PixiEnv

PyCharm plugin that automatically detects and registers Pixi environments as Python interpreters — no manual configuration required.

While official Pixi support may eventually land in PyCharm, this plugin provides a seamless workflow today.

Features

• Automatic SDK registration — on project open, all Pixi environments are discovered and added as Python interpreters
• Multi-root project support — detects environments across all content roots in multi-module projects
• Correct command execution — Python runs are wrapped with pixi run --environment <env> -- so environment activation scripts run properly
• Package detection — integrates with PyCharm's package management system, enabling automatic tool detection (e.g. pytest)
• Auto-exclusion — the .pixi/ directory is automatically excluded from project indexing, preventing PyCharm from indexing hundreds of conda packages
• Cross-platform — works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Requirements

• PyCharm 2023.3 or later (Community or Professional)
• Pixi installed on your system
• At least one Pixi environment already created (i.e. pixi install has been run)

Installation

1. Download the latest .zip from the Releases page
2. Open Settings / Preferences → Plugins → gear icon → Install Plugin from Disk...
3. Select the downloaded file and restart PyCharm

Usage

Basic workflow

1. Open a project that contains a pixi.toml (or pyproject.toml with a [tool.pixi] section)
2. Run pixi install in the project directory if you have not already
3. Open the project in PyCharm — the plugin detects .pixi/envs/ and registers each environment as a Python SDK automatically

No further action is needed. The first discovered environment is set as the project interpreter if no Python SDK is currently configured.

Selecting an interpreter

If you have multiple Pixi environments (e.g. default, dev, test) you can switch between them via:

Settings / Preferences → Project → Python Interpreter → dropdown

Each environment appears as Python <version> (pixi: <env-name>).

Running code and tests

Run configurations work as-is. When PyCharm executes Python, the plugin wraps the call as:

pixi run --environment <env> --manifest-path <pixi.toml> -- python <args>

This ensures the full Pixi activation lifecycle runs — including any activation.scripts defined in pixi.toml.

Package management

PyCharm's Python Packages tool window shows installed packages pulled from pixi list. Automatic tool detection (e.g. discovering pytest as the test runner) works without any extra setup.

Limitations

• The plugin reads environments that have already been created. Run pixi install before opening the project, or re-open the project after running it.
• Package installation via the Python Packages UI is not yet supported. Use pixi add <package> from the terminal.
• Package search in the Python Packages UI is not available (Pixi manages packages via pixi.toml, not a live index).

How it works

On project startup the plugin:

1. Walks each content root looking for a .pixi/ directory
2. Lists subdirectories of .pixi/envs/ and checks each for a valid Python executable (bin/python on Unix, python.exe on Windows)
3. Registers each environment as a PyPixiEnvSdkFlavor Python SDK (a custom flavor extending CPython)
4. Marks .pixi/ as excluded so PyCharm does not index the conda packages inside it
5. Sets the first found environment as the project interpreter if none is configured

When Python is executed, PyPixiFlavorData.prepareTargetCommandLine() intercepts the command and prepends the pixi run wrapper so that environment variables and activation scripts are applied correctly.

Building from source

git clone https://github.com/Polymathian/pixi-pycharm-plugin.git
cd pixi-pycharm-plugin
./gradlew buildPlugin          # produces build/distributions/*.zip
./gradlew runIde               # launches a sandbox PyCharm with the plugin installed
./gradlew test                 # runs the test suite

Contributing

Pull requests are welcome.

License

See LICENSE in the repository.