From 7636a1cf3720b6e3782776a8db240fd87c3627e9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Dominik Jain Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:27:42 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Improve JetBrains plugin usage description --- docs/02-usage/025_jetbrains_plugin.md | 27 ++++++++++++++------------- 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/02-usage/025_jetbrains_plugin.md b/docs/02-usage/025_jetbrains_plugin.md index 5a0a16f2..1995ca34 100644 --- a/docs/02-usage/025_jetbrains_plugin.md +++ b/docs/02-usage/025_jetbrains_plugin.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ The [JetBrains Plugin](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/28946-serena/) allows the Serena MCP server to leverage the powerful code analysis and editing capabilities of your JetBrains IDE. -This page explains how to install the plugin and how to configure Serena for using it. +This page explains how to install the plugin and how to configure Serena appropriately. You will still need to set up the Serena MCP server itself, so make sure to follow the [installation instructions](020_running.md) and connect the MCP server to your LLM-based client as described in [client setup](030_clients.md) in addition to following the instructions below. @@ -18,20 +18,20 @@ LLM-based client as described in [client setup](030_clients.md) in addition to f We recommend the JetBrains plugin as the preferred way of using Serena, especially for users of JetBrains IDEs. -```{admonition} *Note:* The plugin is a language intelligence backend for the Serena MCP server. -:class: note -It is *not* a UI extension for direct agent interaction (like Copilot) or anything of the sort. -You still interact with your regular client – be it external to your IDE (like Claude Code) or internal (like JetBrains AI Assistant) – -and connect it to the Serena MCP server. -The plugin simply enables the Serena MCP server to directly leverage capabilities of your JetBrains IDE! -``` - **How it works:** 1. Install the plugin in your JetBrains IDE 2. Configure Serena to use the JetBrains language backend (see [below](configure-jetbrains)) 3. Open the project you want to work on in your JetBrains IDE and activate it in Serena (see [below](jetbrains-workflow)) 4. Start coding via your MCP client as usual +```{admonition} *Note:* The plugin is a language intelligence backend for the Serena MCP server. +:class: note +It is *not* a UI extension for direct agent interaction (like Copilot) or anything of the sort. +You still interact with your regular client – be it external to your IDE (like Claude Code CLI) or internal (like Copilot or JetBrains AI Assistant) – +and connect it to the Serena MCP server. +The plugin simply enables the Serena MCP server to directly leverage capabilities of your JetBrains IDE! +``` + **Purchasing the JetBrains Plugin supports the Serena project.** The proceeds from plugin sales allow us to dedicate more resources to further developing and improving Serena. @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ language_backend: JetBrains Note that the file might not exist yet if you never executed Serena before. -**Per-Instance Configuration**. +**Per-Server Instance Configuration**. The configuration setting in the global config file can be overridden on a per-instance basis by providing the arguments `--language-backend JetBrains` when launching the Serena MCP server. @@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ You will also notice that your client will use the JetBrains-specific tools like Having installed the plugin in your IDE and having configured Serena to use the JetBrains backend, the general workflow is simple: -1. Open the project you want to work on in your JetBrains IDE -2. Activate the project's root folder as a project in Serena (see [Project Creation](project-creation-indexing) and [Project Activation](project-activation)) -3. Start using Serena tools as usual +1. Open the project you want to work on in your JetBrains IDE. + Note that the project must be appropriately set up in your IDE, i.e. symbol lookups for all relevant programming languages and frameworks should work in the IDE. +2. Activate the project's root folder as a project in Serena (see [Project Creation](project-creation-indexing) and [Project Activation](project-activation)). +3. Start using Serena's tools as usual. Note that the project folder that is open in your IDE and the Serena project root folder must match.