Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

iPython VS PyDev

Compare iPython VS PyDev and see what are their differences

iPython logo iPython

iPython provides a rich toolkit to help you make the most out of using Python interactively.

PyDev logo PyDev

PyDev is a third-party plug-in for Eclipse.
  • iPython Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-07
  • PyDev Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-11

iPython features and specs

  • Interactive Computing
    IPython provides a rich toolkit to help you make the most out of using Python interactively. This includes powerful introspection, rich media display, session logging, and more.
  • Ease of Use
    IPython includes features like syntax highlighting, tab completion, and easy access to the help system, which make writing and understanding code easier for users.
  • Rich Display System
    It supports rich media like images, videos, LaTeX, and HTML, making it very useful for data visualization and educational purposes.
  • Extensibility
    IPython is highly extensible and can be customized with a range of plugins, extensions, and different backends to suit various needs.
  • Enhanced Debugging
    It features enhanced debugging capabilities, including an improved traceback support and better handling of exceptions.

Possible disadvantages of iPython

  • Learning Curve
    For beginners, the extensive feature set of IPython may be overwhelming and have a steep learning curve.
  • Resource Intensive
    IPython, particularly Jupyter notebooks, can be resource-intensive, leading to slow performance on large datasets or complex computations.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies can be challenging, especially when using multiple packages in the same environment, which can lead to conflicts.
  • Limited IDE Features
    While IPython has many interactive features, it lacks some of the more advanced IDE features such as comprehensive code refactoring tools and integrated version control.
  • Exporting and Sharing
    Although you can export notebooks in various formats, sharing them in a way that preserves full interactivity can be complex compared to traditional scripts.

PyDev features and specs

  • Integration with Eclipse
    PyDev is a plugin for Eclipse, allowing developers who are already familiar with Eclipse to easily integrate Python development into their existing workflows.
  • Advanced Debugging
    PyDev provides strong debugging capabilities, including remote debugging, making it easier to identify and fix issues in Python code.
  • Refactoring Tools
    PyDev offers various refactoring tools which help to reorganize and restructure code more efficiently, maintaining code quality and manageability.
  • Linting and Code Analysis
    PyDev includes built-in linting and static code analysis tools to help developers optimize code quality and adherence to coding standards.
  • Auto Completion and Syntax Highlighting
    PyDev provides rich features for auto completion and syntax highlighting, enhancing code readability and productivity.

Possible disadvantages of PyDev

  • Heavy System Resource Usage
    As part of the Eclipse IDE, PyDev may require significant system resources, which can impact performance on less powerful machines.
  • Complex Setup
    The initial setup and configuration of Eclipse and PyDev can be complex and time-consuming, potentially daunting for beginners.
  • Limited Support for Non-Python Languages
    While PyDev is excellent for Python development, its support for other languages is limited, unlike standalone multi-language IDEs.
  • Learning Curve
    For those unfamiliar with Eclipse, there may be a steep learning curve associated with using PyDev, as it entails understanding both Eclipse and its plugin dynamics.
  • Frequency of Updates
    The frequency and speed of updates to PyDev might lag behind standalone Python IDEs, potentially limiting access to the latest Python features.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to iPython and PyDev)
Python IDE
87 87%
13% 13
Text Editors
70 70%
30% 30
IDE
73 73%
27% 27
Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using iPython and PyDev. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, iPython seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

iPython mentions (19)

  • Modern Python REPL in Emacs using VTerm
    As alluded to in Poetry2Nix Development Flake with Matplotlib GTK Support, I’m currently in the process of getting my “new” python workflow up to speed. My second problem, after dependency and environment management, was that fancy REPLs like ipython or ptpython don’t jazz well with the standard comint based inferior python repl that comes with python-mode. One can basically only run ipython with the... - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Wanting to learn how to code, but completely lost.
    Third, if possible use a command line interpreter to test things out. I recommend ipython for this purpose. You can use your browser's developer console this way if you are learning Javascript. Source: about 2 years ago
  • IJulia: The Julia Notebook
    IJulia is an interactive notebook environment powered by the Julia programming language. Its backend is integrated with that of the Jupyter environment. The interface is web-based, similar to the iPython notebook. It is open-source and cross-platform. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • How to "end" a loop in the REPL?
    Also, take a look at installing iPthon to give you a much richer shell environment. This underpins Jupyter Notebooks, so is well known, proven and trusted. Source: about 2 years ago
  • State of Object Oriented Shells for *nix
    I know this isn't quite what you're asking for, but IPython (https://ipython.org/) is very capable as a Python + bash (or other) shell, as it allows you to easily integrate the system shell into the interactive environment. Although they now recommend Xonsh (https://xon.sh/) for such purposes. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

PyDev mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PyDev yet. Tracking of PyDev recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing iPython and PyDev, you can also consider the following products

PyCharm - Python & Django IDE with intelligent code completion, on-the-fly error checking, quick-fixes, and much more...

Jupyter - Project Jupyter exists to develop open-source software, open-standards, and services for interactive computing across dozens of programming languages. Ready to get started? Try it in your browser Install the Notebook.

IDLE - Default IDE which come installed with the Python programming language.

Thonny - Python IDE for beginners

PyScripter - PyScripter is a free and open-source Python Integrated Development Environment (IDE) created with...

Spyder - The Scientific Python Development Environment