Use AI in editor

Last modified: 21 October 2024

This functionality relies on the AI Assistant plugin that requires an additional license.

For more information about licensing and enabling AI Assistant, refer to JetBrains AI Service licensing and Enable AI Assistant plugin.

Generate code in the editor using prompts

Generate code and use prompts right in the editor.

Generate code in editor using prompts

  1. Select a piece of code that you want to modify or place the caret anywhere in the editor and press .

    Alternatively, right-click anywhere in the editor to open the context menu, select AI Actions and then Generate Code.

    note

    If you select a piece of code and ask AI Assistant to generate code, it will only suggest changes for the selected piece of code.

    If you place the caret anywhere in the editor before asking AI Assistant to generate code, the generated code will be inserted in the editor at the caret.

  2. In the input field, write your prompt and press .

    Input field in the editor

  3. Wait for the generation to complete. The generated code will be shown in the same editor tab where you have invoked the input field.

    Generated code

    All suggested changes are marked with different colors.

  4. If you want to improve the generated code, in the same input field, write a follow-up message with the new requirements and press .

    AI Assistant will regenerate the code while taking into account the new specifications.

    New requirements to update the generated code

    If you want to regenerate the answer, click Regenerate or press .

  5. Click Accept to insert the generated fragment.

    If you want to revert some of the suggested changes, in the gutter, click Revert.

    To discard all the suggested changes, click Discard in the input popup.

Add Python type annotations

While PyCharm lets you add type hints via intention actions, AI Assistant further extends this functionality by suggesting types based on the context.

  1. Right-click a function or method definition to open the context menu.

    Alternatively, place the caret on it and press .

  2. Select AI Actions and then Add Type Annotations.

    Adding Python type annotations via AI Assistant

  3. Type annotations are added to the function definition.

    Python type annotations added via AI Assistant

Get help with name suggestions

When you rename () a symbol, AI Assistant suggests name options for it based on its contents.

PyCharm: AI Assistant suggests new names

This feature is enabled by default. To switch it on and off, check the AI Assistant settings.

  1. Press to open settings and then select Tools | AI Assistant.

  2. Use the Provide AI-generated name suggestions checkbox.

    Enable name suggestion option in AI Assistant settings

Invoke AI-powered code completion

Cloud completion powered by AI Assistant can autocomplete single lines, blocks of code, and even entire functions in real time based on the project context. The generated code is similar to how you would write code, matching your style and naming conventions.

Work with cloud completion in the editor

  1. The suggestions are shown in the editor as you type.

    You can also trigger the code completion by pressing .

    AI-generated code suggestion

    tip

    If there are no suggestions, the code might already be complete.

  2. To apply the suggestion:

    • Press to accept the entire suggestion. You can configure a different shortcut for this action.

    • Press to accept a suggestion word by word.

    • Press to accept a suggestion line by line.

    To reject the suggestion, press . Alternatively, just continue to write your own code or change the caret position either with the arrow keys or by a mouse click.

Configure cloud completion

The cloud completion option is enabled by default. You can configure the way it works in the settings.

  1. Press to open settings and select Editor | General | Inline Completion.

  2. Available options to configure:

    • Under the Enable cloud completion suggestions checkbox, select the languages that you want to use cloud completion with.

    • Clear the Enable multi-line suggestions checkbox to leave only single-line suggestions.

    • To disable this option completely, clear the Enable cloud completion suggestions checkbox on the same settings page or in Settings | Tools | AI Assistant.

Change the cloud completion shortcut

You can change the default cloud completion shortcut that you use to accept suggestions.

  1. Hover over the suggestion.

  2. In the popup that appears, click and select the key that you want to use for accepting suggestions, for example, .

    To assign your own shortcut, select Custom.

    Code completion popup

You can also change any code completion shortcuts in the Settings | Keymap anytime.