A programmer requires a code editor to edit their code. PyCharm is an IDE, and the VSCode is an editor. 

This article will dive in and find out PyCharm vs VSCode, which IDE/editor is better of when programming with Python.

Remember that the IDE/editor that a programmer uses at times depends on their preferences and needs. 

PyCharm vs Visual Studio Code

PyCharm

PyCharm and Vs Code
via JetBrains

It is one of the top-rated IDEs used when programming with Python. PyCharm was explicitly created for Python.

All extensions and plugins specifically focus on improving the coding process with Python. 

PyCharm has a variety of python databases and libraries that are inbuilt inclusive of MySQL and Oracle.

It gives room for a graphical debugger, code analysis, integration, web development using Django, integrated unit testing, and integration with version control systems.

PyCharm is compatible with all platforms, macOS, Linux, and Windows versions.

 It has the following features: 

  •  It has coding assistance and analysis, with linter integration, quick fixes, syntax highlighting, error highlighting, and code completion. 
  • PyCharm does Python refactoring that consists of extract method, rename, extract method, pull up, introduce variable, and push down. 
  • Supports code and project navigation, I.e., quick jumping across classes, files, usages and methods, file structure, and specialized project reviews. 
  • It has an integrated Python debugger. 
  • It Supports scientific tools such as NumPy, SciPy, and matplotlib. 
  • Has an integrated unit tester that offers line-by-line code assessment. 
  • It has a Google App engine specifically for python development. 

PyCharm competes with other Python-specific IDEs such as Eclipse, Py Dev, and Komodo IDE.

It also has an API that helps programmers write their plugins to expand the features of PyCharm. PyCharm is compatible with over 1000 plugins from JetBrains IDE. 

VSCode

via microsoft

VSCode is a source code editor, but its IDE capabilities and its capability to edit text are not well elaborated. It can be used in different programming languages such as Java, Go, JavaScript and C++.

VSCode is based on the Electron framework used in developing Node.js apps that function on the Blink layout engine. 

It doesn’t use the project system, but it allows users to have more than one directory that can be saved and reused in the future. In VS =Code, users can exclude unwanted files from the project in the settings.

Its features are not displayed through the user interface or menus but are accessed through the command palette. 

You can use extensions available in the central repository to extend Visual studio code.

This includes language support and additions to the editor.  Visual studio code can create extensions, hence adding support for new themes, languages, debuggers, add code linter, and perform static code analysis utilizing Language Server Protocol. 

It has FTP extensions; they allow the software to be utilized for free during web development.

You can sync your code between server and editor without any additional software. VS Code allows its users to have a code page where an active document is saved, the programming language, and the newline character of the active document.

Therefore, it can be utilized in any locale, platform, and programming language. 

Standard Features of PyCharm and VS Code

They all offer a range of features for developing with Python that every programmer/ developer needs in their checklist, such as: 

  • Intelligent code completion 
  • Full text search and supporting regexes 
  • User code defined code snippets 
  • Code inspection and debugging tools 
  • Code linting 
  • Git integration 
  • Bracket matching and syntax highlighting 
  • Autopep8 support and code formatting 

Merits of PyCharm

  • It is more powerful as compare to Vs Code and has a commercial version. 
  • The capability of viewing the full Python source code with a single click. 
  •  It can understand files stored in the template folder are templates, i.e. there is autocomplete in templates and views. 
  • When programming codes are highlighted with PEP8 warnings. 
  • Easy installation process since it is straightforward. 
  • Its integration with VCS (version control systems) helps it keep a history of each file. 
  • It has productive shortcuts. 

Demerits of PyCharm

  • It is expensive, especially if you are using the paid version. 
  • It is not easy to use, especially if you are a Python beginner. 
  • PyCharm is resource-intensive because it requires a lot of memory and large storage space. 
  • It has issues, especially when fixing tools like Venv. 

Merits of VS Code

  • It compatible with all platforms: Windows, Linux, and Mac 
  • It is lightweight as it doesn’t need a lot of space. 
  • VS Code is free; hence it is accessible to all programmers and even organizations. 
  • Support desktop applications and has an excellent tool for website technologies. 
  • VS Code supports multiple languages C/C#, Python, JavaScript. 
  • Helps save a lot of time because it automatically writes the left code. 
  • Has a syntax highlighter available for almost all programming languages. 
  • Has a lot of plugin extensions hence extending functionality. 
  • It is well documented in setting up in different environments. 

Demerits of VS Code

  • It consumes battery in a short time. 
  • Other times terminals get bugged. 
  • You cannot open different windows of the same project. 

Performance

When idling, PyCharm uses about 1GB of memory in my computer, while VS Code uses around 350 MegaBytes. In performance, VS Code wins against PyCharm.

The reason being it doesn’t act as a complete IDE but a simple Text-editor, startup time is less, memory footprint less, and in responsiveness, it’s better. 

Extensibility

PyCharm belongs to the JetBrains family of IDE. It has around 3000 extensions that are shown on the JetBrains website. 

On the other hand, VS Code is a barebone editor that can be changed to be an IDE using Extensions. Python support is just a single extension.

It has extensions for everything, and a developer can build their own. Therefore, VSCode is more extensible than PyCharm. 

Price

You pay for PyCharm about $200 annually. Its community version is free for use commercially but doesn’t have all the features. While VS Code is free open software. 

Conclusion

PyCharm is an excellent tool with many Python development features, but most of the features are available in VSCode. The only part it lacks is remote debugging. I can conclude that VScode is much better than PyCharm because of its better performance, price, extensibility, and ease of use.