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Claude Code integrates with popular IDEs via a local MCP (Model Context Protocol) connection. The IDE extension communicates with the CLI over SSE or WebSocket, enabling diff previews, file navigation, and diagnostics directly inside your editor.

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Supported IDEs

VS Code

Install the Claude Code extension from the VS Code marketplace. The CLI detects it via the running process and workspace folders.

Cursor

VS Code-based. Detected the same way as VS Code; opened with the code CLI command.

Windsurf

VS Code-based. Detected alongside VS Code and Cursor; opened with the code CLI command.

JetBrains IDEs

IntelliJ, WebStorm, PyCharm, GoLand, and others. Requires the Claude Code JetBrains plugin. Install and restart your IDE.

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The /ide command

The /ide slash command manages your IDE connection from inside Claude Code. It is implemented in commands/ide/ide.tsx. 
/ide              # Open the IDE selector
/ide open         # Open the current project/worktree in the selected IDE

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Connecting to an IDE

1

Open the IDE selector

Run /ide. Claude Code scans for running IDE processes with a connected extension or plugin.
2

Select your IDE

A list of available IDEs is shown. IDEs whose workspace folders do not match the current working directory appear in a separate “unavailable” section with a note explaining the mismatch.
3

Connection is established

The CLI connects over SSE (sse-ide) or WebSocket (ws-ide) depending on the URL scheme reported by the IDE. The MCP server is registered under the name ide in the dynamic MCP config.
Only one Claude Code instance can be connected to VS Code at a time. A warning is shown when multiple VS Code instances are detected.

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Opening a project

Run /ide open to open the current directory (or the active worktree path) in your IDE:
  • VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf: uses the code <path> CLI command
  • JetBrains: prompts you to open manually with the path displayed
If you are inside a git worktree (created by a worktree isolated agent), /ide open opens the worktree path, not the repo root.

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Disconnecting

Select “None” in the IDE selector. Claude Code closes the MCP transport and removes the ide client from the session state. If auto-connect is enabled you will be asked whether to disable it.

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Auto-connect

Auto-connect re-establishes the IDE connection automatically when Claude Code starts inside a supported terminal (e.g., VS Code’s integrated terminal). It can be enabled from /config or with the --ide flag. 
claude --ide          # Start with IDE auto-connect
Two dialogs control the auto-connect preference:
  • IdeAutoConnectDialog — shown when you select an IDE for the first time, asks if you want to enable auto-connect
  • IdeDisableAutoConnectDialog — shown when you select “None”, asks if you want to disable auto-connect
Both dialogs are rendered by components/IdeAutoConnectDialog.tsx and the preference is persisted to global config.

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IDE detection internals

Detection is handled by utils/ide.ts (detectIDEs / detectRunningIDEs). Each detected IDE is represented as a DetectedIDEInfo: 
type DetectedIDEInfo = {
  name: string           // "VS Code", "Cursor", "WebStorm", …
  port: number           // local port the extension listens on
  url: string            // SSE or WebSocket URL
  isValid: boolean       // workspace matches current cwd
  workspaceFolders: string[]
  authToken?: string
  ideRunningInWindows?: boolean  // WSL path conversion needed
}
isValid is true only when at least one of the IDE’s open workspace folders is an ancestor of the current working directory. IDEs with isValid: false appear in the “unavailable” section of the selector with their workspace path(s) listed.

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Extension installation

If no IDE with the extension is detected but a supported IDE is running, Claude Code offers to install the extension automatically. When multiple supported IDEs are running, a selector is shown (RunningIDESelector). For a single IDE, installation begins immediately on mount. After installation:
  • VS Code / Cursor / Windsurf: extension is active immediately
  • JetBrains: a full IDE restart is required ("Please restart your IDE completely for it to take effect")
The JetBrains plugin page: https://docs.claude.com/s/claude-code-jetbrains

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MCP connection details

The IDE integration uses the ide named MCP server in the dynamic MCP config: 
{
  "ide": {
    "type": "sse-ide",
    "url": "http://localhost:<port>/sse",
    "ideName": "VS Code",
    "authToken": "<token>",
    "scope": "dynamic"
  }
}
WebSocket-based connections use type: "ws-ide" with a ws:// URL. The MCP client exposes IDE-specific tools under the mcp__ide__ namespace (e.g. mcp__ide__getDiagnostics, mcp__ide__openFile). The connection timeout is IDE_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS = 35000 ms — slightly longer than the standard 30-second MCP connection timeout — to handle slower IDE startups.

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WSL support

When running Claude Code in WSL with a Windows-hosted IDE (JetBrains or VS Code), utils/ide.ts uses WindowsToWSLConverter and checkWSLDistroMatch (utils/idePathConversion.ts) to translate Windows paths to their WSL equivalents. The ideRunningInWindows flag on DetectedIDEInfo enables this code path.

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Troubleshooting

Verify that the Claude Code extension or JetBrains plugin is installed and the IDE is running. For JetBrains, ensure you have restarted the IDE after installation. Run /ide and check the message — it will say either “No available IDEs detected” with a plugin install link, or list IDEs whose workspace doesn’t match your cwd.
The IDE’s open workspace folders do not include the directory you are running Claude Code from. Open the project folder in your IDE first, then reconnect with /ide.
The CLI could not reach the IDE extension within 35 seconds. Check that the extension is active (not disabled), the IDE process is responsive, and no firewall is blocking localhost connections.
Only one Claude Code session can connect to a single VS Code window at a time. If you see the warning, select the correct port from the list — each instance shows its workspace folders when multiple windows are open.
The JetBrains plugin requires a full IDE restart (not just reload). Quit the IDE completely and reopen it. utils/jetbrains.ts caches the plugin-installed state; a fresh process is needed to re-detect it.

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