JetBrains MCP Proxy Server
LocalAbout JetBrains MCP Proxy Server
JetBrains MCP Proxy Server is an MCP server that forwards client requests to JetBrains IDEs, including IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm and Android Studio. The project is no longer maintained, because its core functionality is built into IntelliJ-based IDEs from version 2025.2.
Key features
- 01npx-launched MCP proxy
- 02Connects to a chosen IDE port and host
- 03Optional request logging
- 04Configuration for Claude Desktop and VS Code
Use cases
- 01Accessing a running JetBrains IDE from Claude Desktop
- 02Connecting a JetBrains IDE to VS Code through MCP settings
- 03Reaching an IDE from Docker or external clients over a LAN
MCP support
The project is an MCP server that proxies client requests to the MCP Server plugin running in a JetBrains IDE.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project README⚠️ 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This repository is no longer maintained.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:
- Enable External Connections:
In your JetBrains IDE, enable "Can accept external connections" in the Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Debugger.
- 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
- Tested on macOS
brew install node pnpm- Run
pnpm buildto build the project
Comments
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