Directories Used by PyCharm
By default, PyCharm stores user-specific files (configuration, caches, plugins, logs, and so on) in the user's home directory. However, you can change the location for storing those files, if necessary.
Configuration directory
The PyCharm configuration directory contains user-defined IDE settings, such as keymaps, color schemes, custom VM options, platform properties, and so on.
- Syntax
- %APPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
- Example
- C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\PyCharm2020.1
- Syntax
- ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
- Syntax
- ~/.config/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/.config/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
You can change the location of the PyCharm configuration directory using the idea.config.path property.
To share your personal IDE settings, copy the files from the configuration directory to the corresponding folders on another PyCharm installation. Make sure that PyCharm is not running to avoid erasing the copied files when you shut down the IDE.
System directory
The PyCharm system directory contains caches and local history files.
- Syntax
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
- Example
- C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Local\JetBrains\PyCharm2020.1
- Syntax
- ~/Library/Caches/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/Library/Caches/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
- Syntax
- ~/.cache/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/.cache/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
You can change the location of the PyCharm system directory using the idea.system.path property.
Plugins directory
The PyCharm plugins directory contains user-installed plugins.
- Syntax
- %APPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>\plugins
- Example
- C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\PyCharm2020.1\plugins
- Syntax
- ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/<product><version>/plugins
- Example
- ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1/plugins
- Syntax
- ~/.local/share/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/.local/share/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
You can change the location of the PyCharm plugins directory using the idea.plugins.path property.
Logs directory
The PyCharm logs directory contains product logs and thread dumps.
- Syntax
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>\log
- Example
- C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Local\JetBrains\PyCharm2020.1\log
- Syntax
- ~/Library/Logs/JetBrains/<product><version>
- Example
- ~/Library/Logs/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1
- Syntax
- ~/.cache/JetBrains/<product><version>/log
- Example
- ~/.cache/JetBrains/PyCharm2020.1/log
You can change the location of the PyCharm logs directory using the idea.log.path property.