Setting up the Development Environment

7.1 Downloading PyCharm

"To write programs, you need to write programs." There is definitely logic in this quote. But to start this process, you need to install an IDE (PyCharm), connect the Python SDK, and create your first project. Let\'s start with that.

Step 1. First, you need to download PyCharm. Type PyCharm in Google search or simply follow the direct link to the developer\'s website.

Step 2. Feel free to click the Download button. Previously, users had to choose between paid and free versions, but now PyCharm has become a unified program.

Step 3. The site will automatically detect your operating system. If this did not happen, select it manually at the top of the page.

Features of PyCharm 2025.3 version

Since 2025, PyCharm has become a single product, so you no longer need to struggle with choosing a version when downloading. The main news is that support for Jupyter Notebook, databases, and SQL language is now free. You can connect to databases and write queries directly in the basic version of the program without buying a subscription.

7.2 Installing PyCharm

After downloading, run the installation file. The installation is quick:

Installation on macOS

On macOS, the process is as simple as possible. Open the downloaded file and drag the PyCharm icon into the Applications folder. Everything is ready. Now run the program via Launchpad or Spotlight search, like any other application.

After installation, PyCharm may offer to import settings from old versions. If you are installing the IDE for the first time, you have nothing to import. Feel free to choose Skip Import. This guarantees a clean start without unnecessary problems.

7.3 Creating the first project

It only remains to launch PyCharm and prepare the workspace.

At the first launch, you can activate the trial Pro mode. When the trial ends, PyCharm will offer to buy a subscription or stay on the free version. For our course, you don\'t need to buy anything — the basic tools will be more than enough.

Step 1. The start window will open in front of you.

The interface is divided into three logical zones, each responsible for its own tasks.

Left panel: project management

Here is your list of recent works. If you are opening PyCharm for the first time, this list will be empty. At the top are three main buttons:

• Open allows you to open an existing folder with code on your computer.
• New starts the wizard for creating a new project from scratch.
• Clone Repository is useful for downloading code from remote sources such as GitHub.

Center area:

This zone is created for an instant start of work without long setups. Here are the buttons for the most frequent actions:

• New Script creates a temporary file for writing code. This is convenient if you need to quickly check an idea and don\'t want to create a whole project.
• New Notebook opens interactive Jupyter notebooks. Previously this feature was paid, but now it is available to everyone for working with data and graphs.
• Import File allows you to load one specific file into the editor.
• Learn launches a built-in interactive course that will teach you how to use hotkeys and refactoring techniques.
• Plugins opens the store of add-ons where you can find new themes or tools to support other languages.

3. Bottom panel

At the very bottom of the screen, you can immediately adapt PyCharm for yourself. The Theme menu allows you to switch the color scheme if the standard dark theme does not suit you. Nearby is the Keymap setting, where you can choose a familiar keyboard layout.

There is also the Enable non-modal Welcome screen switch. By default, the start window acts as the main menu and does not give access to the top panels of the program until you open a project. If you activate this setting, the welcome window will behave like a regular tab. This will allow you to freely use the main menu at the top and change environment settings even before you start writing code.

Step 2. To create a project, click the button + New... - New Project... (left panel). Adjust the parameters in the menu:

The settings should look something like this:

• Pure Python — this exact item must be selected in the left menu. This is the standard mode for creating classic applications without unnecessary add-ons.
• Location — here you specify the path where your project will lie. Note that there is no separate field for the name. The name of your project will be the last word in this line pythonProject.
• Create a welcome script — if enabled, PyCharm will automatically create a main.py file with the simplest code. This will allow you to immediately run the program and check that everything works.
• Interpreter type — here Project venv is set by default. Leave this setting unchanged. It creates an isolated virtual environment for your project. This means that the libraries you install here will not conflict with your other projects.
• Python version — make sure version 3.12 or 3.13 is selected here. If it is not selected, open the drop-down list. PyCharm can download and install the necessary Python version itself if it is not on the computer.

After checking all items, feel free to press the blue Create button.

You may also notice other environment setup options:

• uv — this is a modern and very fast package manager. It works lightning fast, but for a start, its capabilities may seem excessive.
• Base conda is useful for those who do data science and have already installed the Anaconda distribution. This is the standard choice for analysts and Data Science engineers.
• Custom environment is needed for completely manual configuration. This item is chosen by experienced developers who want to connect a specific existing interpreter or use specific dependency management tools.

But remember that for our training, the standard Project venv remains the ideal and most reliable choice.

Step 3. The automatic download of Python will begin. This will take a couple of minutes.

Step 4. If everything is done correctly, the code editor will open with your first file. Congratulations!

1. Project indexing

In the center of the bottom panel, you will see a loading indicator. At this moment, PyCharm scans all files of your project and Python libraries. The program builds a map of your code to instantly find the necessary classes and give smart hints. Until this bar disappears, the development environment may work a little slower than usual. Just give it a couple of minutes to finish this process.

2. Checking the interpreter

The Python connection status is displayed in the lower right corner. If you see an inscription like Python 3.XX there, then the installation was successful. The IDE sees the interpreter and is ready to execute your commands.

If it says No interpreter, in the next lecture we will analyze how to fix this.

For Windows users

A pop-up window with a warning about Microsoft Defender may appear in the lower right. The fact is that the built-in Windows antivirus checks every project file in real time, which greatly slows down PyCharm. Feel free to click the Automatically or Exclude folders button in this notification. This will add the project folder to the antivirus exceptions and significantly speed up the launch of programs.

7.4 Resetting settings to factory defaults

If you accidentally clicked too much, the interface became strange, or the program behaves unusually, you don\'t need to reinstall it. You can simply return everything to its original state.

Go to the File menu, select Manage IDE Settings and click Restore Default Settings. The program will restart and become absolutely clean, like on the first day. This is the fastest way to fix any errors in the configuration.