What “AI in the IDE” means without the snake oil or hype

We’re not limiting this to one “official” workflow. The market is moving too fast for that – and developers are too diverse for a one-size-fits-all approach.

So when we say “AI in JetBrains IDEs”, we mean agentic added value: UX and features that become available as and when useful:

• In the AI Chat tool window, as a chat-first workflow.
• in the IDE terminal, where many developers already work with CLI tools.
• In the new opt-in modes created for agentic systems, where you can run an agent and leave it to work for hours.

Think of it as follows: One IDE, with multiple AI-powered ways to get work done – picked by the user, shaped by the team, and constrained by real development expectations.

The AI strategy: Avoid vendor lock‑in and keep workflows compatible

If there’s one thing we’re confident about, it’s this: The “best” model, provider, or agent today won’t be the best forever – or perhaps even next month.

That’s why we’re deliberately building toward an IDE experience that does not depend on a single vendor’s roadmap.

Practically, that means our AI chat experience supports multiple ways to connect – depending on what’s allowed by providers’ terms, and what users actually want:

• JetBrains AI-managed setup (with JetBrains AI subscription).
• BYOK: Bring your own API key.
• OAuth sign-in for supported provider accounts (where the provider supports it).
• ACP agents: Connect external coding agents through a standard protocol.
  

One honest footnote: OAuth isn’t always available. If an agent provider doesn’t offer OAuth (or doesn’t offer it in a way an IDE can use), we can’t invent it.

Agent Client Protocol (ACP): “Bring your own agent”

ACP lets you connect external coding agents to JetBrains IDEs through a standard interface, so the IDE doesn’t need a bespoke integration for every agent. Agents can be installed from a curated registry (or configured manually), and the installed agents appear inside the AI chat. 

A practical example of one that people have been asking for is the Cursor agent. Cursor is already available as an AI agent inside JetBrains IDEs through ACP – you can select it from the agent picker and use its agentic workflow inside your JetBrains IDE. 

This is the shape we want:

• You choose the agent that fits your workflow or team.
• You keep working in the IDE you already rely on.
• Classic IDE workflows don’t get shoved aside for “agent mode”.

“Professional coding with AI” means more responsibility

We’re not anti-AI. We’re anti-confusion.

There’s a kind of coding that’s optimized for disposable output – and it’s totally valid in the right context. But JetBrains IDEs are built for code that isn’t disposable, but rather for code that is intended for long-term use.

So here’s the principle we design for: Generated code should be treated like real code. That means it should be possible to:

• Read it
• Review it
• Change it
• Revert it when it’s wrong
• Understand its impact on the codebase

In practice, our baseline expectation is boring (in the best possible sense):

• Changes should be visible
• Changes should be reversible
• Your project isn’t left in a broken state (“no red code” is a pretty good starting point)
  

And yes, agents can edit many files. That can be a superpower – but only if you can fully inspect, understand, and correct the outcome. That’s where the IDE matters: It gives you visibility and control over the code produced by humans or AI.

3. Zero vendor lock-in

Multiple activation pathways (subscription, BYOK, OAuth, where possible, and ACP agents) are not a “nice to have.” We are committed to ensuring your workflow is never tied to a single vendor.

4. Long-term utility over hype

If people keep using these workflows weeks later (real retention, real projects), that’s the signal. A lot of AI-driven workflows today are just hype (I’m talking about you, Ralph-loop). 

5. Prioritizing candid community feedback

We value the honesty of Reddit users, Marketplace reviewers, and community members who don’t owe us politeness. Those are exactly the people we want judging our progress.