Comparative Evaluation of Python Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) on Android Mobile Devices: Implications for Teaching Programming Concepts

Abstract

Programming is a major part of software engineering. There are many
programming languages, paradigms, frameworks and Integrated
development environment (IDE) software’s used to teach programming
concepts today. Access to personal computers or computer laboratories is
poor or non-existent for students in developing countries due to socioeconomic challenges. One useful resource is the growing availability of
cheaper Android mobile devices in developing countries. With the right
applications and editors, these mobile devices can be used to practically
teach programming with hands-on programming experience by students of
these developing countries. This article provides a comparative analysis of
Python Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) available for mobile
Android devices, focusing on their suitability for teaching programming
concepts. The evaluation is conducted on five popular Python IDEs tailored
for Android mobile devices. It provides a comprehensive comparison of five
popular mobile Python programming IDE applications. The comparison
covers their respective advantages and disadvantages, ease of use,
installation, features, performance, Central Processing Unit (CPU) and
Random-Access Memory (RAM) resources usage. The study highlights the
suitability of Pydroid 3 and QPython 3x/Ox for novice learners operating
resource-limited Android devices, whereas AIDE and Termux cater to
individuals with intermediate to advanced proficiency, particularly those
equipped with more powerful Android devices. This discernment serves as a
valuable resource for educators and learners alike, aiding them in making
informed decisions when choosing the optimal tool for imparting and
acquiring programming concepts through Python on Android mobile
platforms