Programmer Experience: How to make PyCharm better?

 by Kangwei Liao

PyCharm, in the context of Python software development, equivalent of a Swiss Army knife - versatile and handy, but there's always room to add another tool or sharpen its blades.

What is PyCharm's place in the industry?

In this fast-evolving world of software development, the tools programmers use can make a significant difference in their productivity and satisfaction. PyCharm, as one of the top popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python, is no exception. Although it's already a powerful tool, there's always have rooms for improvement. In this blog post, we'll explore some key areas where PyCharm could be enhanced based on the result of a comprehensive heuristic evaluation.

Decoding the challenges: Where PyCharm can level up

Though our heuristic evaluation, there're several user experience issues been revealed. If addressed, could substantially boost the efficiency and satisfaction of developers. Let's dive into these issues and explore potential solutions...

1. Revamping the scroll bar preview function

Imagining reading an interesting novel on your phone, but sometimes when you scroll the page, it sticks or delays. That's what happens with PyCharm's scroll bar preview. It's supposed to be a smooth ride through lines of code, but sometimes, it's more like a bumpy road trip.

Recommendation: What if PyCharm introduce a pre-rendering mechanism. This would be like having a crystal ball that can show you exactly where you're headed in your code before you get there. By preparing content for preview ahead of time, scrolling through code could become as smooth and seamless.

2. Boosting auto-completion, internet or not

PyCharm's current auto-completion is a bit like unstable weather – great when the conditions are perfect (i.e., you have an internet connection), but get worse when the weather turns bad (i.e., you lose connection).

Recommendation: We proposes a two-fold solution. First, a system notification to alert users when auto-completion is limited due to internet issues. Second, a local cache system for auto-completion, ensuring that even when you're offline, PyCharm can still offer suggestions based on previously downloaded data. This is similar to having a backup generator that kicks in whenever the power goes out, keeping the lights on.

3. Customizing code formatting function

Currently, when customizing code formatting in PyCharm is like trying to paint with a limited color. You can get the job done, but it lacks your personal style.

Recommendation: We recommends introducing the ability to create and save custom code formatting rules (e.g., using Prettier plugin in Visual Studio Code). Imagine PyCharm as your personal coding canvas, where you can set the rules to match your style or your team's guidelines. This feature would be like having an extensive palette of colors and brushes at your disposal, allowing you to express your coding style in the most personalized way.

Conclusion

With enhanced scroll bar previews, reliable auto-completion in all situations, and more customizable code formatting options, PyCharm can offer a more intuitive and customized coding experience. These improvements, based on our research and evaluation, not only adding new features to PyCharm, but also enhancing the relationship between coders and their code. By adopting these enhancements, PyCharm is can provide an exciting journey of coding for programmers.