How to Install OpenCV (cv2) on PyCharm? – Be on the Right Side of Change (2024)

September 4, 2022September 11, 2021 by Chris

3.5/5 - (15 votes)

OpenCV is a framework for image processing and image recognition—among other things. It’s a super powerful tool in your data science and machine learning toolbelt! But how to install it in your PyCharm environment? This article will show you how!

Problem Formulation: Given a PyCharm project. How to install the OpenCV library in your project within a virtual environment or globally?

Here’s a solution that always works:

Open File > Settings > Project from the PyCharm menu.
Select your current project.
Click the Python Interpreter tab within your project tab.
Click the small + symbol to add a new library to the project.
Now type in the library to be installed, in your example "opencv-python" without quotes, and click Install Package.
Wait for the installation to terminate and close all popup windows.

Here’s the installation process as a short animated video—it works analogously for OpenCV, just type in “opencv-python” in the search field instead:

Programming Humor

💡 Programming is 10% science, 20% ingenuity, and 70% getting the ingenuity to work with the science.

~~~

Question: Why do Java programmers wear glasses?
Answer: Because they cannot C# …!

Feel free to check out our blog article with more coding jokes. 😉

Chris

While working as a researcher in distributed systems, Dr. Christian Mayer found his love for teaching computer science students.

To help students reach higher levels of Python success, he founded the programming education website Finxter.com that has taught exponential skills to millions of coders worldwide. He’s the author of the best-selling programming books Python One-Liners (NoStarch 2020), The Art of Clean Code (NoStarch 2022), and The Book of Dash (NoStarch 2022). Chris also coauthored the Coffee Break Python series of self-published books. He’s a computer science enthusiast, freelancer, and owner of one of the top 10 largest Python blogs worldwide.

His passions are writing, reading, and coding. But his greatest passion is to serve aspiring coders through Finxter and help them to boost their skills. You can join his free email academy here.

I'm Dr. Christian Mayer, a computer science enthusiast, researcher in distributed systems, and the founder of Finxter.com—a programming education website that has empowered millions of coders worldwide. My journey in the field has led to the creation of best-selling programming books, including "Python One-Liners," "The Art of Clean Code," and "The Book of Dash."

In the article you provided, the focus is on installing the OpenCV library in a PyCharm environment for image processing and recognition, particularly in the context of data science and machine learning. Let's break down the key concepts mentioned:

OpenCV (Open Source Computer Vision):
- Definition: OpenCV is a framework for image processing and image recognition.
- Application: It is a powerful tool in data science and machine learning.
PyCharm:
- Role: PyCharm is the integrated development environment (IDE) used in the article.
- Process: The article guides users on how to install the OpenCV library within a PyCharm project.
Installation Process:
- Steps:
  - Open File > Settings > Project in PyCharm.
  - Select the current project.
  - Navigate to Python Interpreter tab.
  - Add a new library by clicking the small + symbol.
  - Type "opencv-python" (without quotes) and click Install Package.
False Positives:
- Caution: Mentioned the importance of typing "opencv-python" specifically to avoid unnecessary packages containing the term "opencv."
Additional Resources:
- Tutorial: Reference to part 1 of the "Introduction to OpenCV Course."
- Further Learning: Suggested checking out Finxter Computer Science Academy for parts 2-5 of the course.
Programming Humor:
- Included a programming joke about Java programmers wearing glasses because they cannot "C#."
Author Information - Chris (Dr. Christian Mayer):
- Background: Worked as a researcher in distributed systems.
- Contribution: Founded Finxter.com to teach computer science and authored best-selling programming books.
- Passions: Writing, reading, and coding.
- Mission: Dedicated to serving aspiring coders through Finxter and helping them boost their skills.

This information provides a comprehensive overview of the concepts covered in the article, emphasizing the practical steps for installing OpenCV in a PyCharm environment for those interested in image processing and machine learning.