Editor Integration

IDE integration surfaces lint errors, type issues, and formatting fixes as you type. Fast feedback loops keep code clean without waiting for CI.

Recipe

VS Code extensions:

charliermarsh.ruff (Ruff)
ms-python.mypy-type-checker or built-in Pylance (pyright)

// .vscode/settings.json
{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "charliermarsh.ruff",
  "[python]": {
    "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
      "source.fixAll.ruff": "explicit",
      "source.organizeImports.ruff": "explicit"
    }
  },
  "ruff.configuration": "pyproject.toml"
}

When to reach for this:

Setting up a new developer machine
Lint errors only appear in CI (too late)
Team wants consistent editor behavior via committed settings

Working Example

// .vscode/settings.json (commit this file)
{
  "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/python",
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "charliermarsh.ruff",
  "ruff.enable": true,
  "ruff.lint.run": "onSave",
  "mypy-type-checker.args": ["src/"],
  "mypy-type-checker.severity": {
    "error": "Error",
    "note": "Information"
  }
}

// .vscode/extensions.json
{
  "recommendations": [
    "charliermarsh.ruff",
    "ms-python.python",
    "ms-python.mypy-type-checker"
  ]
}

What this demonstrates:

Format on save with ruff
Import organization on save
mypy errors shown inline
Extension recommendations for one-click setup

Deep Dive

VS Code Setup

Setting	Effect
`formatOnSave`	Auto-format with ruff
`source.fixAll.ruff`	Auto-fix lint violations
`source.organizeImports.ruff`	Sort imports on save
`python.defaultInterpreterPath`	Point to project `.venv`

PyCharm Setup

Settings > Tools > Ruff: enable, point to project pyproject.toml
Settings > Tools > Python Integrated Tools > Default formatter: Ruff
Enable mypy plugin: Settings > Tools > Mypy, set config path

Gotchas

Wrong Python interpreter - lint runs against system packages. Fix: select .venv interpreter in VS Code status bar.
No committed .vscode/settings.json - each dev configures differently. Fix: commit shared settings (not personal keybindings).
Pylance and mypy both enabled - duplicate errors. Fix: pick one type checker in the editor; run the other in CI if needed.
Format on save without ruff extension - Black or autopep8 conflicts. Fix: set defaultFormatter to ruff explicitly.
Ruff not finding pyproject.toml - runs with defaults. Fix: open the project root folder, not a subdirectory.

Alternatives

Alternative	Use When	Don't Use When
CI only	No local setup time	Active development
Neovim + conform.nvim	Terminal-centric workflow	Team uses VS Code
Zed editor	Lightweight alternative	Need PyCharm Django tools

FAQs

VS Code or PyCharm for Python?

Both work well. VS Code + ruff + Pylance is lighter. PyCharm excels for Django refactoring.

How do I select the venv in VS Code?

Command Palette > Python: Select Interpreter > choose .venv/bin/python.

Does Pylance replace mypy?

Pylance (pyright) is fast for editing. mypy in CI catches issues Pylance may miss. Use both or pick one.

How do I disable format on save for one file?

Not easily per-file. Use # fmt: off blocks for specific sections.

Can I share settings without forcing them?

Use extensions.json for recommendations; settings.json for team defaults. Personal overrides go in user settings.

How do I see ruff errors inline?

Install ruff extension. Errors appear as squiggles; hover for rule explanation.

PyCharm ruff plugin setup?

Install Ruff plugin from marketplace. Enable in Settings > Tools > Ruff.

What about devcontainers?

Add extensions to devcontainer.json customizations.vscode.extensions.

How do I fix all ruff issues at once?

Command Palette > Ruff: Fix all auto-fixable problems.

Editor shows different errors than CI?

Sync ruff version in pre-commit rev with pyproject.toml dev dependency.

Ruff Setup - ruff configuration
pre-commit Hooks - git-level checks
mypy & pyright in CI - type checking
Linting & Formatting Best Practices - team standards

Stack versions: This page was written for Python 3.14.0, FastAPI 0.115+, Django 5.2, Flask 3.1, Pydantic 2, PyTorch 2.6+, pandas 2.2+, Polars 1.x, ruff 0.9+, and uv 0.6+.

