PyCharm has dropped the split between Community and Professional editions. As of 2025.1, both merged into a single product — meaning the PyCharm download you get today is different from what existed even a year ago. Here’s what the unified release includes, how the free tier works, and how to install it across all three platforms.
What Changed With the PyCharm Download in 2025
JetBrains combined PyCharm Community Edition and PyCharm Professional into one product starting with version 2025.1. PyCharm Community 2025.2 was the final standalone release of the old free edition. From 2025.3 onward, there’s only one PyCharm download — and it covers both the free core and the paid Pro tier within the same installation.
The core tier is free and stays free. It now includes Jupyter Notebook support, which was previously locked to Pro. Every fresh install starts with a 30-day Pro trial automatically, giving full access to advanced features before any purchase decision.
Existing Community Edition users can move to the unified product through the JetBrains Toolbox App or via the in-IDE upgrade prompt. Your prior settings, projects, and configurations transfer over.
PyCharm Download: Free vs Pro Tier Comparison
| Tier | Cost | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Free forever | Python IDE, Jupyter Notebook support, AI tools |
| 30-day trial | Free | Full Pro access on first install |
| Pro subscription | Paid | Database tools, Django, remote dev, web frameworks |
| Education | Free | Full Pro for accredited students and teachers |
System Requirements for the PyCharm Download
Before installing, confirm your machine meets the minimum requirements. PyCharm bundles JetBrains Runtime so Java does not need to be installed separately.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 2 GB free | 8 GB total system RAM |
| CPU | Any modern CPU | Multi-core (PyCharm uses multithreading) |
| Disk space | 3.5 GB | SSD with 5 GB+ free |
| Display | 1024×768 | 1920×1080 |
| OS (Windows) | Windows 10 1809 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| OS (macOS) | macOS 12.0 | Latest macOS |
| OS (Linux) | Kernel 6.x, GLIBC 2.28+ | Latest Ubuntu LTS or Fedora |
Python support runs from 2.7 through the version 3.15 range on the Python 3 side.
How to Download and Install PyCharm on Windows
Go to jetbrains.com/pycharm/download and grab the .exe installer. There’s a separate ARM64 build for machines with ARM processors. Run the installer and follow the wizard. During setup, you can opt to add a desktop launcher, associate .py files with PyCharm, and add the launcher directory to PATH so the IDE can be opened from the command line.
JetBrains also supports installation via the Toolbox App, which handles version management, rollbacks, and EAP builds from a single interface. For teams, Chocolatey works too — the package is available as pycharm and pycharm-community in the Chocolatey registry.
How to Download PyCharm on macOS
The macOS download comes as a disk image. Intel and Apple Silicon each have a separate .dmg. Mount the image, drag PyCharm to Applications, and launch it. The Toolbox App is available for macOS as well and handles updates automatically once configured.
How to Install PyCharm on Linux
Linux users get a compressed archive (.tar.gz). Extract it to a preferred location and run the pycharm.sh launcher from the bin directory. For snap-based installs on Ubuntu, the command is:
sudo snap install pycharm --channel=<version>/stable --classic
The snap method keeps PyCharm updated automatically. If you regularly work with Python files from the terminal before opening them in an IDE, running Python scripts in Linux covers how the interpreter and execution model work at the command line.
AI Features Included in the PyCharm Download
The 2026.1 release ships AI Assistant and Junie directly in the IDE, both available at no extra cost in the core tier. Junie is the coding agent — it handles multi-step tasks across files. AI Assistant covers inline completions, chat, and code generation.
Version 2026.1 introduced the ACP Registry, a built-in directory of AI coding agents. Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) support lets developers connect their own API keys from OpenAI, Anthropic, or local models. The debugger backend also changed in this release: PyCharm now defaults to debugpy, which uses the Debug Adapter Protocol and removes race conditions tied to the older socket-based approach.
Next edit suggestions (NES) watch for code changes in real time and predict follow-up edits inline. Accepting them with Tab moves through each suggested change without triggering a full AI rewrite.
What’s New in PyCharm 2026.1 Beyond the Download
JavaScript, TypeScript, and CSS support — previously Pro-only — moved to the free core tier in 2026.1. Advanced navigation and code intelligence for web files now work without a subscription. Remote development over SSH and Docker received improvements too, with uv package manager support extending to remote targets.
Google Colab integration became a free core feature starting with 2025.3.2, bringing Colab-hosted notebooks into local IDE workflows. For developers managing Python environments and script execution across machines, understanding how shell scripts run in Linux is relevant when automating pre-IDE setup steps or managing interpreter paths.
PyCharm Pro Trial: How the 30-Day Period Works
The trial starts the moment you install unified PyCharm for the first time. It runs for 30 days and covers every Pro feature. You can cancel before it expires through your JetBrains account to avoid moving to a paid plan. Extending the trial is also possible from the same account page.
When the trial ends and you stay on the free tier, none of your configurations are lost. Projects, plugins, and editor settings persist.
Free PyCharm Access for Students and Educators
JetBrains offers full Pro access at no cost through its education program. Students enrolled at accredited institutions and teachers actively employed at them qualify. Applications go through the JetBrains education portal — approval typically relies on a valid institutional email address or enrollment documentation.
Migrating from PyCharm Community Edition
Community Edition 2025.2 was the last version released as a standalone product. Users on that version or earlier can upgrade directly through the Toolbox App or the in-product notification. The unified installer recognizes prior Community Edition configurations and preserves them. JetBrains recommends uninstalling the old edition first for a cleaner setup, though it’s not required.
If you run Python-heavy workflows that involve database management alongside IDE work, the process for installing PostgreSQL on Ubuntu covers the server-side setup that PyCharm Pro’s database tools can connect to.
The open-source codebase remains on GitHub. Pre-built binaries through GitHub Actions are available for anyone who wants a build equivalent to the old Community Edition — no Pro features, just the open-source components.
Community Plugins and the PyCharm Ecosystem
All plugins built for prior PyCharm versions remain compatible with the unified product. The JetBrains Marketplace continues to host third-party plugins, and nothing about the unified release broke existing plugin APIs. MCP server support, introduced in 2025.2, allows PyCharm to connect with external AI clients like Claude, Cursor, or Windsurf — one-click setup auto-configures the connection when a compatible client is detected.
FAQs
Is the PyCharm download free?
Yes. The core version is free forever. Every install starts with a 30-day Pro trial. After the trial, you keep the free core tier unless you subscribe to Pro.
What happened to PyCharm Community Edition?
PyCharm Community 2025.2 was the final standalone release. It merged into the unified PyCharm product starting with 2025.3, which includes all Community features plus Jupyter Notebook support in the free tier.
Does the free PyCharm tier include Jupyter Notebook support?
Yes. Jupyter Notebook support moved from the Pro tier to the free core tier with the unified release. It requires no subscription and is available on all platforms.
How do I install PyCharm on Linux?
Extract the downloaded .tar.gz archive and run pycharm.sh from the bin folder. Alternatively, install via snap: sudo snap install pycharm --channel=stable/stable --classic.
Can students get PyCharm Pro for free?
Yes. JetBrains offers full Pro access at no cost to students and teachers at accredited institutions. Applications are processed through the JetBrains education portal.
Willie has over 15 years of experience in Linux system administration and DevOps. After managing infrastructure for startups and enterprises alike, he founded Command Linux to share the practical knowledge he wished he had when starting out. He oversees content strategy and contributes guides on server management, automation, and security.