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IDE Integrations

Claude Code seamlessly integrates with popular IDEs, enhancing your development workflow with AI-powered assistance directly in your editor.

VS Code Integration​

Automatic Setup​

When you run claude in VS Code's integrated terminal, the extension automatically installs and activates.

Features​

  • Interactive Diff Viewing: See changes in VS Code's diff editor
  • Selection Context: Share selected code with Claude
  • Diagnostics Integration: Claude sees errors and warnings
  • File Explorer Access: Claude can navigate your project structure

Usage​

  1. Open integrated terminal: Ctrl/Cmd + `` ``
  2. Run claude
  3. Extension auto-installs
  4. Use normally with enhanced features

Advanced Features​

Sharing Selection​

Look at the selected code and suggest improvements

Working with Diagnostics​

Fix all TypeScript errors in the current file

Multi-File Operations​

Refactor this component and update all its imports

Cursor Integration​

Cursor (VS Code fork) has deep Claude integration.

Setup​

  1. Install Cursor from cursor.sh
  2. Run claude in terminal
  3. Enable Claude features in settings

Unique Features​

  • Inline completions with Claude
  • Chat panel integration
  • Automated PR reviews
  • Context awareness across files

Best Practices​

  • Use Cursor's chat for quick questions
  • Use Claude Code for complex tasks
  • Combine both for maximum productivity

JetBrains IDEs​

Supported IDEs​

  • IntelliJ IDEA
  • WebStorm
  • PyCharm
  • GoLand
  • All other JetBrains IDEs

Installation​

  1. From Marketplace:

    • Open Settings → Plugins
    • Search "Claude Code"
    • Install and restart

  2. From Terminal:

    claude
    /ide

Features​

  • Code inspections integration
  • Refactoring assistance
  • Test generation
  • Documentation creation

Remote Development​

For remote development:

  1. Install plugin on remote host
  2. Connect via JetBrains Gateway
  3. Run claude in remote terminal

Vim/Neovim Integration​

Basic Integration​

Use Claude from terminal in split view:

:terminal claude

Enhanced Setup​

Create custom commands in .vimrc:

" Send selected text to Claude
vnoremap <leader>c :w !claude -p "Explain this code: $(cat)"<CR>

" Open Claude in new tab
nnoremap <leader>C :tabnew \| terminal claude<CR>

Neovim Lua Config​

-- ~/.config/nvim/lua/claude.lua
local M = {}

function M.ask_claude(prompt)
  local selection = vim.fn.getreg('"')
  local cmd = string.format('claude -p "%s: %s"', prompt, selection)
  vim.cmd('terminal ' .. cmd)
end

return M

Emacs Integration​

Shell Integration​

;; Run Claude in shell
(defun claude-shell ()
  (interactive)
  (shell "*claude*")
  (insert "claude")
  (comint-send-input))

Send Region to Claude​

(defun claude-explain-region (start end)
  (interactive "r")
  (shell-command-on-region
   start end
   "claude -p 'Explain this code:'"
   "*Claude Output*"))

Sublime Text Integration​

Build System​

Create Claude.sublime-build:

{
  "cmd": ["claude", "-p", "$file"],
  "working_dir": "$project_path",
  "selector": "source"
}

Key Bindings​

[
  {
    "keys": ["ctrl+shift+c"],
    "command": "exec",
    "args": {
      "cmd": ["claude"],
      "working_dir": "$project_path",
      "panel": "output.exec"
    }
  }
]

Universal Integration Tips​

1. Terminal Multiplexing​

Use tmux or screen for persistent sessions:

# Create named session
tmux new -s claude

# Split panes
Ctrl-b %  # Vertical split
Ctrl-b "  # Horizontal split

# Run Claude in one pane
claude

2. IDE Workspace Setup​

Create workspace-specific configs:

// .vscode/settings.json
{
  "terminal.integrated.env.osx": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "${env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}"
  },
  "claude.autoStart": true,
  "claude.defaultModel": "sonnet"
}

3. Snippets and Templates​

Create IDE snippets for common Claude tasks:

// VS Code snippet
{
  "Claude Explain": {
    "prefix": "claude-explain",
    "body": [
      "Explain how ${1:this code} works and suggest improvements"
    ]
  }
}

4. Custom Scripts​

Create project-specific Claude scripts:

#!/bin/bash
# scripts/claude-review.sh
claude -p "Review all changes in the current branch for:
- Code quality
- Potential bugs
- Performance issues
- Security concerns"

IDE-Specific Workflows​

VS Code + Claude Workflow​

  1. Morning Setup:

    Review yesterday's TODOs and plan today's work

  2. Before Lunch:

    Check for any code smells in files I've modified today

  3. End of Day:

    Summarize today's changes and create tomorrow's TODO list

JetBrains + Claude Workflow​

  1. Refactoring:

    • Use IDE's refactoring tools
    • Ask Claude to verify changes
    • Generate tests for refactored code

  2. Debugging:

    • Set breakpoints in IDE
    • Ask Claude to analyze stack traces
    • Get suggestions for fixes

Troubleshooting​

Extension Not Loading​

  1. Check Claude is in PATH:

    which claude

  2. Restart IDE after installation

  3. Check IDE logs for errors

Permission Issues​

# Fix permissions
chmod +x $(which claude)

# Add to PATH if needed
export PATH="$PATH:$(npm bin -g)"

Performance Problems​

  • Disable unused IDE plugins
  • Increase terminal buffer size
  • Use lightweight themes

Advanced Configurations​

Custom Keybindings​

Map frequently used Claude commands:

  • Ctrl+Shift+E: Explain code
  • Ctrl+Shift+R: Refactor selection
  • Ctrl+Shift+T: Generate tests
  • Ctrl+Shift+D: Debug assistance

Project Templates​

Create .claude/ide-config.json:

{
  "shortcuts": {
    "review": "Review this code for best practices",
    "test": "Generate comprehensive tests",
    "docs": "Add JSDoc documentation"
  },
  "autoCommands": [
    "Load project context from CLAUDE.md"
  ]
}

Next Steps​