JetBrains Skill

Quick start

Goal: use JetBrains IDE features (index, inspections, refactoring, run configurations, integrated terminal) as tools for an external client, while keeping changes auditable and safe.

notes + tool list (condensed): skills/jetbrains-skill/references/jetbrains-skill.md.

Connection & modes

Client setup (done in the IDE)

• Settings → Tools → MCP Server
• Enable MCP Server
• Use “Auto-configure” for supported clients (updates their JSON config), or copy SSE / Stdio config for manual setup
• Restart the external client to apply changes

Brave Mode (no confirmations)

The IDE can allow running shell commands / run configurations without per-action confirmation (“Brave mode”). This increases automation power but also increases risk. Require explicit user confirmation before enabling/disabling it.

Workflow decision tree

1. Do I need IDE-grade analysis/refactoring?

• File diagnostics: get_file_problems
• Symbol semantics / docs: get_symbol_info
• Safe rename across project: rename_refactoring (prefer over plain text replace)
• Indexed search: search_in_files_by_text / search_in_files_by_regex
• Find files: find_files_by_name_keyword (fast, name-only) or find_files_by_glob (path glob)

2. Do I just need file operations in the project?

• Read file text: get_file_text_by_path
• Create file: create_new_file
• Targeted replace: replace_text_in_file (auto-saves)
• Open in editor: open_file_in_editor
• Reformat: reformat_file

3. Do I need to run something?

• List run configs: get_run_configurations
• Run a config (wait for completion): execute_run_configuration
• Run a terminal command in IDE: execute_terminal_command (may require confirmation; output is capped)

Constraints (avoid common mistakes)

• Always pass projectPath when known to avoid ambiguity.
• Many tools require paths relative to the project root and only operate on project files.
• Line/column positions are 1-based for location-based tools.
• Prefer controlling output with maxLinesCount + truncateMode; do not rely on defaults for large outputs.
• Terminal commands and running configurations are high-risk; require explicit confirmation for any potentially destructive command. Brave Mode removes guardrails.

Recommended high-value patterns

Debug via inspections first

1. get_file_problems to find errors/warnings → 2) get_symbol_info to understand the code → 3) rename_refactoring for renames → 4) replace_text_in_file only for truly textual changes.

Use indexed search for scale

Prefer search_in_files_by_text / search_in_files_by_regex since it uses IDE search/indexing and highlights matches with ||.

Running and output control

Use execute_run_configuration with a sane timeout (ms). For terminal commands use execute_terminal_command, but remember output caps; for huge output, redirect to a file and read it via file tools.

References

• notes + tool list (condensed): skills/jetbrains-skill/references/jetbrains-skill.md