intellij-plugin-builder

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Guide for creating IntelliJ Platform plugins using Gradle and Kotlin/Java. Use when users want to create, configure, or develop plugins for IntelliJ IDEA or other JetBrains IDEs.

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[Developer Tools]

When & Why to Use This Skill

The IntelliJ Plugin Builder is a comprehensive development toolkit designed to accelerate the creation of JetBrains IDE plugins. It provides automated project scaffolding, Kotlin/Java code templates, and integrated access to the full IntelliJ SDK documentation, enabling developers to efficiently build, configure, and test custom IDE extensions using the latest Gradle IntelliJ Platform Plugin (2.x) standards.

Use Cases

  • Rapidly scaffold new IntelliJ Platform projects with standardized Gradle and Kotlin/Java structures using automated initialization scripts.
  • Generate boilerplate code for core IDE components such as Actions, Services, and Listeners to reduce manual configuration and XML registration errors.
  • Access the complete official IntelliJ SDK documentation offline to research specific extension points, UI components, and API implementations.
  • Streamline the plugin development lifecycle, including running sandbox IDE instances for debugging and packaging plugins for distribution.
  • Implement advanced IDE features like Tool Windows, Code Inspections, and Settings pages using pre-configured templates and best practices.
nameintellij-plugin-builder
descriptionGuide for creating IntelliJ Platform plugins using Gradle and Kotlin/Java. Use when users want to create, configure, or develop plugins for IntelliJ IDEA or other JetBrains IDEs.

IntelliJ Plugin Builder

Overview

This skill provides templates, best practices, and reference documentation for building IntelliJ Platform plugins. It covers project setup, core components (Actions, Services, Listeners), and configuration using the IntelliJ Platform Gradle Plugin (2.x).

It includes the full official IntelliJ SDK documentation for offline reference.

Workflow

1. Project Setup

Use the provided initialization script to scaffold a new project with the correct structure and configuration.

python3 .claude/skills/intellij-plugin-builder/scripts/init_project.py "MyPlugin" "com.example.myplugin"

This will create:

  • A standard Gradle project structure (src/main/kotlin, src/main/resources).
  • build.gradle.kts configured with the IntelliJ Platform Gradle Plugin (2.x).
  • plugin.xml with your ID and name.
  • gradle.properties and .gitignore.

2. Core Development

Refer to references/plugin_structure.md for details on:

  • Actions: Creating menu items and toolbar buttons.
  • Services: Managing state and logic.
  • Listeners: Reacting to IDE events.
  • Extensions: Integrating with the IDE (Tool Windows, Inspections, etc.).

3. Common Tasks & Tutorials

The skill includes the full IntelliJ SDK documentation. Here are quick links to common tasks:

  • Creating Actions: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/tutorials/actions_tutorial.md
  • Tool Windows: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/basics/plugin_structure/plugin_tool_windows.md
  • Inspections: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/tutorials/code_inspections.md
  • Listeners: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/basics/plugin_structure/plugin_listeners.md
  • Services: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/basics/plugin_structure/plugin_services.md
  • Settings/Config: references/intellij-sdk-docs/topics/tutorials/settings_tutorial.md

4. Building and Running

  • Run ./gradlew runIde to start a sandbox IDE instance with your plugin installed.
  • Run ./gradlew buildPlugin to package the plugin for distribution.
  • Run ./gradlew test to run unit tests (JUnit 5 configured).

Resources

scripts/

  • init_project.py: Scaffolds a complete IntelliJ Plugin project structure.
  • add_action.py: Interactive script to scaffold a new Action class (Kotlin) and generate the XML registration snippet.

references/

  • plugin_structure.md: Detailed guide on project structure, key components (Actions, Services, Listeners), and Gradle configuration.
  • intellij-sdk-docs/: Full clone of the official IntelliJ SDK documentation.
    • topics/basics/: Core concepts and architecture.
    • topics/reference_guide/: API reference and specific features.
    • topics/tutorials/: Step-by-step guides.

assets/

  • build.gradle.kts: A complete Gradle build script template configured for IntelliJ Plugin development (v2.x) with JUnit 5.
  • plugin.xml: A template for the plugin configuration file.
  • settings.gradle.kts: Gradle settings template.
  • gradle.properties: Standard properties for JVM and plugin versions.
  • .gitignore: Standard git ignore file for IntelliJ/Gradle projects.