When comparing IDLE vs CodeMix, the Slant community recommends CodeMix for most people. In the question“What are the best Python IDEs or editors?” CodeMix is ranked 31st while IDLE is ranked 35th. The most important reason people chose CodeMix is:
Innovative approach to incorporate VS Code Python dev tools within Eclipse. Includes great HTML tools for web frontend development. The best of both worlds: syntax coloring, great intellisense, validation, debug in the best Eclipse debugger, code navigation...
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
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.
Pro Newest Python tools for Eclipse
Innovative approach to incorporate VS Code Python dev tools within Eclipse. Includes great HTML tools for web frontend development. The best of both worlds: syntax coloring, great intellisense, validation, debug in the best Eclipse debugger, code navigation...
Pro Intellisense
Best code assist and validation available.
Pro Great debugging
Fully integrated debugging in Eclipse for python (and everything else Eclipse does so well).
Cons
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.
Con Works as a plugin to Eclipse
So, if you're not an Eclipse user already and just want a simple editor there are other options.
