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JetBrains Integration

3 min read

JetBrains Integration

A dedicated plugin that connects the Claude Code CLI to IntelliJ-family IDEs, adding IDE-native diffs, selection context, and live diagnostic sharing.

Why it matters

JetBrains users get Claude Code’s terminal-driven workflow plus the IDE’s strengths: edits render in the real diff viewer, your current selection/tab is auto-shared, and the language server’s lint and syntax errors stream to Claude as you type — so it sees the same red squiggles you do. Unlike VS Code there is no graphical chat panel; the plugin augments claude running in the integrated terminal, which makes the connection model (and its remote-dev caveat) the thing to get right.

How it works

Install “Claude Code [Beta]” (plugin id 27310) from the JetBrains Marketplace and fully restart the IDE. Supported across IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, PhpStorm, GoLand, Android Studio, and most other JetBrains IDEs. Then run claude in the IDE’s integrated terminal and all integration features activate.

  • Quick launch / focus: Cmd+Esc (Mac) or Ctrl+Esc (Win/Linux), or the Claude Code toolbar button.
  • File reference: Cmd+Option+K (Mac) / Alt+Ctrl+K (Win/Linux) inserts a reference like @src/auth.ts#L1-99.
  • Diff viewing: edits can render in the IDE’s diff viewer instead of the terminal — toggled by Claude Code’s diff-tool config, not a plugin setting. See diff-viewing-inline-edits.
  • Selection & diagnostics: the active selection/tab and lint/syntax errors are shared automatically; a Read deny rule blocks sharing for matching files (e.g. .env).
  • External terminal: run /ide to attach a separately launched claude to the IDE.

Plugin settings live under Settings → Tools → Claude Code [Beta] — notably the Claude command (e.g. claude, an absolute path, or npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code) used to spawn the process.

Example

In GoLand, select a function, press Cmd+Option+K, and ask “add table-driven tests”. The prompt carries @handler.go#L40-72; the plugin renders Claude’s new file in GoLand’s diff viewer, and any go vet errors the IDE flags are passed back so Claude can self-correct. WSL2 users who hit “No available IDEs detected” must open WSL2 traffic through Windows Firewall (or switch to mirrored networking) — NAT blocks the IDE-to-CLI socket.

Pitfalls

  • Remote Development installs in the wrong place. The plugin must live on the remote host (Settings → Plugin (Host)), not the local thin client, or nothing connects.
  • ESC won’t interrupt Claude. JetBrains terminals bind Escape to “move focus to editor”; uncheck that under Settings → Tools → Terminal so Esc cancels Claude instead.
  • Wrong working directory. Launch claude from the project root, or it sees a different file set than the IDE and integration looks broken.
  • “command not found” on the icon. The plugin can’t locate claude; set its full path in plugin settings (for WSL, wsl -d Ubuntu -- bash -lic "claude").

See also

Graph View

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