To let an external MCP client use tools from IntelliJ IDEA, enable the IDE’s integrated MCP Server in Settings | Tools | MCP Server, then configure the client to connect to it. That is the reverse of configuring IntelliJ AI Assistant to connect to a separate MCP server. The steps below cover both directions, with IntelliJ acting as the server first.
Choose which way the connection should run
“Run an MCP server in IntelliJ” can mean two different configurations. In the first, IntelliJ is the server and an external agent or client uses tools provided by the IDE. In the second, IntelliJ AI Assistant is the client and connects to a separate MCP server. Choose based on which application needs to use the other application’s tools.
| Setup | Connection direction | Settings path |
|---|---|---|
| IntelliJ as server | An external MCP client connects to IntelliJ and uses IDE tools. | Settings | Tools | MCP Server |
| IntelliJ AI Assistant as client | IntelliJ connects to a separate MCP server and uses its tools. | Settings | Tools | AI Assistant | Model Context Protocol (MCP) |
JetBrains’ IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2 MCP documentation says the integrated MCP Server is available in JetBrains IDEs starting with version 2025.2. The documentation describes the plugin as bundled and enabled by default. If the setting is missing, check the IDE version and plugin state before assuming the feature is unavailable.
Enable the integrated MCP Server in IntelliJ
Use these steps when another application—such as an MCP-capable coding agent—needs access to tools provided by the open IDE.
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- Open Settings | Tools | MCP Server.
- If the page is missing, open Settings | Plugins | Installed and check that the bundled MCP Server plugin is enabled.
- Select Enable MCP Server.
- Read the enablement dialog. It explains that third-party applications will be able to access projects open in the IDE. Enable the server only if that access is appropriate for the projects and client you intend to use.
- Click Enable, then click Apply.
- Configure the external client to connect to IntelliJ, then restart that client so it loads the updated configuration.
Choose automatic or manual client configuration
In the MCP Server settings, use Clients Auto-Configuration when IntelliJ detects the client you use. This is the simplest route for a supported client. The available client choices can vary.
If your client is not listed, use Manual Client Configuration. Copy the configuration format the client supports—SSE, STDIO, or HTTP Stream—and add it to the client’s own settings. The transports offered and supported can vary by client, so use the format the client documents rather than assuming all clients accept the same one. Restart the external client after saving its configuration.
Choose the configuration scope
Some clients allow a project-specific configuration. If available, use it to make the IntelliJ MCP connection available only in the current project context instead of registering it globally. A global configuration is appropriate only when the client should be able to connect across projects. The client’s configuration controls this scope; check its own documentation for the exact location and syntax.
Review exposed tools and permissions
Enabling the server is not the only decision. The server exposes IDE capabilities to the connected external client. JetBrains’ current documentation describes tools for analyzing code, modifying files, running IDE configurations, and executing terminal commands.
To review which capabilities are offered, open Settings | Tools | MCP Server | Exposed Tools and toggle tools according to what the external client needs. Limit exposure when a task does not require file modification, command execution, or other broader capabilities.
Brave mode is optional
Brave mode allows connected clients to execute terminal commands or run IDE configurations without prompting for confirmation each time. It is not required to enable the MCP Server. Because it changes how command execution is confirmed, leave it off unless the reduced prompting is worth the added risk for your particular workflow.
Find MCP server logs
To inspect logs for spawned servers, use Help | Show Log in Explorer/Finder and look for the mcp subdirectory in the IDE log directory. This is a useful starting point when the server or a spawned process does not behave as expected.
Configure IntelliJ AI Assistant as an MCP client
Use this path when IntelliJ AI Assistant should connect to a separate MCP server. The server’s developer documentation must provide the command, arguments, environment requirements, or endpoint URL; there is no universal command that works for every MCP server.
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- Add a server configuration.
- For a STDIO server, enter the documented command and any required arguments. The IDE launches a local process for this connection.
- For an HTTP server, enter the server’s documented URL. JetBrains documents Streamable HTTP and also support for SSE for legacy servers.
- Choose whether the configuration should be global or limited to the current project.
- Click OK, then Apply.
- Check the server’s entry in the Status column. If it is disconnected, use the available reconnect control in the MCP settings and review the server-specific configuration.
JetBrains’ examples cover patterns such as a local executable, npx, Docker, and a remote HTTP URL. These are configuration patterns, not a guarantee that a particular command or server is suitable for your system. For a filesystem server, for example, inspect the server’s documented directory argument and permissions so you know which files it can reach.
STDIO, Streamable HTTP, and legacy SSE
| Transport | What to configure | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| STDIO | The server’s documented executable or command and any required arguments. | IntelliJ launches a local subprocess; its runtime and access depend on that server’s setup. |
| Streamable HTTP | The server’s documented HTTP endpoint URL. | Use the endpoint and access requirements supplied by the server operator. |
| SSE | The server’s documented SSE configuration, when applicable. | JetBrains documents SSE for legacy servers; confirm the client and server both support the arrangement. |
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a separate website screenshot API and MCP server; it does not enable IntelliJ’s integrated MCP Server or replace the setup above. If your goal is to capture a web page rather than expose IntelliJ tools, one GET request can return an image or PDF. See the ScreenshotNeo site and API documentation.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses include X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. It also provides an MCP server for AI agents, with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots a month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
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The MCP Server settings page is missing
- Check that the IDE release is 2025.2 or later; JetBrains identifies that release as the starting point for the integrated server.
- Open Settings | Plugins | Installed and confirm the bundled MCP Server plugin is enabled.
- After enabling a disabled plugin, return to Settings | Tools | MCP Server and check again.
The external client cannot connect to IntelliJ
- Confirm you configured the correct client and selected a transport that it supports.
- For manual setup, verify that you copied the intended SSE, STDIO, or HTTP Stream configuration into the client’s settings.
- Check that the configuration is in the intended global or project scope, then restart the external client.
- Inspect the IDE log directory’s
mcpsubdirectory using Help | Show Log in Explorer/Finder.
IntelliJ AI Assistant cannot connect to an external server
- Check the server-specific command, arguments, or URL against that server’s documentation; do not substitute a generic command.
- Verify whether the server expects STDIO or HTTP and whether it uses Streamable HTTP or legacy SSE.
- Review the configuration’s global or project scope and inspect the Status column in MCP settings. Use reconnect if it is available.
The client lacks a tool or asks for confirmation
- For a missing IntelliJ capability, review the enabled choices under Settings | Tools | MCP Server | Exposed Tools.
- Confirmation prompts are separate from initial server setup. Brave mode can reduce prompts for terminal commands and IDE configurations, but enabling it changes the confirmation boundary; do not treat it as a routine troubleshooting step.
What changed from the early MCP setup instructions?
A May 2025 JetBrains post described IntelliJ IDEA 2025.1 as MCP-client-compatible and gave then-current minimum build details for its example. Those details are historical, not universal current requirements. For current interface labels and transport support, use the IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2 MCP help. The earlier post’s PostgreSQL example also described read-only queries and specific AI Assistant modes; those example-specific conditions should not be generalized to every MCP server or current configuration. See the original JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA 2025.1 MCP post for its historical context.
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