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PyCharm supports several ways of creating file templates:

Creating a file template from scratch
  1. Open Settings/Preferences dialog and under the Editor node, select File and Code Templates page.
  2. Switch to the Files tab.
  3. Click add.png on the toolbar and specify the template name, file extension, and the body of the template, which can contain:
    1. Plain text.
    2. #parse directives to work with includes.
    3. Predefined variables to be expanded into corresponding values in the format ${<variable_name>}.

      The available predefined file template variables are:

      • ${PROJECT_NAME} - the name of the current project.
      • ${NAME} - the name of the new file which you specify in the New File dialog box during the file creation.
      • ${USER} - the login name of the current user.
      • ${DATE} - the current system date.
      • ${TIME} - the current system time.
      • ${YEAR} - the current year.
      • ${MONTH} - the current month.
      • ${DAY} - the current day of the month.
      • ${HOUR} - the current hour.
      • ${MINUTE} - the current minute.
      • ${PRODUCT_NAME} - the name of the IDE in which the file will be created.
      • ${MONTH_NAME_SHORT} - the first 3 letters of the month name. Example: Jan, Feb, etc.
      • ${MONTH_NAME_FULL} - full name of a month. Example: January, February, etc.
    4. Custom variables. Their names can be defined right in the template through the #set directive or will be defined during the file creation.
  4. To have the dollar character ($) in a variable rendered "as is", use the ${DS} variable instead. This variable evaluates to a plain dollar character ($).
  5. Apply the changes and close the dialog box.
Creating a file template from an existing one
  1. Open the File Templates settings page and switch to the Files tab.
  2. Click copy on the toolbar and change the template name, extension, and source code as required.
  3. Apply the changes and close the dialog box.
Creating a file template from a file
  1. Open the desired file in the editor.
  2. On the main menu, choose Tools | Save File as Template.
  3. In the File and Code Templates dialog box that opens specify the new template name and edit the source code, if necessary.
  4. Apply the changes and close the dialog box.
Creating and referencing include templates

Include templates are used to define reusable pieces of code to be inserted in file templates through #parse directives.

  1. In the File and Code Templates settings page, switch to the Includes tab.
  2. Click add.png on the toolbar and specify the template name, extension, and the source code. Do one of the following:
    • Use the predefined file template variables.
    • Create custom template variables and define their values right in the include template using the #set VTL directive.

      For example, if you want to your full name inserted in the file header instead of your login name defined through the ${USER}, write the following construct: 

      #set( $MyName = "John Smith" )

      If, when applying a template, the values of certain template variable are not known, PyCharm will ask you to specify them.

    You can prevent treating dollar characters ($) in template variables as prefixes. If you need a dollar character ($ inserted as is, use the ${DS} file template variable instead. When the template is applied, this variable evaluates to a plain dollar character ($).

  3. To use the include template, switch to the Templates tab, select the desired template and click Edit.
  4. To include a template, insert the #parse directive in the source code.