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  1. Non-JVM technologies
  2. Python
  3. Test Python code
  4. Run Python tests
  5. Run/Debug Configuration: Python Unit Test

Run/Debug Configuration: Python Unit Test

Last modified: 28 June 2021

warning

The following is only valid when the Python plugin is installed and enabled.

Use this dialog to create a run/debug configuration for Python unit tests.

Configuration tab

ItemDescription
Unittests
Target: Module name/Script path/Custom

Click one of the radio-buttons to choose the possible target.:

  • Module name: by using a Python module name and a test class instance.

  • Script path: by using a path to a Python file.

  • Custom: by using an arbitrary combination of paths, modules, and test class instances.

Depending on the selected Target type, you can specify the following values:

  • Path to the test file, for example, /Users/jetbrains/Car/my_tests/test_car.py. You can type in the path or click the Browse button to locate the file in the project structure.

  • Name of the module in your project, for example, my_tests. You can type in the module name, search the target module by its name, or locate it in the project structure.

  • Custom combination of modules, scripts, classes, and methods, for example, my_tests.test_car.TestCar.test_brake, where:

    • my_tests: the module name

    • test_car: the target file in the module

    • TestCar: the class instance in test_car

    • test_brake: the method in the TestCar class

Pattern

In this text field, specify the pattern that describes all the tests in the required location.

This parameter corresponds to the -p, --pattern argument of the unittest discover command. Its default value is test*.py. If you want any Python file to represent a test file, put *.py in this field.

Additional Arguments

In this text field, specify the additional framework-specific arguments to be passed to the test as-is, for example
--some-argument=some-value.

warning

This option is not recommended and should only be used by the experts, who want to launch something not supported by IntelliJ IDEA.

Environment variablesThis field shows the list of environment variables. If the list contains several variables, they are delimited with semicolons.
By default, the field contains the variable PYTHONUNBUFFERED set to 1. To fill in the list, click the browse button, or press Shift+Enter and specify the desired set of environment variables in the Environment Variables dialog.
To create a new variable, click the Add button, and type the desired name and value. You might want to populate the list with the variables stored as a series of records in a text file, for example: 
Variable1 = Value1
Variable2 = Value2
Just copy the list of variables from the text file and click Paste (Paste) in the Environmental Variables dialog. The variables will be added to the table. Click Ok to complete the task. At any time, you can select all variables in the Environment Variables dialog, click Copy Copy, and paste them into a text file.
Python Interpreter
Interpreter optionsIn this field, specify the command-line options to be passed to the interpreter. If necessary, click Expand the field, and type the string in the editor.
Working directory

Specify a directory to be used by the running task.

  • When a default run/debug configuration is created by the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+F10, or by choosing Run from the context menu of a script, the working directory is the one that contains the executable script. This directory may differ from the project directory.

  • When this field is left blank, the bin directory of the IntelliJ IDEA installation will be used.

Path mappingsThis field appears, if a remote interpreter has been selected in the field Python interpreter.
Click the browse button the Browse button to define the required mappings between the local and remote paths. In the Edit Path Mappings dialog, use the Add button/ the Remove button buttons to create new mappings, or delete the selected ones.
Add content roots to PYTHONPATHSelect this checkbox to add all content roots of your project to the environment variable PYTHONPATH;
Add source roots to PYTHONPATHSelect this checkbox to add all source roots of your project to the environment variable PYTHONPATH;
Docker container settings

warning

This field only appears when a Docker-based remote interpreter is selected for a project..

note

Speaking about the correspondence of settings with some options (--net, --link, and so on), note that these options come from Docker command line arguments.

Click the Browse button to open the dialog and specify the following settings:

Options

  • Disable networking: select this checkbox to have the networking disabled. This corresponds to --net="none", which means that inside a container the external network resources are not available.

  • Network mode: corresponds to the other values of the option --net.

    • bridge is the default value. An IP address will be allocated for container on the bridge’s network and traffic will be routed through this bridge to the container.
      Containers can communicate via their IP addresses by default. To communicate by name, they must be linked.

    • host: use the host's network stack inside the container.

    • container:<name|id>: use the network stack of another container, specified via its name or id.

    Refer to the Network settings documentation for details.

  • Links: Use this section to link the container to be created with the other containers. This is applicable to Network mode = bridge and corresponds to the --link option.

  • Publish all ports: Expose all container ports to the host. This corresponds to the option --publish-all.

  • Port bindings: Specify the list of port bindings. Similar to using the -p option with docker run.

  • Extra hosts: This corresponds to the --add-host option. Refer to the page Managing /etc/hosts for details.

  • Volume bindings: Use this field to specify the bindings between the special folders- volumes and the folders of the computer, where the Docker daemon runs. This corresponds to the -v option.
    See Managing data in containers for details.

  • Environment variables: Use this field to specify the list of environment variables and their values. This corresponds to the -e option. Refer to the page ENV (environment variables) for details.

Click Icons actions move down to expand the tables. Click Icons general add, Icons general remove, or Icons actions edit to make up the lists.

Logs tab

Use this tab to specify which log files generated while running or debugging should be displayed in the console, that is, on the dedicated tabs of the Run or Debug tool window.

ItemDescription
Is ActiveSelect checkboxes in this column to have the log entries displayed in the corresponding tabs in the Run tool window or Debug tool window.
Log File Entry

The read-only fields in this column list the log files to show. The list can contain:

  • Full paths to specific files.

  • Ant patterns that define the range of files to be displayed.

  • Aliases to substitute for full paths or patterns. These aliases are also displayed in the headers of the tabs where the corresponding log files are shown.

