PyCharm

ApplicationJetBrains

Also called pycharm community, pycharm professional

JetBrainsProductivity

JetBrains' Python IDE. The 64-bit Windows process is pycharm64.exe. Community and Professional are different licenses. It is not IntelliJ IDEA.

What you need to know

PyCharm is pycharm64.exe. IntelliJ is idea64.exe.

PyCharm is JetBrains' Python IDE. Community is free. Professional is paid. IntelliJ IDEA is the Java-first IDE. python.exe is the runtime, not this window.

What is it?: JetBrains Python IDE
Same as IntelliJ?: No. Different IDE and exe
Need python.exe too?: Yes. PyCharm calls an interpreter

Feex says

If pycharm64.exe is busy, I would check the interpreter and the project index inside PyCharm. I would not close idea64.exe to quit this IDE. IntelliJ is the Java sibling.

What is PyCharm?

PyCharm is JetBrains' dedicated Python IDE. It is not IntelliJ with a Python plugin as the Start tile, and it is not the python.org interpreter.

If you have never used it

If a Python class said install PyCharm, download it from jetbrains.com/pycharm/download. Community is the free Python IDE. Professional adds paid web and science tools. pycharm64.exe is this product. idea64.exe is IntelliJ. python.exe is the interpreter PyCharm calls, not the IDE.

What is it used for?

Python projects and venvs

The IDE picks an interpreter. python.exe is still CPython. Anaconda Navigator is a different front door.

Community versus Professional

Community covers core Python. Professional is the paid edition. IntelliJ Ultimate is a different SKU.

Debugger and pytest UI

Integrated test and debug tools. VS Code can do this with extensions. The process name is still pycharm64.exe here.

Who is it for?

Python developers who want a JetBrains IDE
Students whose syllabus says PyCharm Community
Anyone who opened IntelliJ and wondered where the Python run config went

Current status

PyCharm (2010) is a current python ide from JetBrains. The vendor still points Windows users at https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/.

How old is it?

JetBrains shipped PyCharm in 2010, after IntelliJ (2001) and before most AI editors. Current builds ship through Toolbox or the standalone installer. It is not IDLE and not python.org.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Community

Professional

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per JetBrains
RAM	JetBrains lists 2 GB minimum and 8 GB recommended for current PyCharm builds

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
pycharm64.exe	PyCharm 64-bit IDE

Startup components

PyCharm can reopen the last project. That is not python.exe starting as a service.

File locations

Common PyCharm locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\JetBrains\PyCharm *\

File formats

PYTOMLrequirements.txt

Common problems

Wrong interpreter selected

PyCharm can point at a Store Python, a venv, or Anaconda. That setting is inside PyCharm. Uninstalling IntelliJ will not fix it.

Community missing a Professional feature

Django and notebook tooling sit on the paid edition. That is a license line, not a broken Community download.

Getting unstuck

Settings > Project > Python Interpreter

Name the venv or python.org install. This screen does not exist on IntelliJ Community the same way.

Confirm you launched PyCharm, not IDEA

pycharm64.exe is this article. idea64.exe is IntelliJ. Both can live under JetBrains folders.

Install from jetbrains.com/pycharm/download or Toolbox

A PyCharm Professional crack is junk. JetBrains hosts the real builds.

Alternatives

VS Code plus the Python extension. python.org plus a small editor. IntelliJ if you live in Java, not Python.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/ Vendor support
Official site	www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/ Start here, not a random exe host
Toolbox App	www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/ Installs and updates PyCharm

Related hardware

The IDE wants several GB of RAM once a real project is indexed. The interpreter you attach can want more.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

PyCharm official site · Vendor product page
PyCharm help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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