Claude Code seamlessly integrates with popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) to enhance your coding workflow. This integration allows you to leverage Claude’s capabilities directly within your preferred development environment.

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Supported IDEs

Claude Code currently supports two major IDE families:

  • Visual Studio Code (including popular forks like Cursor and Windsurf)
  • JetBrains IDEs (including PyCharm, WebStorm, IntelliJ, and GoLand)

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Features

  • Quick launch: Use Cmd+Esc (Mac) or Ctrl+Esc (Windows/Linux) to open Claude Code directly from your editor, or click the Claude Code button in the UI
  • Diff viewing: Code changes can be displayed directly in the IDE diff viewer instead of the terminal. You can configure this in /config
  • Selection context: The current selection/tab in the IDE is automatically shared with Claude Code
  • File reference shortcuts: Use Cmd+Option+K (Mac) or Alt+Ctrl+K (Linux/Windows) to insert file references (e.g., @File#L1-99)
  • Diagnostic sharing: Diagnostic errors (lint, syntax, etc.) from the IDE are automatically shared with Claude as you work

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Installation

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VS Code

  1. Open VSCode
  2. Open the integrated terminal
  3. Run claude - the extension will auto-install

Going forward you can also use the /ide command in any external terminal to connect to the IDE.

These installation instructions also apply to VS Code forks like Cursor and Windsurf.

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JetBrains IDEs

Install the Claude Code plugin from the marketplace and restart your IDE.

The plugin may also be auto-installed when you run claude in the integrated terminal. The IDE must be restarted completely to take effect.

Remote Development Limitations: When using JetBrains Remote Development, you must install the plugin in the remote host via Settings > Plugin (Host).

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Configuration

Both integrations work with Claude Code’s configuration system. To enable IDE-specific features:

  1. Connect Claude Code to your IDE by running claude in the built-in terminal
  2. Run the /config command
  3. Set the diff tool to auto for automatic IDE detection
  4. Claude Code will automatically use the appropriate viewer based on your IDE

If you’re using an external terminal (not the IDE’s built-in terminal), you can still connect to your IDE by using the /ide command after launching Claude Code. This allows you to benefit from IDE integration features even when running Claude from a separate terminal application. This works for both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.

When using an external terminal, to ensure Claude has default access to the same files as your IDE, start Claude from the same directory as your IDE project root.

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Troubleshooting

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VS Code extension not installing

  • Ensure you’re running Claude Code from VS Code’s integrated terminal
  • Ensure that the CLI corresponding to your IDE is installed:
    • For VS Code: code command should be available
    • For Cursor: cursor command should be available
    • For Windsurf: windsurf command should be available
    • If not installed, use Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) and search for “Shell Command: Install ‘code’ command in PATH” (or the equivalent for your IDE)
  • Check that VS Code has permission to install extensions

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JetBrains plugin not working

  • Ensure you’re running Claude Code from the project root directory
  • Check that the JetBrains plugin is enabled in the IDE settings
  • Completely restart the IDE. You may need to do this multiple times
  • For JetBrains Remote Development, ensure that the Claude Code plugin is installed in the remote host and not locally on the client

For additional help, refer to our troubleshooting guide or reach out to support.