Source code hierarchy

PyCharm enables you to examine the hierarchy of classes, methods, and calls in the Hierarchy tool window, and explore the structure of source files in the Structure tool window.

Both the Hierarchy and the Structure tool windows are available from the View menu.
the Hierarchy tool window only becomes available, when a hierarchy is built.
Hierarchies are built in the Navigate menu.

With PyCharm, you can examine the hierarchy of classes, methods, and calls and explore the structure of source files.

Analyzing Code Hierarchies

Type hierarchies show parent and child classes of a class.
Call hierarchies show callers (supertypes) or callees (subtypes) of a method.

When built, a hierarchy can be immediately viewed and examined in the Hierarchy tool window. By default, every new built hierarchy overwrites the contents of the current tab. You can retain the current tab and have the next hierarchy built in a new one.

Build a type hierarchy

Select the desired class in the Project tool window or open it in the editor.
In the main menu, go to Navigate | Type Hierarchy or just press Ctrl+H.

Different colors of elements stand for different scopes to which these files belong. For example, green by default is used for tests. For more information, refer to Associate scopes with colors.

Build a call hierarchy

Open a file in the editor and place the caret at the declaration or usage of the desired method.
Alternatively, select the desired method in the Project tool window.
In the main menu, go to Navigate | Call Hierarchy or press Ctrl+Alt+H.

Retain a hierarchy tab

In the Hierarchy tool window, click the Pin Tab button on the toolbar.

Viewing hierarchies

Open the Hierarchy tool window

Make sure, you have already built hierarchies to show, see Building hierarchies above.
Select View | Tool Windows | Hierarchy from the main menu.

Navigate between the tabs

Click the currently displayed tab and select the next one to display from the list.

Toggle between views

With PyCharm, you can build and explore ascending or descending hierarchies, that is, callee or caller methods, parent or children classes, and so on.
Click or to show caller methods or callee methods respectively.

Item	Description	Available In
	Shows both the parent and child classes of the selected class, which is marked with an arrow in the tree of results.	Class hierarchies
	Depending on the hierarchy type: Class hierarchies: shows the hierarchy of each supertype of the current class. Call hierarchies: shows the callers of the selected method.	Class hierarchies Call hierarchies
	Depending on the hierarchy type: Class hierarchies: shows all classes that extend the selected class. Call hierarchies: shows the callees of the selected method.	Class hierarchies Call hierarchies
	Sorts all elements within a tree alphabetically.	All hierarchies
Scope	Use this list to limit the scope of the current hierarchy: Project: traces usages of the method across the project. Test: traces usages of the method across the test classes. All: traces usages of the method across the project and the libraries. This class: limits the scope to the current class. In addition to the preconfigured scopes, you can define your own one. To define a scope, select Configure from the list and define the required scope in the Scopes dialog.	Call hierarchies
	Shows all updated classes or class structures.	All hierarchies
	Moves to a file and a section in a source code that corresponds to the selected node in the hierarchy tree.	All hierarchies
	Expands all nodes.	All hierarchies
	Locks the current tab from closing and reusing. Results of the next command are displayed in a new tab.	All hierarchies
	Exports a hierarchy into a text file. You can specify a location for this file.	All hierarchies
	Closes the tool window.	All hierarchies