neo-code 0.4.0

Educational Python IDE for STEM & Robotics students

NEO Code

An educational Python IDE for STEM & Robotics students (ages 6–12)

NEO Code is a lightweight, kid-friendly Python IDE designed to run on low-resource devices such as Armbian single-board computers (2 GB RAM). It provides a clean coding environment with structured lessons and an interactive REPL — no internet required.

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Features

• 🟢 Python editor — syntax highlighting, line numbers, debounced code-change events
• ▶️ Run & Stop — sandboxed QProcess execution with 30-second timeout (F5 / F6)
• ⚡ REPL mode — live interactive Python console backed by a persistent python3 -i process (F9)
• 📤 Output panel — collapsible console showing stdout and stderr in colour
• 📖 Lesson sidebar — VS Code-style activity bar with curriculum browser
• 🎨 Green theme — clean white + #32A852 green palette, easy on young eyes

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Requirements

• Python 3.11+
• Linux (tested on x86 and ARM/Armbian)
• A running display server (X11 or Wayland)
• Qt 5.15 libraries (installed via apt or bundled inside the pip wheel)

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Installation

1 — Install system Qt libraries (Debian / Ubuntu / Armbian)

PyQt5 pip wheels bundle their own Qt on x86, but on ARM boards (Armbian, Raspberry Pi OS, etc.) it is faster and more reliable to use the distro packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y \
    python3-pyqt5 \
    python3-pyqt5.qtwidgets \
    python3-pyqt5.qtgui \
    python3-pyqt5.qtcore \
    libqt5widgets5 \
    libqt5gui5 \
    libqt5core5a

x86 / desktop users can skip this step — the pip wheel includes Qt automatically.

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2 — Install NEO Code

Option A — System Python (simplest, ARM-recommended)

pip install neo-code
neo-code

Option B — Virtual environment with system Qt (ARM-recommended)

Use --system-site-packages so the venv can see the apt-installed PyQt5:

python3 -m venv --system-site-packages ~/.venvs/neo-code
source ~/.venvs/neo-code/bin/activate
pip install neo-code
neo-code

Option C — Fully isolated venv (x86 / desktop)

python3 -m venv ~/.venvs/neo-code
source ~/.venvs/neo-code/bin/activate
pip install neo-code
neo-code

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Running from source

git clone https://github.com/MEO-3/neo-code.git
cd neo-code

# ARM — reuse system PyQt5
python3 -m venv --system-site-packages .venv

# x86 — fully isolated
# python3 -m venv .venv

source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e .
python -m neo_code

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Keyboard shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Run code	F5
Stop execution	F6
Toggle REPL mode	F9
New file	Ctrl+N
Open file	Ctrl+O
Save file	Ctrl+S

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Project status

Phase	Status	Description
1 — IDE Foundation	✅ Done	Editor, terminal, toolbar, sidebar, theme, event bus, QProcess runner
2 — REPL mode	✅ Done	Interactive Python console with persistent process, escape-code filtering
3 — Curriculum	🔲 Planned	Lesson browser, project templates, student progress

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License

MIT