Migrate from Visual Studio Code

Import a Python project to PyCharm

To import a Python project created in Visual Studio Code, just open the project directory in PyCharm:

Configure a Python interpreter

PyCharm searches for a virtual environment in the source directory. If detected, PyCharm suggests using it for the project or configuring a new interpreter.

If no environment is detected, PyCharm sets up the system interpreter for the project.

For information about configuring other types of Python interpreters, refer to one of the following sections:

• Configure a pipenv environment

• Configure a Poetry environment

• Configure a conda virtual environment

• Configure an interpreter using WSL

• Configure an interpreter using Vagrant

• Configure an interpreter using SSH

• Configure an interpreter using Docker

• Configure an interpreter using Docker Compose

Install the required packages

If the imported project does not contain a virtual environment, you can configure a new Python interpreter, and then install the required packages for it:

• For conda and virtualenv environments, you can install the required packages from requirements.txt.

  You can also create a virtualenv environment using requirements.txt.

• For pipenv environments, enable the Install packages from Pipfile checkbox when creating the environment, or create an environment using the Pipfile.

• For Poetry environments, enable the Install packages from pyproject.toml checkbox when creating the environment, or create an environment using pyproject.toml.

Import run configurations

At the moment, PyCharm doesn't support importing run/debug configurations from launch.json. You will need to create a run/debug configuration for your project manually:

Here is how the most common launch.json attributes can be converted into parameters when creating a run/debug configuration:

name

The name of the run/debug configuration.

Specify it in the Name field.

type

The type of the run/debug configuration.

Select the corresponding type when creating the configuration.

request

Specifies whether to launch a program in debug mode or attach the debugger to an already running program.

For "request": "launch", you do not need to set any configuration parameters.

If your configuration contains "request": "attach", you cannot create a similar run/debug configuration in PyCharm. For information, refer to Attach to process.

program

Executable or file to run when the configuration is launched.

Select a type of target to run from the dropdown. Then specify the path to the Python script or the module name to be executed.

cwd

Current working directory for finding dependencies and other files.

Specify it in the Working directory field.

args

Arguments passed to the program when running or debugging it.

Specify the arguments in the Script parameters field. In this field, you can use macros which correspond to variables in Visual Studio Code configuration files. For information, refer to Pass parameters to the running script.

env

Environment variables.

Specify the environment variables in the Environment variables field. For information, refer to Run/debug configurations.

envFile

Path to dotenv file with environment variables.

Specify the path to the file in the Paths to ".env" files field. For information, refer to Run/debug configurations.

console

Console to use for running or debugging the program.

In PyCharm, code is usually executed in the Run tool window. When debugging, the Debug console is opened by default. However, you may want to specify other execution options. For information, refer to Run/debug configurations.

justMyCode

When omitted or set to true, debugging is restricted to user-written code only.

In PyCharm, you can configure that by enabling or disabling the Do not step into library scripts checkbox in Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Debugger | Stepping. For information, refer to Step into.

Differences in user interfaces

Tool windows

Just like in Visual Studio Code, in PyCharm you also have tool windows.

1. Project tool window

2. Commit tool window

3. Run tool window

4. Python Console tool window

5. Database tool window

To open a tool window, click the corresponding tool window button:

If you do not want to use the mouse, you can always switch to any toolbar by pressing the shortcut assigned to it. The most important shortcuts to remember are:

• Project: Alt+1

• Commit: Alt+0

• Terminal: Alt+F12

Another thing about tool windows is that you can drag, pin, unpin, attach and detach them:

For more information, refer to Arrange tool windows and Tool window view modes.

To help store/restore the tool windows layout, there are several useful commands:

• Window | Layouts | Save Current Layout as New: save the arrangement as a new layout.

• Window | Layouts | Restore Current Layout: reset changes in your current layout. (also available via Shift+F12)

For more information, refer to Layouts.

Always select opened files

By default, PyCharm does not navigate to the file in Project tool window when you switch between editor tabs. However, you can enable it in the Project tool window settings:

General workflows

No 'save' button

PyCharm has no Save button. Since in PyCharm you can undo refactorings and revert changes from Local History, it makes no sense to ask you to save your changes every time.

Still, it is worth knowing that physical saving to disk is triggered by certain events, including compilation, closing a file, switching focus out of the IDE, and so on. To change the autosave behavior, open settings by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Appearance & Behavior | System Settings. On the System Settings page, find the Autosave section.

Save actions

If you are an experienced Visual Studio Code user, you are familiar with save actions: the actions triggered automatically on save, such as reformatting code, organizing imports, and so on.

PyCharm also features save actions that you can find and enable in Settings | Tools | Actions on Save.

Actions on commit

When you commit your changes, you can run various actions automatically. For example, you can automatically run tests, reformat your code, optimize imports, and so on.

Shortcuts

The table below shows how the top Visual Studio Code actions (and their shortcuts) are mapped to PyCharm (you may want to print it out to always have it handy).

VSCode keymap

If you prefer not to learn new shortcuts, you can install the VSCode Keymap plugin. It will add the VSCode keymap to PyCharm, which closely mimics the Visual Studio Code shorcuts.

Find action

When you don't know the shortcut for some action, try using the Find action feature available via Ctrl+Shift+A. Start typing to find an action by its name, see its shortcut, or call it: