IPython IDE for Windows

Question

I recently installed IPython after hearing about it on this forum. I am looking for an environment that is similar to what might come with MATLAB or RStudio for R.

I was under the impression that IPython would give me that but the version I downloaded for Windows looks very bare. In fact I do not really see a difference between IDLE and IPython except tab completion and history (which I have been wanting) but this is about as much as the interpreter that comes with R which I used to think was hard to work with.

Have I misunderstood the point of IPython? Or is it possible that I have not installed correctly?

I have also downloaded the 'Console' and while I am not convinced that it is working properly, it looks very bare as well.

Komodo looks good but is somewhat costly. Netbeans and Eclipse also look good, but do not seem to be straightforward to install, at least for somebody with my level of knowledge, so it would be good if somebody could verify their compatibility with Python, features, and ease of use for a non-expert user.

Answer 1

I suggest you try Spyder You can find it here : https://www.spyder-ide.org/

It is perfect for you : it is a lightweight Scientific IDE with the explicit purpose of being similar in feel to matlab. It has an editor, a console and lots of neat features and plug-ins. It can use IPython as its console.

IPython is "just" an enhanced python console with pure awesomeness built-in. (actually it's much more : it's a client-server architecture with multiple interfaces to pure magic, in console mode, Qt, and even inside a browser with the Notebook) Definitely check it out later on when you've used the basic console for a while.