9.2 JetBrains IDEs

Course: Claude Code - Power User Section: IDE Integrations Video Length: 2-5 minutes Presenter: Daniel Treasure

Opening Hook

"If you're a PyCharm, IntelliJ, WebStorm, or GoLand developer, Claude Code has a plugin for you too. In this video, we'll walk through the setup process and show you how to use Claude in your JetBrains IDE — the workflow is intuitive, and the integration is seamless."

Key Talking Points

1. Why JetBrains Integration Matters

Works with IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, PhpStorm, GoLand, Android Studio
Same AI capabilities as VS Code but tailored to JetBrains workflows
Integrates with JetBrains' code inspection and diagnostics
Supports terminal integration for a unified experience
File references and @-mentions work the same way

What to say: "Whether you're building Python, JavaScript, PHP, Go, or Android apps, Claude Code works directly in your JetBrains IDE. You get the same powerful AI features, but optimized for your IDE's environment."

What to show on screen: Open a JetBrains IDE (PyCharm, IntelliJ, or WebStorm) with the plugin installed and visible in the toolbar.

2. Installation & Setup

Install from: Settings → Plugins → Search "Claude Code"
Alternative: JetBrains Marketplace directly
Sign in with your Anthropic account
Critical: Restart IDE after installation
Plugin initializes connection to Claude servers
Configure settings and select your model

What to say: "Installation is straightforward, but here's the key difference from VS Code: you must restart your IDE after installing the plugin. It's a one-time step, and then everything is ready to go."

What to show on screen: - Open Settings → Plugins - Search for "Claude Code" - Click Install - Show restart prompt - Post-restart, show Claude Code in IDE

3. Launching Claude Code

Quick launch: Cmd+Esc (Mac) / Ctrl+Esc (Windows/Linux)
Menu access: Tools → Claude Code [Beta]
Creates a new tool window (panel) or uses existing one
Can be docked or floated
Persistent within IDE session

What to say: "After restart, just hit Cmd+Esc or Ctrl+Esc to open Claude Code. It appears as a tool window just like your Run, Debug, or Terminal panels."

What to show on screen: - Press the shortcut - Show Claude Code panel opening - Demonstrate docking and floating the panel

4. File References & @-mentions

Insert file reference: Cmd+Option+K (Mac) / Alt+Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
Fuzzy file matching: @auth matches auth.py or auth.js
Folder references: @src/components/ includes all files
Line ranges: @app.ts#10-20 targets specific lines
IDE automatically shares diagnostics and code structure

What to say: "Use Alt+Ctrl+K to quickly insert a file reference, or just type @ and let fuzzy matching find the file you want. The IDE understands your project structure, so Claude can analyze dependencies and context."

What to show on screen: - Press Alt+Ctrl+K (or Cmd+Option+K on Mac) - Show file picker or autocomplete - Reference a file and show Claude analyzing it

5. IDE Diagnostics Integration

Claude automatically sees build errors, linting warnings
IntelliJ's code inspections are shared with Claude
Ask Claude to fix errors directly
Example: "Fix all the warnings in this file"
Saves time by giving Claude full error context

What to say: "One of the cool features is that Claude automatically sees the errors and warnings your IDE is reporting. You don't have to copy-paste error messages — Claude already knows what's wrong."

What to show on screen: - Show code with IDE warnings/errors highlighted - Ask Claude to fix them - Demonstrate how Claude references the diagnostics

6. Terminal Integration

Run claude command in IDE terminal to open panel
Alternative: Use /ide from external terminal to connect
Seamless context between editor and terminal
Run tests, builds, or commands while talking to Claude
Works with WSL and remote development

What to say: "Terminal integration is powerful. You can ask Claude to write a test, run it in the terminal, and iterate — all in the same conversation. For remote development, just run /ide to connect back to your local IDE."

What to show on screen: - Open IDE terminal - Run claude command - Show Claude panel appearing (if not already open) - Optionally demo WSL or remote scenario (time permitting)

7. Remote Development Setup

For SSH/remote hosts: Install plugin on remote machine
For WSL: Use wsl -d Ubuntu -- bash -lic "claude"
For web-based IDEs: Supported if plugin is available
Full feature parity with local development

What to say: "If you work on remote machines or use WSL, Claude still works seamlessly. Install the plugin on the remote host, and everything is available as if you were coding locally."

What to show on screen: - If time permits, show remote development configuration - Otherwise, mention it and move on

8. Settings & Customization

Configure: Tools → Claude Code [Beta]
Set claude command path (for terminal integration)
Choose multi-line input key (Option+Enter on Mac)
Select preferred model (Haiku, Opus, etc.)
Terminal ESC key handling (if needed)

What to say: "Customize Claude Code to match your workflow. If you use WSL, set the correct command path. If you prefer specific keyboard shortcuts, those are configurable too."

What to show on screen: Navigate to settings and show key configuration options.

