PyCharm 2025.3 Help

Project analysis

Project analysis allows PyCharm to enable smart IDE features: code completion, inspections, refactoring, navigation, finding usages, and syntax highlighting.

PyCharm triggers this process after you open or clone a new project, enable or disable plugins, and switch between branches. It is also triggered after large external file updates (for example, if multiple files are created or generated when you build your project).

Analyzing project message in the status bar

During the analysis, PyCharm examines the code in your project to create a virtual map of classes, methods, objects, and other code elements that make up your application. The result of this process is the project files index, which allows the IDE to provide instantaneous smart features such as coding assistance, search, navigation, and so on.

While the analysis is in progress, smart IDE features might be unavailable or partially available. However, this does not prevent you from using PyCharm: you can still type code, work with VCS features, configure settings, and perform other code-unrelated actions.

Reducing the project analysis time

The amount of time it takes to analyze your project depends on its size: the more complex your project is, the more files it contains, and the more time the IDE needs to analyze it. You can reduce the project analysis time by excluding files and folders.

Exclude files and folders from project analysis

You can mark dynamically generated files and folders as excluded to speed up project analysis and improve the overall IDE performance. Excluded files and folders are not indexed during project analysis (therefore, smart IDE features are not available for them), but they remain part of the project.

Exclude files from project analysis

  1. Go to the Project tool window (Alt+1).

  2. Right-click a file and select Override File Type | Plain text.

    Plain text files are marked with the Plain text icon represented by horizontal lines icon.

Exclude folders from project analysis

  1. Go to the Project tool window (Alt+1).

  2. Right-click a folder and select Mark Directory as | Excluded.

    Excluded folders are marked with the Excluded root icon represented by an orange folder icon.

21 January 2026