The Hunt for the Ideal IDE: My Experience with Thonny

In preparing for my upcoming course, “Python for Tomorrow,” I set out to find the ideal beginner-friendly IDE for my students. My exploration led me to various popular code editors, with Thonny frequently highlighted as a go-to option for newcomers to programming.

After installing Thonny on my CachyOS Linux system using paru from the AUR, I was eager to see how it would work for my course. However, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t the best fit for my needs. When the time came to uninstall it, I faced some unexpected challenges, which inspired me to create a step-by-step guide to help others who might encounter similar issues.

Step-by-Step Guide to Uninstall Thonny

Step 1. Locate the Installation: I first searched for the Thonny executable and related files on my system:

find / -name 'thonny' 2>/dev/null

This revealed that Thonny was installed under /home/me/apps/Thonny.

Step 2. Remove the Thonny Directory: Since it wasn’t managed by a package manager, I manually deleted the entire Thonny directory:

rm -rf /home/me/apps/Thonny

Step 3. Remove the Desktop Entry: To get rid of any remaining shortcuts, I checked for and deleted the .desktop entry located in:

~/.local/share/applications/

or

/usr/share/applications/

Step 4. heck for Configuration Files: I also removed any configuration files in my home directory:

rm -rf ~/.config/Thonny

By following these steps, I was able to completely remove Thonny from my system.

Conclusion

In my search for the right IDE, I discovered that while Thonny has its merits for beginners, it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me. I’ve now settled on VSCodium, which combines robust features with user-friendliness and easy uninstallation. This experience is especially relevant as I prepare for my upcoming course, “Python for Tomorrow.”

In today’s fast-paced world, equipping young learners with programming skills is crucial. This free course is designed to ignite their curiosity, cultivate critical thinking, and enhance their problem-solving abilities, preparing them to thrive in a technology-driven future.