KDevelop vs PyCharm
KDevelop
kdevelop.org
PyCharm
jetbrains.comSide by side
| Figure | KDevelop | PyCharm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $8.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · Integrated Development Environments | 8.3 (#17) | 8.9 (#5) |
| Spec score · IDE Software | 8.2 (#18) | 8.9 (#6) |
| Spec score · Integrated Development Environment Ide Software | 8.2 (#17) | 8.9 (#4) |
| Debugging | The IDE provides graphical debugger support for C/C++ and Python, with PHP support through an extra plugin. | PyCharm includes a configurable visual debugger that works locally, remotely, in virtual environments, and in containers. |
| Documentation | KDevelop integrates QtHelp documentation files, man pages, and CMake help pages. | JetBrains maintains versioned PyCharm 2026.2 documentation covering setup, interpreters, testing, debugging, databases, remote development, security, plugins, and data sharing. |
| Extensibility | KDevelop uses a plugin architecture, and the project site names Clang-Tidy, Heaptrack and Perforce support as examples of extensions. | The IntelliJ Platform exposes more than 1,700 extension points for adding tool windows, settings pages, language support, and other IDE behavior. |
| Headquarters | Berlin, Germany | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Security | KDE directs users who find a security issue in KDE software to report it and says its security advisories are listed there. | Remote development connections use end-to-end TLS 1.3 encryption with SSH security and host-fingerprint verification. |
| Support | KDE community support is provided without warranty by volunteers, with help available through its discussion forum and Matrix rooms. | PyCharm lists a community forum, bug and issue tracker, plugin repository, and PyCharm blog as support resources. |
| Version control | KDevelop has GUI integration for Git, Bazaar, Subversion, CVS, and Perforce, with Mercurial available through an optional plugin. | Out-of-the-box version-control support includes Git, GitHub, GitLab, Subversion, Mercurial, and Perforce. |
Plans
PyCharm
- PyCharm coreFree
- PyCharm FreeFree
- PyCharm Pro personal annual first year$100 a year
- PyCharm Pro$200 a year
- PyCharm Pro commercial annual$200 a year
In their own words
KDevelop
KDevelop is a free, open-source integrated development environment for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its built-in parser backends support C, C++, and JavaScript/QML; Python and PHP support comes through optional plugins. For fully supported languages, it offers semantic syntax highlighting, code completion, and navigation such as finding symbol uses or jumping to declarations and definitions. Build support covers CMake and QMake, partial support for custom Makefiles, and invoking tools such as make and ninja. Graphical debugging is available for C/C++ and Python, with PHP debugging through an extra plugin. KDevelop also integrates unit tests, code formatting, and documentation from QtHelp, Man pages, and CMake help. Version-control interfaces include Git, Bazaar, Subversion, CVS, and Perforce; Mercurial is available as an optional plugin. Views, color schemes, and shortcuts can be customized. The free plan is listed at free. Windows nightly builds may be unstable or incomplete, and independently developed Chocolatey packages may not be up to date.
PyCharm
PyCharm is an IDE for web, data, and AI/ML professionals, with tools for Python development. It provides code completion, PEP 8 checks, inspections, and refactoring, alongside debugging and testing. The IDE includes an integrated terminal, package managers, Docker integration, and support for Pipenv, conda, virtualenv, and Poetry. Version control includes Git, GitHub, GitLab, Subversion, Mercurial, and Perforce; database tools cover MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Redis, and other providers. Local AI code completion can run local LLMs without sending code over the internet. Remote development supports several listed services, and remote connections use end-to-end TLS 1.3 with SSH security and host-fingerprint verification. PyCharm runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its free plan costs nothing and includes one month of Pro. The listed Pro plan costs $200 a year, billed per user per year. PyCharm Ultimate can be evaluated free for 30 days before purchase and license activation are required.