The PyCharm IDE is still among the most popular editors used by professional Python developers and programmers in 2024. But if you are a beginner, don't worry; it can help you too!
PyCharm 2023.3 contains many new capabilities that make this IDE friendlier for beginners. The vast number of PyCharm features doesn't make this IDE difficult to use–just the opposite.
If you are just learning Python, you should try different Python IDEs to see if you prefer working with PyCharm or another editor.
Check out VScode vs. Others: the War on Code Editors
In this article, you'll learn how to create and run a program using the newest PyCharm. You'll also learn some of the handy features for beginners writing code.
We'll then cover other popular Python IDEs updated in 2023 and 2024, like VS Code, Spyder, Jupyter Notebook, and more! Follow our blog or subscribe to stay updated on the latest IDE options for Python.
PyCharm has been one of the most popular integrated development environments (IDEs) used by professional Python developers for over a decade. With intuitive interfaces, robust capabilities and constant improvements by JetBrains, it continues as a leading IDE.
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But if you're just beginning to learn Python in 2024, does PyCharm still measure up as a good choice compared to other options? Absolutely! While it packs in advanced features catering to expert coders, PyCharm equally excels at smoothing the on-ramp for newcomers to Python.
In this comprehensive hands-on guide for 2024, we'll explore:
Installing the latest PyCharm Community on your OS
Creating your first Python project and scripts
Useful interface elements and coding tools for beginners
Running and debugging scripts
Customizing themes and settings
How PyCharm evolves yearly to support Pythonistas
Follow along to see why PyCharm remains a top-rated IDE for Python beginners in 2024 and beyond!
Downloading and Installing PyCharm 2023.3
Our first step is to download PyCharm 2023.3.2, the most recent stable version at the time of writing. PyCharm is officially supported on Windows, Linux, and macOS so you can choose your preferred platform.
You'll want to grab the PyCharm Community version, which is free and open-source. It contains all the core features needed.
Later on, you can upgrade to PyCharm Professional for more advanced capabilities. If you are just starting, stick to the community version until you are sure of yourself.
Download PyCharm by visiting jetbrains.com/pycharm, clicking "Download," and then choosing your operating system. We'll select the 2023.3.2 Community version .exe or .dmg installer.
Run the installer, following the prompts to begin setting up PyCharm:
Accept the JetBrains terms and conditions
Choose your preferred install location
Pick a desktop shortcut name
Ensure any needed firewall permissions are granted
Creating Your First Python Project
Fire up PyCharm, and you'll be welcomed with a splash screen. Close any tip windows, and let's create our first Python project!
PyCharm Community should be ready to launch on your OS within a few minutes!
Once it is installed, open it, and you will be able to see your projects panel, which will be empty for the first time, but we can remedy that.
At the top right, you will see a New Project, allowing us to set up a new project.
Next, we set the location where our project will be stored, Pycharm already sets a default location, which I always love to change.
If you do not mind, you can leave yours, but try remembering the location, as it is a subfolder for Pycharm.
Click "Create New Project", and name it "My Python App". PyCharm will automatically create and configure a new virtualenv Python environment for our project.
You should see your new environment with the Python interpreter specified in the project sidebar. We can install extra libraries here later.
To start coding, right-click on your project name and select "New" then "Python File". Name it main.py. Now we have a blank Python script we can fill up with code!
Key Interface Elements for Beginners
The PyCharm interface follows a traditional IDE layout - centered editing area with surrounding tool panes. Let's break down key elements:
Top Menu Bar - Commands for running code, opening files, refactoring tools, VCS actions, etc
Side Toolbar - Quick shortcuts for frequent operations like run, debug, git commits
Editor Pane - Central coding area with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, etc
Side Project Pane - View the files and structure of your project
Bottom Terminal/Console - Integrated shell to run scripts and view output
Bottom Status Bar - Errors, warnings, and informational messages are displayed here
This layout enables seamless coding and testing of Python scripts within one unified IDE that beginners can grasp quickly.
