# RevitDevTool vs pyRevit

**Two tools, two different audiences.**

---

## Target Audiences

### pyRevit: End-User Automation Platform

**Who it's for:**
- End users creating Revit automation tools
- Building ribbon interfaces for teams
- Creating reusable buttons and commands
- Focus on pure automation tasks

**Strengths:**
- Mature ribbon UI framework
- Extensive community scripts library
- Easy button creation and deployment
- Large user base and documentation

### RevitDevTool: Developer & Research Platform

**Who it's for:**
- Developers building computational design tools
- Researchers experimenting with Python algorithms
- AI/ML integration with Revit
- Data scientists analyzing building data
- Prototyping and rapid development

**Strengths:**
- Modern Python 3.13 with full ecosystem
- VSCode debugger integration
- Automatic dependency management
- Research-friendly (pandas, numpy, scikit-learn)
- Computational design workflows

---

## Key Philosophical Differences

| Aspect | pyRevit | RevitDevTool |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| **Primary Goal** | Ribbon automation for end users | Developer tools & research |
| **UI Focus** | Ribbon buttons, menus, toolbars | Code execution & debugging |
| **Target User** | End users clicking buttons | Developers writing code |
| **Workflow** | Deploy → Click → Run | Write → Debug → Iterate |
| **Distribution** | Share buttons with teams | Share scripts/libraries |

---

## Python Runtime Comparison

### pyRevit: Multiple Python Options

pyRevit offers 3 Python runtime choices, each with trade-offs:

**1. IronPython 2.7** (Default)
- ✅ Direct .NET integration
- ✅ No dependency management needed
- ❌ Python 2.7 (obsolete since 2010)
- ❌ No modern packages (pandas, numpy)
- ❌ Limited ecosystem

**2. IronPython 3.4**
- ✅ Newer Python syntax
- ❌ Still incompatible with CPython packages
- ❌ No dependency resolver
- ❌ Small ecosystem

**3. CPython 3.12** (Experimental)
- ✅ Modern Python with full ecosystem
- ❌ No automatic dependency resolver
- ❌ Module reload bugs (state pollution)
- ❌ Requires manual environment setup

### RevitDevTool: CPython 3.13

Single, optimized choice:
- ✅ Latest Python 3.13
- ✅ Full CPython ecosystem (pandas, numpy, scikit-learn, etc.)
- ✅ Automatic dependency resolution (UV + PEP 723)
- ✅ Clean module reload (no state pollution)
- ✅ VSCode debugger integration
- ❌ Not designed for end-user ribbon deployment

---

## IronPython vs CPython: Quick Overview

**IronPython strengths:**
- Direct .NET interface implementation
- No marshaling overhead for .NET objects
- Simpler for pure Revit API automation

**IronPython weaknesses:**
- Obsolete Python versions (2.7, 3.4)
- Incompatible with modern Python packages
- Limited ecosystem (no pandas, numpy, scikit-learn)

**CPython strengths:**
- Modern Python (3.13)
- Full ecosystem access
- Better for data science, AI/ML, research
- Standard Python tooling and debugging

**CPython weaknesses:**
- Requires PythonNet for .NET interop
- Slight marshaling overhead

**Verdict:** Use IronPython for simple Revit automation. Use CPython for research, data analysis, and modern development.

---

## Dependency Management

### pyRevit

**IronPython (2.7/3.4):**
- No dependencies needed (Revit API only)
- Can't use pandas, numpy, scikit-learn

**CPython (3.12):**
- Manual `pip install` required
- User manages virtual environments
- No automatic conflict resolution
- Pre-install before running scripts

### RevitDevTool

**CPython (3.13) with PEP 723:**

```python
# /// script
# dependencies = ["pandas==1.5.3", "numpy>=1.24"]
# ///

import pandas as pd  # Auto-installed on first run
```

- Inline dependency declarations
- Automatic installation via UV resolver
- Per-script isolation
- Zero manual setup

---

## Debugging Experience

### pyRevit

**Traditional debugging:**
```python
# Option 1: pdb debugger
import pdb; pdb.set_trace()

# Option 2: Print debugging
print("Debug:", walls)
```

- Command-line pdb interface
- No IDE integration
- Manual stepping through code

### RevitDevTool

**Modern VSCode debugging:**

1. Set breakpoints in VSCode (click line margin)
2. Press F5 → Attach to Revit
3. Execute script → Pauses at breakpoints
4. Inspect variables, step through code
5. Use Debug Console for expressions

| Feature | RevitDevTool | pyRevit |
|---------|--------------|---------|
| **VSCode debugger** | ✅ Full support | ❌ Not available |
| **Breakpoints** | ✅ Visual in IDE | ❌ No IDE integration |
| **Variable inspection** | ✅ VSCode panel | ⚠️ pdb commands |
| **Step debugging** | ✅ F10, F11 | ⚠️ pdb only |
| **Conditional breakpoints** | ✅ Native | ❌ Manual |

**See:** [Python Debugging](CodeExecute-PythonDebugging.md) for complete guide

---

## Use Cases Comparison

### pyRevit Excels At:

✅ **End-user automation:**
- Creating ribbon buttons for teams
- Deploying automation tools to non-programmers
- Building reusable command libraries
- Simple Revit API automation

✅ **Community sharing:**
- Large script library
- Established patterns
- Easy deployment

### RevitDevTool Excels At:

✅ **Developer workflows:**
- Rapid prototyping with modern Python
- Debugging complex algorithms
- Iterative development

✅ **Computational design:**
- Generative design algorithms
- Optimization problems
- Custom geometry generation

