CC GUI: The Open‑Source 3.3k‑Star Companion that Brings Claude Code and Codex Directly into IntelliJ IDEA

Problem

JetBrains IDE users of Claude Code must switch between the IDE and an external terminal to interact with the AI, breaking the development flow. The official ACP (Agent Client Protocol) integration is lightweight, only wrapping the CLI and lacking GUI features such as session management, image input, and skill extensions.

CC GUI plugin

CC GUI is an MIT‑licensed IntelliJ plugin (3.3k GitHub stars) that adds a complete visual workstation for Claude Code and Codex, consolidating all operations into a single panel inside the IDE.

Core capabilities

Dual engine: one‑click switch between Claude Code and Codex.

Context‑aware dialogue using @file, image input, and conversation rollback.

Skill + MCP extensions: built‑in slash commands that can extend an MCP server.

Embedded code diff: changes appear directly in IDEA’s diff panel with clickable line links.

Session management and token statistics: history search, bookmarking, export, and cost visibility.

ACP vs. CC GUI

Core positioning : ACP aims to run Claude Code inside the IDE with a lightweight CLI bridge; CC GUI provides a full visual workbench.

Key capabilities : ACP offers diff view, context sharing, quick start; CC GUI adds session management, image input, skill system, MCP support, and usage statistics.

Target users : ACP suits heavy CLI users; CC GUI targets developers who want a closed‑loop workflow inside the IDE.

Trade‑off : ACP is lightweight and CLI‑centric; CC GUI is more complete and GUI‑focused.

Installation (≈10 minutes)

Open Settings → Plugins , search for “CC GUI”, and install the plugin. The entry appears in the right‑hand toolbar.

On first launch, the plugin guides the installation of the Claude Code or Codex SDK (≈20 seconds).

Configure a provider via the Provider panel. Supported options:

Anthropic Console API Key (different from the web subscription).

Read local settings.json (imports existing CLI configuration).

Import from cc-switch (one‑click import of all endpoints).

Custom third‑party endpoint (useful for users in China).

Start a conversation from the right‑hand panel. A simple prompt such as “Analyze the current project structure” demonstrates context awareness.

Real‑world example: UnionPay integration

Using the /plan mode, the AI scans the project, reads the relevant PaymentService code, consults UnionPay documentation, and produces a structured plan that lists files to modify, new classes to add, required SDKs, signature handling, and callback logic. The plan can be reviewed before any code is written.

Mode comparison:

CLI mode: issuing “Integrate UnionPay” makes the AI edit code immediately, risking mistakes that must be undone with git reset. /plan mode: the AI first proposes a detailed plan, the developer reviews it, and only after approval does the AI modify code, reducing failure risk for low‑tolerance scenarios such as payment or security code.

Additional built‑in features

Token/fee statistics: shows token consumption and cost per session.

AI code commit generation: creates Conventional Commits messages from staged diffs.

AI review: runs a diff check before committing or opening a PR, flagging edge cases, null pointers, potential infinite loops, and naming issues.

Skill browsing and one‑click activation: enables skills directly from the GUI.

MCP server configuration and history search/delete.

Comparison with other JetBrains AI agents

CC GUI : GUI wrapper for CLI agents, MIT open source, supports Claude + Codex dual engine, context via @file + image, requires Claude/Codex subscription, strengths are community‑driven and subscription reuse.

Qoder (Alibaba) : Stand‑alone AI agent, closed source, deep Java ecosystem, free tier with quota, strengths in Java tooling.

CodeBuddy (Tencent) : Stand‑alone AI agent, closed source, integrates well with Tencent cloud ecosystem, free personal version.

Selection guidance

If you already use Claude Code or Codex, choose CC GUI to reuse your subscription.

If you want a free quota and deep Java support, try Qoder.

If you are in the Tencent cloud environment, CodeBuddy fits best.

All three can be installed simultaneously; they do not conflict and can be switched per scenario.

Design principles

Integrate all Claude Code and Codex functions into a single IDEA panel.

Enforce disciplined AI coding with /plan (plan before code) and AI review before PR.

Embed team code‑review standards into Skills so anyone can run the same checks.

Repository

https://github.com/zhukunpenglinyutong/jetbrains-cc-gui