Software Alternatives & Startups

Zed VS PyCharm

Compare Zed VS PyCharm and see what are their differences

Zed

Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
PyCharm

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

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Zed seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 96 times since March 2021.

social mentions
96 vs 0
Developer Tools popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Zed
PyCharm
Website zed.dev jetbrains.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Zed 5 features
PyCharm 6 features
  • Collaborative Editing
    Zed offers real-time collaborative editing features, allowing multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, enhancing team productivity and communication.
  • Minimalist Interface
    The interface is designed to be distraction-free and minimalist, which helps developers focus on coding without unnecessary clutter and distractions.
  • Speed and Performance
    Zed is built with performance in mind, offering fast loading times and a smooth user experience, making coding more efficient.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Zed is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide array of users regardless of their operating system.
  • Innovative Features
    Zed includes several innovative features such as advanced search and navigation capabilities, which can significantly enhance the coding experience.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Extensions
    Compared to more established editors like VS Code, Zed currently has a more limited library of extensions and plugins, which might restrict customization and functionality.
  • Learning Curve
    New users coming from other development environments may face a learning curve due to Zed's unique interface and features.
  • Early Development
    As a relatively new tool, Zed may still be in its early stages of development, with potential bugs and missing features that could affect stability and user experience.
  • Community Size
    The community and user base for Zed is still growing, which can mean less community support, tutorials, and shared resources compared to more mature editors.
  • Comprehensive IDE
    PyCharm is a full-featured Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that comes with built-in tools for debugging, testing, profiling, and version control, which can significantly enhance productivity.
  • Smart Code Navigation
    PyCharm provides intelligent code navigation features such as code completion, code snippets, and quick jumps to definitions, enabling developers to write code more efficiently.
  • Integrated Tools
    PyCharm integrates with many external tools like Docker, SSH, and terminal, making it easy to manage environments and dependencies directly within the IDE.
  • Built-in Developer Assistance
    PyCharm offers robust developer assistance features such as real-time code analysis, refactoring tools, and coding suggestions, which help maintain code quality.
  • Extensive Plugin Ecosystem
    PyCharm supports a wide range of plugins that can extend its functionality, allowing for customization according to specific development needs or preferences.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    PyCharm is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, which ensures that teams working in different environments can use the same toolkit.

Possible disadvantages

  • Resource Intensive
    PyCharm can be quite heavy on system resources, consuming significant memory and CPU, which can slow down the system, especially on machines with lower specifications.
  • High Cost
    PyCharm's Professional Edition is a paid product, which might not be feasible for individual developers or small teams with limited budgets, although a free Community Edition is available.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive feature set, PyCharm can be overwhelming for beginners, and it may take some time for new users to become proficient with all its functionalities.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Some users report occasional performance lags and stability issues, especially when working on large projects or while using certain plugins.
  • Frequent Updates
    While updates are generally a positive feature, PyCharm's frequent updates can sometimes disrupt workflow and necessitate reconfiguring settings or updates to plugins.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Zed
PyCharm

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Zed is considered a good code editor by many developers.

Why this product is good

  • Zed offers a modern and efficient code editing experience with features such as real-time collaboration, a clean interface, and high performance. It is built to be fast and responsive, making it suitable for developers who value speed in their editing tools.

Recommended for

    Developers looking for a collaborative and fast code editor with a modern interface would benefit from using Zed. It is especially suited for teams that require real-time collaboration capabilities.

Overall verdict

  • PyCharm is generally considered a top-tier IDE for professional Python development. It provides advanced features that enhance productivity and facilitate complex project management. However, it may be resource-intensive, and some of its advanced features are available only in the paid versions.

Why this product is good

  • PyCharm is developed by JetBrains, a company known for its comprehensive and robust IDEs. It offers a wide range of features such as intelligent code assistance, smart code navigation, and support for popular Python frameworks, which make it an excellent tool for Python development. Additionally, it integrates Version Control Systems (VCS) and various other tools which streamline the workflow.

Recommended for

  • Professional Python developers looking for a powerful IDE with robust features.
  • Developers who need integrated debugging and testing tools.
  • Teams working on complex projects that require tight integration with VCS and other development tools.
  • Educational purposes due to its support for learning and teaching Python.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Zed 2 videos + Add
PyCharm 3 videos + Add

Zed “kills” VSCode

More videos

  • - Zed - The 'Visual Studio Code Killer' - Now on Linux!

Why Pycharm is the Best Python Editor/IDE!!!

More videos

  • - Best Plugins for PyCharm
  • - Pycharm Tutorial #1 - Setup & Basics

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Zed
PyCharm
100% 100%
0% 0%
25% 25%
75% 75%
0% 0%
IDE
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Zed and PyCharm. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Zed no reviews yet
PyCharm no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Zed 96 mentions
PyCharm 0 mentions
  • Matt Mullenweg reportedly returns as Automattic CEO 2 days after getting booted
    I use Zed (https://zed.dev) as my agent harness and either the $20 ChatGPT sub + Sol for personal/independent projects or an enterprise Claude account for sponsored/paid work. It's pretty simple, you could probably set up something like... - Source: Hacker News / 21 days ago
  • Our decision on Cursor following its acquisition by SpaceX
    > We are making this choice because we cannot be confident that SpaceX will use our technology within our terms of service, based on our experience with Elon Musk's companies violating contracts. I'm surprised how clear they are about... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • GLM-5.3: Frontier Coding with Emergent Cyber Capabilities
    I am not talking about GLM models being served through an Anthropic compatible API. I am talking about ZCode, the harness, being unable to delegate to other harnesses, like using Claude Code (or even OpenCode) within their UI, so that an... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago

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Tracking PyCharm since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Zed and PyCharm

When comparing Zed and PyCharm, you can also consider the following products.