Get into TDD focus with side-by-side editors.
Testing means three things: code that you're testing, the code for the test, and the output from the test runner. Arrange all 3 to get into the testing flow.
As discussed previously, disabling tabs and focusing on the keyboard helps productivity. But without tabs, how can I see two files at once? For example, the code I'm testing and the tests I'm writing?
You can still split screens without tabs. Simply use the Split Vertically
action (no default keybinding so use Find Action) and you'll get two frames.
Then open your to-be-tested code on the left and test code on the right.
By default, PyCharm visual test runner tool window is at the bottom. This gives a familiar "TDD" (test-driven development) visual orientation: left for code, right for test, bottom for results. (Although on wide monitors, docking the test tool window on the right might make more sense.)
How to move between the left and right "Split Vertically" frames? The
Go To Next Splitter action (Alt-Tab Win/Linux/macOS) is a convenient keybinding.
Since these are the two files you are switching between editing, our old friend the
Recent Files action (Ctrl-E Win/Linux, Cmd-E macOS) is a nice, already-memorized
key sequence.