Handy Coding Assistant Features
As you start editing Python files, you'll notice PyCharm offers stellar coding assistance in the editor. These tools help you code more efficiently and avoid easily preventable mistakes.
Several excellent features include:
Intelligent Autocomplete - Contextual suggestions of variables, methods, classes, etc, within your project as you type. Cycles through options with Tab.
Quick Documentation - Hover over something for expanded inline docs pulled from Python libraries.
Powerful Refactoring - Safely renames symbols across files, extracts methods, modifies argument lists etc.
Error Flagging - Live error highlights for things like syntax issues, unresolved imports, etc. Offers quick fixes.
Code Navigation - Easily jump around to declarations, implementations, and usages of functions/classes via Ctrl+Click.
Together, these make writing semantic and idiomatic Python much smoother. The editor's insight plus context for unfamiliar libraries helps accelerate learning.
Running and Debugging Scripts
To execute the Python file we've written, right-click on it in the sidebar Project view and select "Run". This will save any changes and run it within the integrated console pane.
You can also run from the toolbar green arrow or via keyboard shortcut. The output from print statements shows right in the PyCharm console output tab.
To debug code, place breakpoints on lines where you want to pause execution and inspect the state during runtime. Then click the "Debug" configuration instead of the regular Run.
Stepping through code while monitoring variables and traces is a critical programming skill. PyCharm's visual debugger excels here - a must for any coder!
VCS, Databases, Notebooks, and More
Beyond excellent editor and debugging facilities, PyCharm provides integrated tooling for many critical development tasks:
Git version control system features like commits, comparing changes across versions, etc
SQL client and database tooling for managing local/remote data connections
Jupyter Notebook support for running cells and visualizations inline
Terminal shell access to system Python, pip, git commands etc
REST client workflows for sending API calls
Integration with continuous integration pipelines
These capabilities may be more advanced beginner topics. But having them available in one IDE is convenient compared to stitching together disparate tools.
Customizing PyCharm for Your Needs
While the out-of-box defaults are solid, PyCharm offers deep customization to tailor the environment to your taste.
Several customizations you may want to consider:
Associate preferred file type extensions
Change default font face and size
Switch cursor blinking behaviors
Tweak auto-save and file encoding settings
Configure intelligent code completion sensitivity
Modify color themes for syntax highlighting
Assign your keyboard shortcuts
Install plugins from the Marketplace for added functionality
The Settings dialog under File provides access to hundreds of custom configurations. Don't hesitate to poke around and Reload windows to see instant changes.
Why PyCharm Stands the Test of Time
We've covered many stellar coding features in this hands-on guide that make PyCharm a leading choice for beginners even in 2024. But what keeps it relevant in a dynamic landscape of Python editors and notebooks?
IntelliJ Codebase: Builds on JetBrain's enterprise Java IDE means it shares robust code intelligence with battle-tested products.
Constant Improvement: No stagnation here - significant updates every 6 months add useful capabilities.
Performance: Carefully optimized code base and indexing means snappy responsiveness even on larger projects.
Professional Support: Packed with tools pros need but don't overwhelm beginners. Growing ecosystem via plugins.
The excellent balance between power and approachability is why PyCharm enjoys broad adoption from Python novices to expert developers. Give the free Community version a spin today!
Conclusion
In this comprehensive guide, we explored installing the latest version of PyCharm Community edition, creating a sample project, using numerous coding assistant features, running and debugging scripts, customization options, and, more specifically, tailored for beginners.
We saw firsthand via hands-on examples how PyCharm provides a friendly on-ramp while retaining the power tools demanded by professionals. This blend makes it a wise choice to learn Python for those embarking on their programming journeys in 2024.
To dig deeper into PyCharm, check out the official video tutorials and documentation. Stay tuned as we continue covering popular Python IDEs and emerging options like micro-editors!
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