    If a log entry pattern defines more than one file, the tab header shows the name of the file instead of the log entry alias.

Skip ContentSelect this checkbox to have the previous content of the selected log skipped.
Save console output to fileSelect this checkbox to save the console output to the specified location. Type the path manually, or click the browse button and point to the desired location in the dialog that opens.
Show console when a message is printed to standard output streamSelect this checkbox to activate the output console and bring it forward if an associated process writes to Standard.out.
Show console when a message is printed to standard error streamSelect this checkbox to activate the output console and bring it forward if an associated process writes to Standard.err.
the Add buttonClick this button to open the Edit Log Files Aliases dialog where you can select a new log entry and specify an alias for it.
the Edit buttonClick this button to edit the properties of the selected log file entry in the Edit Log Files Aliases dialog.
the Delete buttonClick this button to remove the selected log entry from the list.

Common

When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options:

Item

Description

Name

Specify a name for the run/debug configuration to quickly identify it when editing or running the configuration, for example, from the Run popup Alt+Shift+F10.

Allow parallel run

Select to allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel.

By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, IntelliJ IDEA suggests to stop the running instance and start another one. This is helpful when a run/debug configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances.

Store as project file

Save the file with the run configuration settings to share it with other team members. The default location is .idea/runConfigurations. However, if you do not want to share the .idea directory, you can save the configuration to any other directory within the project.

By default, it is disabled, and IntelliJ IDEA stores run configuration settings in .idea/workspace.xml.

Toolbar

The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.

ItemShortcutDescription
the Add buttonAlt+InsertCreate a run/debug configuration.
the Remove buttonAlt+DeleteDelete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations.
CopyCtrl+DCreate a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations.
Save configurationThe button is displayed only when you select a temporary configuration. Click this button to save a temporary configuration as permanent.
Edit TemplatesView and edit the template (that is, the default run/debug configuration settings). The templates are displayed under the Templates node and used for newly created configurations.
Method up/ Method downAlt+Up/ Alt+Down

Move the selected run/debug configuration up and down in the list.

The order of configurations in the list defines the order, in which the configurations appear when you choose a run/debug configuration.

Default templates of run/debug configurations are always sorted alphabetically.

Move into new folder / Create new folder

Move into new folder / Create new folder. You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders.

To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click Folder, and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created.

Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag or Move Up and Move Down buttons.

To remove grouping, select a folder and click Remove Configuration.

Sort configurations Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order.

Before Launch

In this area, you can specify tasks to be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

ItemShortcutDescription
the Add buttonAlt+Insert

Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:

  • Run External tool: select to run an external application. In the dialog that opens, select one or multiple applications you want to run. If it is not defined in IntelliJ IDEA yet, add its definition. For more information, see External tools and External Tools.

  • Run Another Configuration: select to execute another run/debug configuration. In the dialog that opens, select the configuration to be run.

  • Build: select to compile the specified module. The Build Module command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build Project: select to compile the entire project. The Build Project command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build, no error check: the same as the Build option, but IntelliJ IDEA will try to start the run/debug configuration irrespective of the compilation results.

  • Build Artifacts: select this option to build an artifact or artifacts. In the dialog that opens, select the artifact or artifacts that should be built.

  • Launch Web Browser: select this option to have a browser started. In the dialog that opens, select the type of the browser and provide the start URL. Also, specify if you want the browser be launched with JavaScript debugger.

  • Run Ant target: select this option to run an Ant target. In the dialog that opens, select the target to be run.

  • Run Grunt task: select this option to run a Grunt task.

    In the Grunt task dialog that opens, specify the Gruntfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the grunt-cli package.

  • Run Gulp task: select this option to run a Gulp task.

    In the Gulp task dialog that opens, specify the Gulpfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the gulp package.

  • Run Maven Goal: select this option to run a Maven goal. In the dialog that opens, select the goal to be run.

  • Run npm Script: select this option to execute an npm script.

    In the NPM Script dialog that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.

  • Start React Native Bundler: select this option to run the bundler automatically, as part of a running or debugging session. by default, this is done through react-native start. If your application uses Expo, you need to run the development server via the start npm task. To do that, click Add, then in the Configure React Native dialog, choose npm script and select start from the list.

  • Compile TypeScript: select to run the built-in TypeScript compiler and thus make sure that all the changes you made to your TypeScript code are reflected in the generated JavaScript files. In the TypeScript Compile Settings dialog that opens, select or clear the Check errors checkbox to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected:

    • If the Check errors checkbox is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start.

    • If the Check errors checkbox is cleared, the compiler will show all the detected errors but the run configuration still will be launched.

  • Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps: select this option to generate the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located.

  • Upload files to Remote Host: select this option to have the application files automatically uploaded to the server according to the default server access configuration.

  • Run Remote External tool: adds a remote SSH external tool.

  • Run Rake task: add a Rake task to be executed prior to running or debugging. To choose a Rake task, click the browse button the Browse button, and select the desired task from the list of available tasks.

    Note that code completion is available here.

    Code completion for the Rake tasks

  • Run JRuby compiler: choose this option to execute JRuby compiler with the specified target path, compiler process heap size, and command line parameters (if any).

the Remove buttonAlt+DeleteClick this icon to remove the selected task from the list.
EditEnterClick this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.
Method up/ Method downAlt+Up/ Alt+DownClick these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list.
Show this pageSelect this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.
Activate tool window

By default this checkbox is selected and the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration.

Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the tool window is hidden. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing Alt+4 or Alt+5.

See also

Procedures

Language and Framework-Specific Guidelines

External Links