Demo Plan

Scenario: Debug a Python function and generate tests using PyCharm

Setup (10s)
Open PyCharm with a sample Python file containing a function with a bug
Open Claude Code with Cmd+Esc / Ctrl+Esc
Identify Problem (30s)
Show IDE diagnostics highlighting an issue (e.g., type error, undefined variable)
Ask Claude: "Why is the IDE reporting this error? How do I fix it?"
Claude references the diagnostics and explains the issue
Apply Fix (40s)
Ask Claude: "Generate the correct version of this function"
Apply Claude's fix to the code
Show the IDE diagnostics disappearing
Generate Tests (30s)
Select the fixed function
Ask Claude: "Write pytest tests for this function"
Show test code generated and inserted
Run Tests (20s)
Open IDE terminal
Run pytest or similar command
Show tests passing

Total demo time: ~2.5 minutes

Code Examples & Commands

Example 1: File Reference with Auto-completion

Prompt: "@models Refactor all data classes to use dataclasses instead of named tuples"

Press Alt+Ctrl+K to insert @models
Claude analyzes the entire models folder

Example 2: IDE Diagnostics in Action

IDE shows: "TypeError: 'NoneType' object is not iterable at line 42"

Prompt: "What's causing the error on line 42 and how do I fix it?"

Claude understands the diagnostic and provides a solution

Example 3: Terminal Integration

In IDE terminal, run:
$ claude

Claude Code panel opens (or comes to foreground)
Ask: "Write a script that validates my config file"
Claude generates the script
Run it in the same terminal to verify

Example 4: Remote Development

SSH into remote host:
$ ssh user@server.com
$ cd ~/project
$ claude

Claude Code connects to your local IDE
Full feature parity with local development

Example 5: WSL Integration

From Windows terminal:
$ wsl -d Ubuntu -- bash -lic "claude"

Claude Code connects to your Windows IDE
Access files from your WSL instance

Gotchas & Tips

Gotcha 1: IDE Must Be Restarted After Install

The plugin won't work until you restart
This is a JetBrains limitation, not a bug
Look for the restart prompt and click it
If you miss it, manually restart the IDE

Gotcha 2: Terminal ESC Key Conflicts

Some IDEs may have "Move focus to editor with Escape" enabled
This can interfere with terminal shortcuts
Solution: Go to Settings → Terminal → uncheck "Move focus to editor with Escape"
Then terminal escape sequences work correctly

Tip 1: Use IDE Diagnostics to Your Advantage

Ask Claude to fix all warnings and errors at once
Claude can see the full error context without you copying it
Saves time and reduces back-and-forth

Tip 2: File References Are IDE-Aware

Claude understands your project structure better than in other contexts
Use @src/ or @app/ to reference entire folders of related code
This gives Claude full context for larger refactoring tasks

Tip 3: Terminal Integration for Iterative Development

Write code with Claude, run tests immediately, iterate in one flow
No context switching between editor and external terminal
Great for TDD (Test-Driven Development) workflows

Tip 4: Leverage Built-in Code Inspection

IDE inspections catch errors Claude might miss
Use them together: let your IDE catch basic issues, use Claude for deeper refactoring
Example: IDE catches syntax errors, Claude fixes logic errors

Tip 5: Remote Development Requires Correct Setup

For SSH: Install plugin on remote machine, not local
For WSL: Use the correct bash invocation bash -lic to source shell config
For Docker: Ensure Claude CLI is available in the container

Gotcha 3: Plugin May Need Update

JetBrains occasionally updates plugin API
Keep your IDE and plugin up to date
If Claude Code stops working after IDE update, check for plugin updates first

Lead-out

"The Claude Code plugin brings the same power to your JetBrains IDE as the VS Code extension, with some neat JetBrains-specific features like built-in diagnostics and terminal integration. The setup is quick — just install, restart, and you're ready to go. If you're switching between multiple IDEs or languages, you now know that Claude Code works everywhere you code. Thanks for watching, and happy coding with Claude!"

Reference URLs

JetBrains Marketplace: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/23149-claude-code
Claude Code Documentation: https://documentation.anthropic.com/en/claude-code
JetBrains Plugin Development Guide: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs
Remote Development with JetBrains: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/remote-development-overview.html

Prep Reading

JetBrains IDE Architecture (https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs/intellij)
Terminal Integration in JetBrains (https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/terminal-emulator.html)
WSL Integration Guide (https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/how-to-use-wsl-development-environment-in-product.html)
Claude Code Plugin Documentation (internal)

Notes for Daniel: Have PyCharm or IntelliJ open with a real Python/Java project before recording. The demo should show actual IDE errors and warnings — use real diagnostics to make the integration feel natural. Emphasize the one-time restart requirement and the powerful terminal integration. Keep the pacing steady; these are technical details but they should feel straightforward. If recording remote development scenarios, test them beforehand to avoid technical glitches on camera.

Quick Reference