I'm new to Linux (currently using Linux Mint Xia 22.1 alongside Windows 11) and I'm trying to learn Python. I really like using the PyCharm IDE, but I'm having a tough time getting it to run smoothly on Linux. In Windows, I just downloaded PyCharm, ran the installer, and it was easy to open. However, on Linux, after extracting the files, I find myself needing to run a command every time to launch it, which feels complicated. Can anyone guide me on how to set it up so I can open it as easily as I did on Windows? Just a beginner looking to improve my programming skills!
4 Answers
You can create a desktop entry for PyCharm manually, which is a one-time setup. Just make a file named `pycharm.desktop` in `~/.local/share/applications`. This way, it should appear in your application launcher. I know it feels a bit tricky since it’s not in the apt repository, but once you set it up, you'll just click to launch it like on Windows!
I prefer using Jetbrains Toolbox for managing my IDEs. It simplifies the update process and adds a desktop entry automatically. So, you can launch PyCharm directly from the app launcher. If you're curious about how it works, the command for launching it just runs a script that points to the executable in the folder.
Don't worry! It takes some time to get used to, but once you have it set up, it'll be easier.
You can also install PyCharm through Snap, which is really straightforward. It's available on the Snap Store, the default app store for Ubuntu, and it works on other Linux distributions too. This could be the easiest way for you to get started!
When launching PyCharm, check the settings; there's an option to create a desktop entry. This should help you access it more easily next time!
I also installed toolbox, but it still seems complicated. I feel a bit overwhelmed trying to manage it all.