✅ **Data science & research:**
- Building data analysis with pandas
- Machine learning integration
- Statistical analysis of BIM data
- Export to data science formats

✅ **AI/ML integration:**
- Using modern Python AI libraries
- LLM-assisted development (Copilot works well)
- Computer vision with OpenCV
- Deep learning with PyTorch/TensorFlow

---

## Real-World Scenarios

### Scenario 1: Simple Automation (Both Work)

**Task:** Create button to count walls

**pyRevit approach:**
```python
# button.pushbutton/script.py
from pyrevit import revit
from Autodesk.Revit import DB

doc = revit.doc
walls = DB.FilteredElementCollector(doc).OfClass(DB.Wall).ToElements()
print(f"Found {len(walls)} walls")
```

**RevitDevTool approach:**
```python
# count_walls.script.py
# /// script
# dependencies = []
# ///

from Autodesk.Revit import DB

doc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument.Document
walls = DB.FilteredElementCollector(doc).OfClass(DB.Wall).ToElements()
print(f"Found {len(walls)} walls")
```

**Verdict:** pyRevit better (ribbon button for end users)

---

### Scenario 2: Data Analysis (RevitDevTool Better)

**Task:** Analyze wall data with pandas, create visualizations

**pyRevit:**
```python
# Can't use pandas in IronPython 2.7 ❌
# Must use manual data structures
# Limited analysis capabilities
```

**RevitDevTool:**
```python
# /// script
# dependencies = ["pandas==1.5.3", "plotly==5.18.0"]
# ///

import pandas as pd
import plotly.express as px
from Autodesk.Revit import DB

doc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument.Document
walls = DB.FilteredElementCollector(doc).OfClass(DB.Wall).ToElements()

# Use pandas for analysis
data = [{"Name": w.Name, "Level": w.LevelName, "Area": w.Area} 
        for w in walls]
df = pd.DataFrame(data)

# Statistical analysis
summary = df.groupby("Level").agg({"Area": ["sum", "mean", "count"]})
print(summary)

# Create visualization
fig = px.bar(df, x="Level", y="Area", title="Wall Areas by Level")
fig.show()  # Opens in browser or WebView2
```

**Verdict:** RevitDevTool better (modern data science stack)

---

### Scenario 3: Machine Learning (RevitDevTool Only)

**Task:** Predict element categories using ML

**pyRevit:**
```python
# scikit-learn not available in IronPython ❌
```

**RevitDevTool:**
```python
# /// script
# dependencies = ["scikit-learn==1.3.0", "pandas==1.5.3"]
# ///

from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier
import pandas as pd
from Autodesk.Revit import DB

# Collect training data from Revit
doc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument.Document
elements = DB.FilteredElementCollector(doc).WhereElementIsNotElementType().ToElements()

# Extract features
data = extract_features(elements)
df = pd.DataFrame(data)

# Train model
model = RandomForestClassifier()
model.fit(df[features], df["category"])

# Predict on new elements
predictions = model.predict(new_data)
```

**Verdict:** RevitDevTool only option

---

## When to Use What

### Use pyRevit if:

- ✅ Building automation tools for end users
- ✅ Need ribbon buttons and menus
- ✅ Deploying to non-programmers
- ✅ Simple Revit API automation
- ✅ Maintaining existing pyRevit scripts
- ✅ Sharing with large pyRevit community

### Use RevitDevTool if:

- ✅ Developer/researcher workflow
- ✅ Need modern Python ecosystem (pandas, numpy, scikit-learn)
- ✅ VSCode debugging required
- ✅ Computational design projects
- ✅ Data science & analytics
- ✅ AI/ML integration
- ✅ Rapid prototyping and iteration
- ✅ Research and experimentation

### Use Both if:

- ✅ pyRevit for end-user deployment
- ✅ RevitDevTool for development and research
- ✅ Different tools for different workflows

---

## Migration Guide

### From pyRevit to RevitDevTool

**Minimal code changes:**

```python
# pyRevit
from pyrevit import revit
doc = revit.doc

# RevitDevTool
doc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument.Document
```

**File naming:**
```
pyrevit_script.py       → script_name.script.py
requirements.txt        → # /// script ... dependencies = [...] ///
```

**What stays the same:**
- Revit API usage (`DB.Wall`, `FilteredElementCollector`, etc.)
- Script logic and structure
- External package imports (if using CPython)

---

## Summary

| Aspect | pyRevit | RevitDevTool |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| **Target User** | End users | Developers & researchers |
| **Primary Use** | Automation buttons | Code development |
| **Python** | IronPython 2.7 (default) | CPython 3.13 |
| **Packages** | Limited (Revit API only) | Full ecosystem |
| **Debugging** | pdb (command-line) | VSCode (full IDE) |
| **Dependencies** | Manual pip | Automatic (PEP 723) |
| **Best For** | Ribbon automation | Research & development |

**Both are excellent tools for different purposes.**

- **pyRevit:** Best automation platform for end users
- **RevitDevTool:** Best development platform for researchers and developers

Choose based on your audience and workflow.

---

## See Also

- **[Python Ecosystems](CodeExecute-PythonEcosystems.md)** - All Python options for Revit
- **[Python Debugging](CodeExecute-PythonDebugging.md)** - VSCode debugger guide
- **[Python Execution](CodeExecute-PythonExecution.md)** - How Python scripts work
- **[Examples](Examples-Dashboard.md)** - Real-world examples

---

**External Resources:**
- [pyRevit GitHub](https://github.com/pyrevitlabs/pyrevit)
- [pyRevit Documentation](https://pyrevitlabs.notion.site/pyrevit/pyRevit-bd907d6292ed4ce997c46e84b6ef67a0)