I'm rocking an ancient laptop with a paltry 2 GB of RAM and Windows 7 32-bit. I'm on the hunt for a dope dev environment for Python that'll let me get my coding on. I settled on PyCharm, but then I checked the system specs and was like, 'Hold up, 4 GB is required?'
I'm looking for a similar setup that'll allow me to code and debug Python directly in the editor, with the ability to display console output. Bonus points if it's a freebie like the Community Edition of PyCharm – something that'll let me level up my coding game without breaking the bank or burning a hole in my wallet.

There are plenty of other awesome options out there that'll let you code and debug Python in a snappy editor. For instance, you could try Thonny - it's a free, open-source IDE that's designed specifically for beginners and intermediate developers. It's got a super-easy-to-use interface, plus some sick features like automatic code completion and debugging.

And if you're looking for something a bit more advanced, you could always go for PyScripter - it's a free, open-source IDE that's got some serious power under the hood. Both of these options are super lightweight and won't bog down your old laptop.

Get your hands on the latest Python distro from the official site, python.org/download. Meanwhile, grab Notepad++ from notepad-plus-plus.org to create some Python files with the.py extension and run 'em. Now, if you're looking for a solid IDE, Geany is a great choice - I've had no issues running it on my Win 7 laptop with 2GB of RAM.

However, before you can get started with Geany, you'll need to install the Python interpreter, and then you can install the Geany environment. Keep in mind that Geany is just an IDE, and after installation, it'll automatically detect any installed compilers and interpreters for languages like Fortran, C, C++, Java, and Python. If you don't have these installed, you're essentially stuck in a dead-end loop.

From the Qt 5.14.1 installer, I downloaded the Qt Creator 4.11.1 environment, which is a freebie with no restrictions. For x64, you can grab it from GitHub. When installing, make sure to disconnect from the internet to avoid any unwanted registration and account verification pop-ups. This environment takes up a mere 518 MB on your hard drive. Python 3.7.6 was detected automatically, and you can create a Python project by navigating to "New File or Project..." > "Application" > "Qt for Python - Empty". You'll need to specify the project name and path, then click "Next".

If the "Next" button isn't visible, just drag the bottom border of the window down. A minimal PySide2 project will open, and you can delete the existing code and write your own, like a simple "hello, world" program. Run it using the green triangle in the lower left corner, or use the step-by-step debugging mode by clicking the green triangle with the bug icon. Qt Creator is a lightweight beast, requiring only 22 MB of RAM for a simple Python project, and 28 MB for a project with step-by-step breakpoints.

But Qt Creator isn't just for Python - it's also a solid choice for pure C and C++ development using CMake. The environment will automatically detect your compiler upon startup, but you'll need to install CMake and add the path to cmake/bin to your PATH. The Qt installer includes CMake and the MSVC and MinGW compilers, so you're all set. To create a C or C++ project, navigate to "New File or Project..." > "Non-Qt Project" > "Plain C++ Application" (or "Plain C Application") > "Next" > select "CMake" instead of "qmake" > "Next" > "Finish". A "hello, world" program will be generated, which you can run immediately by clicking the green triangle, or step through line by line using the debugging triangle with the bug icon.