PyCharm vs Visual Studio vs Xcode

Overview

Xcode

Stacks19.3K

Followers14.7K

Votes213

Visual Studio

Stacks59.6K

Followers37.9K

Votes1.1K

PyCharm

Stacks28.4K

Followers24.2K

Votes451

PyCharm vs Visual Studio vs Xcode: What are the differences?

Language Support: PyCharm is designed specifically for Python development, while Visual Studio provides support for a wide range of programming languages such as C++, C#, and JavaScript. Xcode, on the other hand, is focused on iOS/macOS development using languages like Swift and Objective-C.
Integrated Tools: PyCharm offers integrated tools for web development, database management, and scientific programming, making it a comprehensive IDE for Python developers. Visual Studio has built-in tools for debugging, code editing, and collaboration, catering to a diverse range of developers. Xcode incorporates a wide array of tools for app development, including Interface Builder for designing user interfaces and Instruments for performance analysis.
Platform Compatibility: PyCharm is a cross-platform IDE that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering flexibility to developers. Visual Studio is primarily focused on Windows development but does provide a version, Visual Studio Code, that is available on multiple platforms. Xcode is exclusive to macOS, limiting its usability to Apple ecosystem developers.
Community Support: PyCharm has a large community of Python developers who actively contribute plugins, extensions, and support forums, enhancing the overall development experience. Visual Studio boasts a vast community of developers across different programming languages, offering extensive resources and assistance. Xcode's community is mainly centered around iOS/macOS developers, providing specialized support for Apple platform development.
Cost: PyCharm offers both free and paid versions, allowing developers to choose based on their needs and budget. Visual Studio has a free Community edition but also offers paid versions with advanced features for enterprise development. Xcode is free to use for macOS users, providing a cost-effective solution for Apple platform development.
Ease of Use: PyCharm provides a user-friendly interface with features like code completion, error highlighting, and project navigation that streamline the development process for Python programmers. Visual Studio offers a customizable workspace, IntelliSense for code suggestions, and debugging tools that enhance productivity for developers working in various languages. Xcode's interface is tailored for iOS/macOS development, offering easy access to design tools and simulators to create visually appealing applications.

In Summary, PyCharm is ideal for Python developers with its language-specific features, Visual Studio caters to a diverse audience with its broad language support, and Xcode is tailored for iOS/macOS development within the Apple ecosystem.

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Advice on Xcode, Visual Studio, PyCharm

christy

Program Manager

Jul 1, 2020

Needs adviceon

Python

Eclipse

IntelliJ IDEA

UPDATE: Thanks for the great response. I am going to start with VSCode based on the open source and free version that will allow me to grow into other languages, but not cost me a license ..yet.

I have been working with software development for 12 years, but I am just beginning my journey to learn to code. I am starting with Python following the suggestion of some of my coworkers. They are split between Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA for IDEs that they use and PyCharm is new to me. Which IDE would you suggest for a beginner that will allow expansion to Java, JavaScript, and eventually AngularJS and possibly mobile applications?

2.03M views2.03M

Comments

Samriddhi

Machine Learning Engineer at Chefling

Sep 26, 2020

Decided

Lightweight and versatile. Huge library of extensions that enable you to integrate a host of services to your development environment. VS Code's biggest strength is its library of extensions which enables it to directly compete with every single major IDE for almost all major programming languages.

1.04M views1.04M

Comments

William

Sep 10, 2019

Needs advice

The problem I have is whether to choose Android Studio or Visual Studio? I have to develop a simple app for a school project that can work on both iPhone and Android.

The most important factors for me are Android and iOS compatibility. Although note that i would like to become a Software Engineer when i finish my course. (I'd like to work for Apple, just saying!)

After that id like easy integration for Google Ads and such if i do develop another app that people actually use to support development. (I'd also like to stick with one easy programming language that's compatible with a wide variety of platforms since i'm a beginner and have only ever used Pascal)

