JetBrains MCP Proxy Server

What is JetBrains MCP Proxy Server about?

JetBrains MCP Proxy Server acts as a bridge between external clients (e.g., VS Code extensions, Claude Desktop, Docker‑based tools) and JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, Android Studio, etc. It forwards MCP requests to the IDE’s built‑in web server, enabling AI‑driven features without requiring a dedicated plugin inside the IDE.

How to use JetBrains MCP Proxy Server?

1. Install the MCP Server plugin in your JetBrains IDE via the marketplace (plugin ID: mcp-server).
2. Add a server configuration to your client (VS Code, Claude Desktop, etc.) that invokes the proxy using npx:

   {
     "mcp": {
       "servers": {
         "jetbrains": {
           "command": "npx",
           "args": ["-y", "@jetbrains/mcp-proxy"]
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Optionally set environment variables (IDE_PORT, HOST, LOG_ENABLED) to target a specific IDE instance or enable logging.
4. Start the client; the proxy will launch the MCP process, connect to the IDE’s built‑in server (default 127.0.0.1:63145), and forward requests.

Key features of JetBrains MCP Proxy Server

• Cross‑IDE support: Works with any IntelliJ‑based IDE (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, Android Studio, etc.).
• Zero‑installation for clients: Uses npx to run the proxy without a global npm install.
• Configurable host/port: Override the IDE connection details via HOST and IDE_PORT.
• Logging: Enable detailed logs with LOG_ENABLED=true.
• External connection support: Allows Docker containers or remote clients to connect when the IDE is configured to accept external connections.
• Node version check: Requires Node 18+; provides guidance for nvm users.

Use cases of JetBrains MCP Proxy Server

• AI coding assistants (e.g., Claude Desktop) that need to query the IDE for context, completions, or tool information.
• VS Code extensions offering JetBrains‑specific features without opening the IDE directly.
• Containerized services (LibreChat, Cline, etc.) that interact with a local JetBrains IDE for code analysis.
• Cross‑IDE automation where scripts run against multiple JetBrains IDEs from a single client.

FAQ from the JetBrains MCP Proxy Server

Q: Which Node version is required? A: Node 18 or newer. Node 16 is not supported.

Q: How do I make the proxy work with nvm on macOS? A: Create a symlink to the npx executable in /usr/local/bin:

which npx &>/dev/null && sudo ln -sf "$(which npx)" /usr/local/bin/npx

Q: My client cannot connect from Docker; what should I do? A: Enable Can accept external connections in the IDE settings, then set HOST to your machine’s LAN IP and specify IDE_PORT.

Q: Is this repository still maintained? A: No. The functionality is now built into IntelliJ‑based IDEs (2025.2+). Use the built‑in MCP support or follow the migration guide.

Q: Where can I report bugs for the built‑in MCP functionality? A: Use JetBrains YouTrack: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issues?q=project:%20IJPL%20Subsystem:%20%7BMCP%20(Model%20Context%20Protocol)%7D%20

⚠️ Deprecated

This repository is no longer maintained. The core functionality has been integrated into all IntelliJ-based IDEs since version 2025.2. The built-in functionality works with SSE and JVM-based proxy (for STDIO) so this NPM package is no longer required.

Migration: Please refer to the official documentation for details on using the built-in functionality.

Issues & Support: For bugs or feature requests related to the built-in MCP functionality, please use the JetBrains YouTrack.

JetBrains MCP Proxy Server

The server proxies requests from client to JetBrains IDE.

Install MCP Server plugin

https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/26071-mcp-server

VS Code Installation

For one-click installation, click one of the install buttons below:

Manual Installation

Add the following JSON block to your User Settings (JSON) file in VS Code. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P and typing Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON).

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "jetbrains": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["-y", "@jetbrains/mcp-proxy"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Optionally, you can add it to a file called .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:

{
  "servers": {
    "jetbrains": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@jetbrains/mcp-proxy"]
    }
  }
}

Usage with Claude Desktop

To use this with Claude Desktop, add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json. The full path on MacOS: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, on Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jetbrains": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@jetbrains/mcp-proxy"]
    }
  }
}

After installing the MCP Server Plugin, and adding the JSON to the config file, restart Claude Desktop, and make sure the Jetbrains product is open before restarting Claude Desktop.

Configuration

If you're running multiple IDEs with MCP server and want to connect to the specific one, add to the MCP server configuration:

"env": {
  "IDE_PORT": "<port of IDE's built-in webserver>"
}

By default, we connect to IDE on 127.0.0.1 but you can specify a different address/host:

"env": {
  "HOST": "<host/address of IDE's built-in webserver>"
}

To enable logging add:

"env": {
  "LOG_ENABLED": "true"
}

Troubleshooting

Node.js Version Requirements

Problem: Error message: Cannot find module 'node:path'

Solution: MCP Proxy doesn't work on Node 16. Upgrade your Node.js installation to version 18 or later. Make sure that command in config points to the correct Node.js version. Try to use the full path to the latest version of NodeJS.

MacOS: Plugin Unable to Detect Node.js Installed via nvm

Problem: On MacOS, if you have Node.js installed through nvm (Node Version Manager), the MCP Server Plugin might be unable to detect your Node.js installation.

Solution: Create a symbolic link in /usr/local/bin pointing to your nvm npx executable:

which npx &>/dev/null && sudo ln -sf "$(which npx)" /usr/local/bin/npx

This one-liner checks if npx exists in your path and creates the necessary symbolic link with proper permissions.

Using MCP with External Clients or Docker Containers (LibreChat, Cline, etc.)

Problem: When attempting to connect to the JetBrains MCP proxy from external clients, Docker containers, or third-party applications (like LibreChat), requests to endpoints such as http://host.docker.internal:6365/api/mcp/list_tools may return 404 errors or fail to connect. Solution: There are two key issues to address:

1. Enable External Connections:

In your JetBrains IDE, enable "Can accept external connections" in the Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Debugger.

2. Configure with LAN IP and Port:

Use your machine's LAN IP address instead of host.docker.internal Explicitly set the IDE_PORT and HOST in your configuration Example configuration for LibreChat or similar external clients:

mcpServers:
  intellij:
    type: stdio
    command: sh
    args:
      - "-c"
      - "IDE_PORT=YOUR_IDEA_PORT HOST=YOUR_IDEA_LAN_IP npx -y @jetbrains/mcp-proxy"

Replace:

YOUR_IDEA_PORT with your IDE's debug port (found in IDE settings) YOUR_IDEA_LAN_IP with your computer's local network IP (e.g., 192.168.0.12)

How to build

1. Tested on macOS
2. brew install node pnpm
3. Run pnpm build to build the project