
It has one.
Cons
Con Little support for other languages
If you want to develop JavaScript or TypeScript or use other front-end technologies, support for non-Python languages is minimal.
Con No Tabbing for Files or Shell instances
Idle's Interactive Python Shell and the Python Text Editor are separate window applications. Many would expect them to be unified together within a single window. To create a python program file, or module, the user first opens Idle (It's Interactive Shell), then the user goes to [File] and [New File] to open the Idle Text Editor. Plus, every time a new python file is opened, a new instance of Idle runs separately. So, there are no tabbed modules. That's clumsy approach that adds the complexity of juggling around many Idle instances.
