Using Powershell as terminal in IntelliJ IDEA IDEs like PyCharm, PHPStorm or RubyMine

Using PowerShell as Your Terminal in IntelliJ IDEA IDEs

Learn how to configure and effectively use PowerShell as the default terminal in JetBrains IDEs like PyCharm, PHPStorm, and RubyMine, enhancing your development workflow.

JetBrains IDEs, such as PyCharm, PHPStorm, and RubyMine, offer powerful integrated development environments. While they typically default to cmd.exe or Bash as the terminal on Windows, many developers prefer the advanced scripting capabilities and modern command-line experience of PowerShell. This article will guide you through the process of setting up PowerShell as your default terminal within these IDEs, improving your productivity and streamlining your workflow.

Why Choose PowerShell?

PowerShell offers several advantages over traditional command prompts, especially for developers working on Windows. Its object-oriented nature, powerful scripting language, and access to .NET framework functionalities make it a versatile tool for automation, system administration, and development tasks. Integrating it directly into your IDE means you don't have to switch contexts, keeping all your development tools in one place.

flowchart TD
    A[Start IDE] --> B{Default Terminal?}
    B -->|No| C[Configure Settings]
    C --> D[Specify PowerShell Path]
    D --> E[Apply & Restart Terminal]
    E --> F[PowerShell Active]
    B -->|Yes| F

Flowchart of configuring PowerShell as the default terminal

Configuring PowerShell in Your JetBrains IDE

The process for changing the default terminal shell is consistent across most JetBrains IDEs. You'll need to locate the terminal settings and point the shell path to your PowerShell executable. This typically involves navigating through the IDE's preferences or settings menu.

1. Open IDE Settings

Go to File > Settings (Windows/Linux) or IntelliJ IDEA > Preferences (macOS).

2. Navigate to Terminal Settings

In the settings dialog, use the search bar or navigate to Tools > Terminal.

3. Specify Shell Path

Locate the 'Shell path' field. Here, you will enter the full path to your PowerShell executable. For most Windows installations, this will be powershell.exe or pwsh.exe (for PowerShell Core).

4. Apply Changes

Click Apply and then OK to save your changes. You might need to close and reopen the terminal tab within the IDE for the changes to take effect.

Example Shell Paths

Here are common paths you might use depending on your PowerShell version and installation location:

powershell.exe
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe

Common PowerShell executable paths

Enhancing Your PowerShell Terminal Experience

Once PowerShell is set up, you can further customize its behavior within the IDE. This includes setting a custom startup directory, configuring environment variables, or integrating with PowerShell profiles for custom functions and aliases.

You can also configure your PowerShell profile (Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1) to automatically load custom functions, aliases, and modules every time a new PowerShell session starts. This file is typically located in your user's Documents folder under WindowsPowerShell or PowerShell.

if (!(Test-Path $PROFILE)) {
    New-Item -Path $PROFILE -ItemType File -Force
}
notepad $PROFILE

Command to open your PowerShell profile for editing