This blog post on Choosing the right Python Integrated Development Environment from 2013 is aged and needs a reboot. What says the community now on the preferred IDEs for writing scripts with arcpy?
Solved! Go to Solution.
Pythonistas.... call to arms
Microsoft Visual Studio IDE is definitely NOT my favorite python scripting IDE, it's counter-intuitive, cumbersome, slow and looks too old, but when it comes to debugging Script Tools I've been developing for ArcGIS Pro (current version 2.2.1), I feel like no other choice. and as every developer knows, debugging is arguably the most important feature you need when coding just because there are very few genius who can type away their code without leaving any logical or syntax errors /bugs.
MS Visual Studio is the only IDE that can be invoked from ArcGIS Pro to debug your script tools and tool validation code by attaching the running Pro process to the IDE.
Debug Python code—ArcPy Get Started | ArcGIS Desktop
I wish more IDEs with great debug features will be supported by ArcGIS Pro in the future.