Ultimate

Remote development overview

Server to client workflow

You need to run the IDE backend on your server with the following command:

remote-dev-server.sh run <path/to/project> --ssh-link-host <host>

You can specify other ssh link connection options for the browser flow:

• --ssh-link-user

• --ssh-link-port

Check the following examples:

• remote-dev-server.sh run <path/to/project> --ssh-link-host remote.server.com

• --ssh-link-user adam --ssh-link-port 42

In the output you should receive the following connection link:

Http link: https://code-with-me...

You can use this link in the different connection scenarios such as connection via SSH, via custom connection, or via browser.

For the detailed information on how to start your Remote Development session, refer to Getting started with remote development.

Client-to-server workflow

The client-to-server workflow means that you don't have any IDE installed on your remote server. In this case, you first need to download and install JetBrains Gateway. For more detailed information, refer to Launch JetBrains Gateway and connect to a remote server.

After this, JetBrains Gateway starts the IntelliJ IDEA server on the remote machine, establishes the TCP tunnel, and starts JetBrains Client with the appropriate arguments to have it connected.

The TCP connection link format is as follows:

tcp://127.0.0.1:PORT#jt=ONE_TIME_CONNECTION_TOKEN fp=SERVER_FINGERPRINT cb=THIN_CLIENT_BUILD jb=THIN_CLIENT_RUNTIME_VERSION

Check the following example:

tcp://127.0.0.1:5990#jt=3f2f2471-84f2-4d8b-ac67-c1698f5a1be7 fp=ABC88C383B0A62654C4EF75052C60D4D475885075DCA5B85733BD8D4B9E28CC
0 cb=213.2667 jb=11_0_11b1620.1

The IDE backend

The IDE backend is the full-blown JetBrains IDE, which is just being launched in a special headless unattended mode.

The backend can be extended with all the diversity of IntelliJ IDEA plugins in the following ways:

• By unpacking required plugins to plugins/ folder of the distribution

• By running the following code (requires network connection to JetBrains Plugin Marketplace):

  ./bin/remote-dev-server.sh installPlugins
                          <pathtoproject>
                          <PLUGIN_ID1>
                          <PLUGIN_ID2>
                          ...

If a plugin provides the new set of inspections and features, all of those will be shown on JetBrains Client.

The only plugins that will not have any effect on Remote Development are the ones that aggressively modify the UI . Such plugins should be installed on the JetBrains Client side.

JetBrains Gateway SDK

JetBrains Gateway can be extended like any other IntelliJ platform-based product.

You can use one of the following ways:

• Set up a new project with https://github.com/JetBrains/gradle-intellij-plugin/ (gradle-intellij-plugin should be >= 1.1.4)

• Use the following settings to build your plugin against JetBrains Gateway:

  intellij {
  version.set("213.2667-CUSTOM-SNAPSHOT")
  type.set("GW")
  instrumentCode.set(false)
  }

  You may see available versions at https://www.jetbrains.com.cn/en-us/intellij-repository/snapshots (see group com.jetbrains.gateway)

JetBrains Gateway / Thick IntelliJ IDEA on a Client

Apart from the basic SSH and Code With Me connections, a vendor can customize JetBrains Gateway for its own orchestration service. This can be done within the custom deal between the JetBrains and the vendor.

JetBrains Gateway is based on the IntelliJ platform, it has APIs for connections and interactions with JetBrains Client.

Check the following example:

A big organization wants to write its own orchestration. The basic SSH flow is not enough due to security reasons. The organization writes an internal plugin and delivers it to its developers. Developers can install this plugin in JetBrains Gateway or in IntelliJ IDEA on their laptops.

This is a very brief introduction of the APIs (they are not yet final and indeed this is not the full scope, but they explain the overall idea).

JetBrains Client

JetBrains Client is not designed to be extensible for the connection part. However, you can develop and install all the variety of IntelliJ IDEA plugins, which modify the UI, keyboard shortcuts, themes, and other parts that touch the IDE UI interaction, but not its functionality.