Python on a mac.

For a class were using python. When installed on my mac these are my options:



I understand that the IDLE is just something I can kind of play around with. Is it also called the interactive mode?

My main problem is where is the actual python where I can save programs and edit them when there are problems etc. I tried opening Python Launcher but nothing happens

 

IDLE is an IDE that contains an interactive mode.

It's similar to command prompt/terminal. You know how you can input commands in the form of a single line? You can do that with the interactive mode in IDLE.

IDLE can also be used as an IDE. Press ctrl+n, and you'll get a new window with a text editor. You can write whole python files and run them from within the same window. You do not need IDLE to edit python scripts - personally I think it's just plain crappy. You can use any text editor. To run a python script, make sure its extension is .py, and in terminal, run "python scriptfilename.py".

 

Where is the script mode part of python.. as in where can I actually edit the code that I write?

Or do I just do it in textedit

 

You can do it in a text editor, or just press ctrl+n on the IDLE window.