565k views565k

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Xcode	Visual Studio	PyCharm
The Xcode IDE is at the center of the Apple development experience. Tightly integrated with the Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks, Xcode is an incredibly productive environment for building amazing apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.	Visual Studio is a suite of component-based software development tools and other technologies for building powerful, high-performance applications.	PyCharm’s smart code editor provides first-class support for Python, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, CSS, popular template languages and more. Take advantage of language-aware code completion, error detection, and on-the-fly code fixes!
Source Editor;Assistant Editor;Asset Catalog;OpenGL Frame Capture;Version Editor;Interface Builder Built In;iOS Simulator;Integrated Build System;Continuous Integration;Instrument Library;Command Line Tools	-	Syntax highlighting;Auto-Indentation and code formatting;Code completion;Line and block commenting;On-the-fly error highlighting;Code snippets;Code folding
Statistics
Stacks 19.3K	Stacks 59.6K	Stacks 28.4K
Followers 14.7K	Followers 37.9K	Followers 24.2K
Votes 213	Votes 1.1K	Votes 451
Pros & Cons
Pros 130 IOS Development 33 Personal assistant on steroids 29 Easy setup 17 Excellent integration with Clang 3 Beautiful Cons 6 Massively bloated and complicated for smaller projects 3 Horrible auto completiting and text editing 1 Slow startup 1 Very slow emulator	Pros 305 Intellisense, ui 244 Complete ide and debugger 165 Plug-ins 104 Integrated 93 Documentation Cons 16 Bulky 14 Made by Microsoft 6 Sometimes you need to restart to finish an update 3 Only avalible on Windows 3 Too much size for disk	Pros 112 Smart auto-completion 93 Intelligent code analysis 77 Powerful refactoring 60 Virtualenv integration 54 Git integration Cons 10 Slow startup 7 Not very flexible 6 Resource hog 3 Periodic slow menu response 1 Pricey for full features
Integrations
Cocoa Touch (iOS) Cocoa (OS X)	No integrations available	Django Python

What are some alternatives to Xcode, Visual Studio, PyCharm?

PhpStorm

PhpStorm is a PHP IDE which keeps up with latest PHP & web languages trends, integrates a variety of modern tools, and brings even more extensibility with support for major PHP frameworks.

IntelliJ IDEA

Out of the box, IntelliJ IDEA provides a comprehensive feature set including tools and integrations with the most important modern technologies and frameworks for enterprise and web development with Java, Scala, Groovy and other languages.

WebStorm

WebStorm is a lightweight and intelligent IDE for front-end development and server-side JavaScript.

NetBeans IDE

NetBeans IDE is FREE, open source, and has a worldwide community of users and developers.

Eclipse

Standard Eclipse package suited for Java and plug-in development plus adding new plugins; already includes Git, Marketplace Client, source code and developer documentation. Click here to file a bug against Eclipse Platform.

Android Studio

Android Studio is a new Android development environment based on IntelliJ IDEA. It provides new features and improvements over Eclipse ADT and will be the official Android IDE once it's ready.

RubyMine

JetBrains RubyMine IDE provides a comprehensive Ruby code editor aware of dynamic language specifics and delivers smart coding assistance, intelligent code refactoring and code analysis capabilities.

CLion

Knowing your code through and through, CLion can take care of the routine while you focus on the important things. Boost your productivity with the keyboard-centric approach (Vim-emulation plugin is also available in plugin repository), full coding assistance, smart and relevant code completion, fast project navigation, intelligent intention actions, and reliable refactorings.

Pharo

A pure object-oriented programming language and a powerful environment, focused on simplicity and immediate feedback.

Nuclide

A unified developer experience for web and mobile development, built as a suite of packages on top of Atom to provide hackability and the support of an active community.

Related Comparisons

PyCharm vs Visual Studio vs Xcode: What are the differences?

Language Support: PyCharm is designed specifically for Python development, while Visual Studio provides support for a wide range of programming languages such as C++, C#, and JavaScript. Xcode, on the other hand, is focused on iOS/macOS development using languages like Swift and Objective-C.
Integrated Tools: PyCharm offers integrated tools for web development, database management, and scientific programming, making it a comprehensive IDE for Python developers. Visual Studio has built-in tools for debugging, code editing, and collaboration, catering to a diverse range of developers. Xcode incorporates a wide array of tools for app development, including Interface Builder for designing user interfaces and Instruments for performance analysis.
Platform Compatibility: PyCharm is a cross-platform IDE that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering flexibility to developers. Visual Studio is primarily focused on Windows development but does provide a version, Visual Studio Code, that is available on multiple platforms. Xcode is exclusive to macOS, limiting its usability to Apple ecosystem developers.
Community Support: PyCharm has a large community of Python developers who actively contribute plugins, extensions, and support forums, enhancing the overall development experience. Visual Studio boasts a vast community of developers across different programming languages, offering extensive resources and assistance. Xcode's community is mainly centered around iOS/macOS developers, providing specialized support for Apple platform development.
Cost: PyCharm offers both free and paid versions, allowing developers to choose based on their needs and budget. Visual Studio has a free Community edition but also offers paid versions with advanced features for enterprise development. Xcode is free to use for macOS users, providing a cost-effective solution for Apple platform development.
Ease of Use: PyCharm provides a user-friendly interface with features like code completion, error highlighting, and project navigation that streamline the development process for Python programmers. Visual Studio offers a customizable workspace, IntelliSense for code suggestions, and debugging tools that enhance productivity for developers working in various languages. Xcode's interface is tailored for iOS/macOS development, offering easy access to design tools and simulators to create visually appealing applications.

PyCharm vs Visual Studio vs Xcode

Overview