Replace the code editor

natejgardner
natejgardner Neuron, Registered, Neuron 2022, Neuron 2023 Posts: 151 Neuron

Whether it's Python, R, SQL, Scala, Pig, etc., many Dataiku users spend quite a bit of time writing code. Generally, users writing sophisticated code will want to do so either in a notebook or in Visual Studio Code using the Dataiku plugin rather than in the web browser, since the editor is very limited. Features like code completion and debugging are simply not available, and the current development process typically involves jumping back and forth between the editor page and logs.

It'd be amazing if a complete code editor such as Code Server (Visual Studio Code for web browsers) were integrated into Dataiku. Code completion and function documentation would reduce how often users need to reference the full API docs. Project integrations such as those already included in the Dataiku VS Code plugin could make referencing datasets very quick (instead of the current process of switching to the Input/Output tab). Instead of creating single-file scripts, code recipes could leverage multiple files to keep code organized. And users could write commit messages with their changes, enabling better collaboration.This editor could also leverage existing VS Code language engine plugins for syntax validation and highlighting, which would make SQL editing specific to the database engine. Instead of having multiple windows for logs and code, code output could be written directly to a pane in the editor, consistent with a desktop editor experience. Sample data output could also be written to a pane in the editor, allowing users to see results in real time (just like the Prepare recipe already does, but ideally not a full screen UX). Tying in a debugger (where language support is available) could enable insights into exactly what's happening, allowing users to step through their code and understand exactly how data is being transformed.

This could also transform the way notebooks are created, since VS Code plugins for notebooks tend to provide a much more sophisticated environment than the vanilla web UIs, bringing the best editor features (like intellisense) to the notebook editing experience.

Finally, this would allow for some nice customization features, such as theming (even if exposed only through json files or the built-in VS Code settings manager), allowing users who spend much of their time writing code the most comfortable experience.

An editor like this would integrate nicely with @Marlan
's proposed feature as well.

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