Get Started with PyCharm

RobotCode is available as a plugin for PyCharm and IntelliJ IDEA 2026.1 or newer; IntelliJ IDEA needs its Python plugin. This page installs it, sets up a Python interpreter with Robot Framework and runs a first test.

Not everything from VS Code

RobotCode in PyCharm does not yet offer everything that RobotCode in VS Code does. There is no Test Explorer, for example: you run tests from the run markers in the editor, from the context menus and from run configurations, and see their results in the Run or Debug tool window. There is also no Documentation Viewer, no Keywords view and no command that starts the REPL. PyCharm and VS Code compares both.

Installing RobotCode

1. Open Settings | Plugins (Ctrl+Alt+S, Cmd+, on macOS) and select the Marketplace tab.
2. Search for RobotCode and install RobotCode - Robot Framework Support.
3. RobotCode needs the plugin LSP4IJ, through which PyCharm talks to RobotCode's language server. If PyCharm does not install it along with RobotCode, install it from the Marketplace too.
4. Restart PyCharm when it asks you to. RobotCode is active after the restart, and an update of RobotCode also takes effect after a restart.

RobotCode does not work together with other Robot Framework plugins, such as IntelliBot; disable them.

Setting up the Python interpreter

RobotCode uses the Python interpreter of your project. It needs Python 3.10 or newer with Robot Framework 5.0 or newer; RobotCode brings its own tools along.

1. Open your project folder with File | Open....
2. Choose or create a Python interpreter for the project under Settings | Python | Interpreter, for example a new virtual environment in the folder .venv. PyCharm's documentation on Python interpreters explains the ways to set one up.
3. Install Robot Framework into that environment with the tool your project uses for its dependencies, for example pip install robotframework in PyCharm's terminal.

When you open a project with .robot or .resource files, a robot.toml or a .robot.toml, or open a Robot Framework file in another project, RobotCode checks the interpreter and starts. Its widget in the status bar then shows the Robot Framework version, for example RF 7.5. If the interpreter does not fit, every Robot Framework file shows a banner that says why:

Choose another interpreter with Configure Python Interpreter..., or install Robot Framework and choose Retry. See The Python interpreter for details.

Creating and running your first test

1. Choose File | New... | Robot Framework File, select Suite file and name it first.

2. The file opens with a sample test; replace it with:

   first.robot

   *** Test Cases ***
   First Test Case
       Log    Hello world

3. Click the run marker beside First Test Case and choose Run.

The run opens in the Run tool window: the tab Terminal shows the output of Robot Framework, the tab Debug Console the results tree; select the test there to see its log message "Hello world". Open Report and Open Log in the toolbar open the report and the log of the run.

Tip

Find Action (Ctrl+Shift+A, Cmd+Shift+A on macOS) finds RobotCode's actions and settings by name, for example when you type RobotCode or Robot Framework.

Next steps

• Configure your project with a robot.toml, see Configure Your Project.
• Learn how to work with RobotCode in PyCharm in the PyCharm guide.