Replacing the built-in script editor from QGIS with my own IDE (PyCharm)

Question

I have to do some scripting with pyqgis and would like to do this in my IDE 'PyCharm'. So I have set my python interpreter to the path C:/ProgramFiles/QGIS 3.28.3/bin/python-qgis.bat, so I can use the pyqgis library.

However, I need to be able to have access to a running QGIS App from Pycharm, as I need to be able to access active layers (which doesn't work in PyCharm yet, only from the in-built editor).

Is there a way to NOT use the in-built editor, but instead using PyCharm and still be able to access the running QGIS App? The in-built editor must have a connection to the running App.

Is it possible to configure QGIS to use an external IDE/Script Editor?

Answer 1

You can set the EDITOR variable using:

Settings > Options > System > Environment

Enter here the path of your IDE.

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Then, after a restart, clicking this button in the Script Editor window should open your IDE (with the current script if one exists).

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Saving changes in either the IDE or the QGIS Script Editor will reflect in both applications.