Run/Debug Configuration: Python Debug Server

Last modified: 12 September 2023

Available only in PyCharm Professional: download to try or compare editions

Use the remote debug configuration to launch the debug server. For more information, refer to Remote Debugging with PyCharm.

Item

Description

Name

In this field, specify the name of the current run/debug configuration.

Update your script

This section contains vital information required to prepare for remote debugging.

Add pydevd-pycharm.egg from the PyCharm installation to the Python path or execute.

Example: pip install pydevd-pycharm~=191.3490

See procedure description in Remote Debugging with PyCharm.

Add the following command to connect to the Debug Server

Copy the command-line statement below, and paste it to your local script.

import pydevd_pycharm

pydevd_pycharm.settrace(<host name>, port=<port number>), where

  • <host name> is taken from the IDE host name field of this debug configuration.

  • <port number> is the number taken from the Port field of this debug configuration, or, if it has not been specified, some random number written to the console.

Note that the parameters of this command depend on the settings specified in this page. The command with the default settings is:

pydevd_pycharm.settrace('localhost', port=$SERVER_PORT,stdoutToServer=True,stderrToServer=True)

which corresponds to the host name 'localhost', port number 0, selected checkboxes Redirect output to console and Suspend after connect.

IDE host name

Specify the IP address of the machine, where the IDE is running, by which the remote debug server can be accessible. This host name will be automatically substituted to the command line. By default, localhost is used.

Port

Specify the port number, which will be automatically substituted to the command line. If the default post number (0) is used, then PyCharm substitutes an arbitrary number to the command line at each launch of this debug configuration; if you specify any other value, it will be used permanently.

Path mappings

Use this field to create mappings between the local and remote paths. Clicking the browse button the Browse button results in opening Edit Path Mappings dialog, where you can add new path mappings, and delete the selected ones. Local path is an absolute path to the project, for example, /Users/jetbrains/PyCharmProjects/MyDeployment. Remote path is relative to the SFTP server root path, for example, /tmp/pycharm_project_923.

Redirect output to console

If this checkbox is selected, the output and error streams will be redirected to the PyCharm console, and the command line is complemented with the stdoutToServer=True, stderrToServer=True

Suspend after connect

If this checkbox is selected, the debugger will suspend immediately after connecting to the IDE, on the next line after the settrace call.

If this checkbox is not selected, the debugger will only suspend upon hitting a breakpoint, or clicking Suspend, and the command line is complemented with suspend=False

Common settings

When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options:

Item

Description

Name

Specify a name for the run configuration to quickly identify it among others when editing or running.

Allow multiple instances

Allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel.

By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, PyCharm suggests stopping the running instance and starting another one. This is helpful when a run configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances.

Store as project file

Save the file with the run configuration settings to share it with other team members. The default location is .idea/runConfigurations. However, if you do not want to share the .idea directory, you can save the configuration to any other directory within the project.

By default, it is disabled, and PyCharm stores run configuration settings in .idea/workspace.xml.

Toolbar

The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.

Item

Shortcut

Description

the Add button

Create a run/debug configuration.

the Remove button

Delete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations.

Copy

Create a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations.

Save configuration

The button is displayed only when you select a temporary configuration. Click this button to save a temporary configuration as permanent.

Move into new folder / Create new folder

Move into new folder / Create new folder. You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders.

To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click Folder, and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created.

Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag or Move Up and Move Down buttons.

To remove grouping, select a folder and click Remove Configuration.

Sort configurations

Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order.

Before launch

In this area, you can specify tasks to be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

Item

Shortcut

Description

the Add button

Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:

  • Run External tool: select to run an external application. In the dialog that opens, select one or multiple applications you want to run. If it is not defined in PyCharm yet, add its definition. For more information, refer to External tools and External Tools.

  • Run Another Configuration: select to execute another run/debug configuration and wait until it finishes before starting the current configuration. If you want to run several configurations in parallel, use a compound run/debug configuration.

  • Launch Web Browser: select this option to have a browser started. In the dialog that opens, select the type of the browser and provide the start URL. Also, specify if you want the browser be launched with JavaScript debugger.

  • Run File Watchers: select this option to have PyCharm apply all the currently active File Watchers.

  • Run Grunt task: select this option to run a Grunt task.

    In the Grunt task dialog that opens, specify the Gruntfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the grunt-cli package.

  • Run gulp task: select this option to run a Gulp task.

    In the Gulp task dialog that opens, specify the Gulpfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the gulp package.

  • Run npm script: select this option to execute an npm script.

    In the NPM Script dialog that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.

  • Start React Native Bundler: select this option to run the bundler automatically, as part of a running or debugging session. By default, this is done through react-native start.

    If your application uses Expo, you need to run the development server via the start npm task. To do that, click Add, then in the Configure React Native dialog, choose npm script and select start from the list.

  • Compile TypeScript: select to run the built-in TypeScript compiler and thus make sure that all the changes you made to your TypeScript code are reflected in the generated JavaScript files. In the TypeScript Compile Settings dialog that opens, select or clear the Check errors checkbox to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected:

    • If the Check errors checkbox is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start.

    • If the Check errors checkbox is cleared, the compiler will show all the detected errors but the run configuration still will be launched.

  • Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps: select this option to generate the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located.

  • Run Remote External Tool: adds a remote SSH external tool.

the Remove button

Click this icon to remove the selected task from the list.

Edit

Click this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.

Method up

Method down

Click these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list.

Show this page

Select this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.

Activate tool window

By default this checkbox is selected and the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration.

Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the tool window is hidden. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing or .

See also

Procedures