Add support for JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm)

[janpaul123]

We get this request sometimes, e.g. PyCharm in https://www.producthunt.com/posts/kilo-code-for-vs-code

[romanb1337]

JetBrains products lack a proper AI agent (other than their own). If you succeed in developing one, you could capture a huge market (over 10 million users).

[AlgorithmicKing737]

definitely would want this, especially for webstorm

[HadesArchitect]

As much as I'd love to have Kilo on IntelliJ, this sadly seems not realistic to me. I'm a vscode plugin author, and I do know plugin development is very different in those two.

That's what claude says on that and I double that:

Developing plugins for IntelliJ IDEA and VS Code is quite different, as they use different architectures, languages, and extension models. Let me break down the key differences and considerations for porting:

# IntelliJ IDEA vs VS Code Plugin Development

IntelliJ IDEA plugins are typically written in Java or Kotlin, using IntelliJ's Platform SDK. They have deep integration with the IDE's internal architecture and use a rich set of APIs specifically designed for the JetBrains ecosystem.
VS Code extensions, on the other hand, are developed using TypeScript or JavaScript with Node.js. They use a simpler, more lightweight extension API based on an event-driven model.

# Key Differences

- Language & Framework: Java/Kotlin vs TypeScript/JavaScript
- Architecture: IntelliJ's plugins have deeper IDE integration while VS Code uses a more modular approach
- UI Framework: IntelliJ has Swing-based UI components while VS Code uses web technologies (HTML/CSS)
- Testing: Different testing frameworks and approaches
- Deployment: Different marketplaces and packaging methods

# Porting Challenges

Direct porting is generally not feasible due to these fundamental differences. Instead, you would need to essentially rewrite the plugin for the target platform, though you can reuse the core logic and concepts.
For complex plugins with extensive IDE integration, porting can be particularly challenging. For simpler plugins with limited IDE interaction, the effort may be more manageable as you would primarily need to adapt the UI and extension points while keeping the core functionality similar.

[HadesArchitect]

So, there is no thing like "add support". It's more like "create a new thing in another programming language".

Which is very sad :(

[janpaul123]

If we do ever want to do this, we should look at Continue.dev's implementation, which indeed supports both VS Code and JetBrains. It'd require a big overhaul though, so likely won't happen soon.