Python console

Last modified: 13 May 2021

Tools | Python Console

Python console enables executing Python commands and scripts line by line, similar to your experience with Python Shell.

Working with Python console

The console appears as a tool window every time you choose the corresponding command on the Tools menu. You can assign a shortcut to open Python console: press Ctrl+Alt+S, navigate to Keymap, specify a shortcut for Main menu | Tools | Python or Debug Console.

The main reason for using the Python console within PyCharm is to benefit from the main IDE features, such as code completion, code analysis, and quick fixes.

Code completion in the Python console

You can use up and down arrow keys to browse through the history of executed commands, and repeat the desired ones. To preview the variable values calculated in the course of the execution, click Show variables and check the Special Variables list.

Show variables in the Python console

The console is available for all types of Python interpreters and virtual environments, both local and remote.

Preview a variable as an array

When your variables are numpy arrays or dataframes, you can preview them as an array in a separate window. To try it, do one of the following:

  • Click the link View as Array/ View as DataFrame:

    Viewing variables in array when running from Python console

  • From the context menu of a variable, choose View as Array/ View as DataFrame:

    Viewing variables in data frames when running from Python console

The variable will be opened in the Data tab of the SciView window.

View an array or dataframe in a separate window

Run source code from the editor in console

  1. Open file in the editor, and select a fragment of code to be executed.

  2. From the context menu of the selection, choose Execute selection in console, or press Alt+Shift+E:

    Context menu for executing the code selection

    note

    With no selection, the command changes to Execute line in console. Choose this command from the context menu, or press Alt+Shift+E. The line at caret loads into the Python console, and runs.

  3. Watch the code selection execution:

    Execution of the code selection in the console

By default, the Python console executes Python commands using the Python interpreter defined for the project. However, you can assign an alternative Python interpreter.

Configure Python console settings

  1. In the Settings/Preferences dialog Ctrl+Alt+S, select Build, Execution, Deployment | Console | Python Console.

  2. Select any available interpreter from the Python interpreter list. Note that you cannot introduce a new interpreter here. If you want to come up with the new interpreter, you need to create it first.

    Search an alternative Python interpreter

  3. In needed, click the Configure Interpreters link to inspect the list of the installed packages and add new ones.

    Mind the code in the Starting script area. It contains the script that will be executed after you open the Python console. Use it to pre-code some required Python commands.

When working on several Python scripts, you might want to execute each in a separate Python console.

Run several Python consoles

  1. Click New Console to add a new Python console.

  2. By default, each console has the name Python Console with an index. To make a console reflect the script you're running, right-click the console tab, select Rename Console, and enter any meaningful name.

    Rename the Python console

Toolbar

ItemTooltip and shortcutDescription
Rerun consoleRerun console
Ctrl+F5		Click this button to terminate the current process and launch the new one.
the Stop buttonStop
Ctrl+F2

Click this button to stop the current process.

Clicking the button once invokes soft kill allowing the application to catch the SIGINT event and perform graceful termination (on Windows, the Ctrl+C event is emulated). After the button is clicked once, it is replaced with the Kill Process button indicating that subsequent click will lead to force termination of the application, for example on Unix SIGKILL is sent.

Run commandExecute Current Statement
Enter.		Click this button to execute the command at caret, entered in the input pane of the console.
DebugAttach DebuggerAttaches the debugger process to the console.
SettingsSettings

You can specify the following settings of the Python console:

  • Simplified Variables View: Select this option to include the following names into the Special Variables group:

    • all variables with the dunder names.

    • all instances of function, classobj and module.

    • all the IPython internal variables, if debug console with IPython has been started.

  • Variables Loading Policy. You can choose one of the following policies:

    • Synchronously: If this check command is selected, the message shown is Collecting data, and after that the debugger shows the variables' values.

    • Asynchronously: If this check command is selected, the variables in the debugger are loaded separately (asynchronously). In this case, if loading a variable takes a long time, the debugger shows ...Loading Value message, and only after that it shows its value or the Loading timed out message, if the variable is too slow. Mind the warning message that suggest switching to the on demand mode.

    • On demand: If this check command is selected, the debugger shows Show Value message. Click it to enable loading.

    Note that any changes in the loading policies become effective after you rerun the debugging process.

Add a new consoleNew ConsoleClick this button to start a new console session.
the Soft-Wrap buttonUse Soft WrapsClick this button to toggle the soft wrap mode of the output.
Scroll to the endScroll to the endClick this button to navigate to the bottom of the stack trace and have the cursor jump to the corresponding location in the source code.
the Print buttonPrintClick this button to send the console text to the default printer.
Debugger watchesShow variablesClick this button to show in a separate pane the variables declared in the console. Right-click a variable in this pane reveals a context menu.
Browse Data Source History Browse History
Ctrl+Alt+E

Open a dialog that shows all the statements that you have run for the corresponding data source.

See also, Using the History dialog.

Context menu commands

CommandShortcutDescription
Compare with Clipboard Compare with ClipboardShow selection in the console and contents of the Clipboard in the Differences viewer.
Pause OutputPause the Python script execution output
Create gist icon Create GistChoose this command to create a Git Gist.
Clear all Clear AllChoose this item from the context menu to delete all messages from the upper part of the console.

See also

Procedures