Editor Integration

IDE integration surfaces lint errors, type issues, and formatting fixes as you type. Fast feedback loops keep code clean without waiting for CI.

Recipe

VS Code extensions:

charliermarsh.ruff (Ruff)
ms-python.mypy-type-checker or built-in Pylance (pyright)

// .vscode/settings.json
{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "charliermarsh.ruff",
  "[python]": {
    "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
      "source.fixAll.ruff": "explicit",
      "source.organizeImports.ruff": "explicit"
    }
  },
  "ruff.configuration": "pyproject.toml"
}

When to reach for this:

Setting up a new developer machine
Lint errors only appear in CI (too late)
Team wants consistent editor behavior via committed settings

Working Example

// .vscode/settings.json (commit this file)
{
  "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/python",
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "charliermarsh.ruff",
  "ruff.enable": true,
  "ruff.lint.run": "onSave",
  "mypy-type-checker.args": ["src/"],
  "mypy-type-checker.severity": {
    "error": "Error",
    "note": "Information"
  }
}

// .vscode/extensions.json
{
  "recommendations": [
    "charliermarsh.ruff",
    "ms-python.python",
    "ms-python.mypy-type-checker"
  ]
}

What this demonstrates:

Format on save with ruff
Import organization on save
mypy errors shown inline
Extension recommendations for one-click setup

Deep Dive

VS Code Setup

Setting	Effect
`formatOnSave`	Auto-format with ruff
`source.fixAll.ruff`	Auto-fix lint violations
`source.organizeImports.ruff`	Sort imports on save
`python.defaultInterpreterPath`	Point to project `.venv`

PyCharm Setup

Settings > Tools > Ruff: enable, point to project pyproject.toml
Settings > Tools > Python Integrated Tools > Default formatter: Ruff
Enable mypy plugin: Settings > Tools > Mypy, set config path

Gotchas

Wrong Python interpreter - lint runs against system packages. Fix: select .venv interpreter in VS Code status bar.
No committed .vscode/settings.json - each dev configures differently. Fix: commit shared settings (not personal keybindings).
Pylance and mypy both enabled - duplicate errors. Fix: pick one type checker in the editor; run the other in CI if needed.
Format on save without ruff extension - Black or autopep8 conflicts. Fix: set defaultFormatter to ruff explicitly.
Ruff not finding pyproject.toml - runs with defaults. Fix: open the project root folder, not a subdirectory.

Alternatives

Alternative	Use When	Don't Use When
CI only	No local setup time	Active development
Neovim + conform.nvim	Terminal-centric workflow	Team uses VS Code
Zed editor	Lightweight alternative	Need PyCharm Django tools

FAQs

VS Code or PyCharm for Python?

Both work well. VS Code + ruff + Pylance is lighter. PyCharm excels for Django refactoring.

How do I select the venv in VS Code?

Command Palette > Python: Select Interpreter > choose .venv/bin/python.

Does Pylance replace mypy?

Pylance (pyright) is fast for editing. mypy in CI catches issues Pylance may miss. Use both or pick one.

How do I disable format on save for one file?

Not easily per-file. Use # fmt: off blocks for specific sections.

Can I share settings without forcing them?

Use extensions.json for recommendations; settings.json for team defaults. Personal overrides go in user settings.

How do I see ruff errors inline?

Install ruff extension. Errors appear as squiggles; hover for rule explanation.

PyCharm ruff plugin setup?

Install Ruff plugin from marketplace. Enable in Settings > Tools > Ruff.

What about devcontainers?

Add extensions to devcontainer.json customizations.vscode.extensions.

How do I fix all ruff issues at once?

Command Palette > Ruff: Fix all auto-fixable problems.

Editor shows different errors than CI?

Sync ruff version in pre-commit rev with pyproject.toml dev dependency.

Ruff Setup - ruff configuration
pre-commit Hooks - git-level checks
mypy & pyright in CI - type checking
Linting & Formatting Best Practices - team standards

Stack versions: This page was written for Python 3.14.0, FastAPI 0.115+, Django 5.2, Flask 3.1, Pydantic 2, PyTorch 2.6+, pandas 2.2+, Polars 1.x, ruff 0.9+, and uv 0.6+.

Editor Integration

Search Documentation

Editor Integration