Question

When I create new project in the aforementioned IDE, I can select Web Module and then Web Module Type (HTML5 Boilerplate, Twitter Bootstrap, Node.js).

I want to write custom IntellijIDEA Plugin to add custom Web Module Type.

I expect following user action sequence:

• User clicks File – New project
• Then selects option Create project from scratch
• Creates new Web Module
• Chooses Custom Scratch web module type
• Specifies some preferences (as on picture above)
• Clicks Finish

Let say, that I have java class, which receives few arguments and generates all necessary files in new project folder.

How can I create an interface for passing some arguments to my java class, which will make all the rest? As it is made for Node.js Express App.

Answer 1

The documentation for tying into certain pieces of IntelliJ are in the format of “the code is the documentation”. This is a bit difficult when you want to interface with commercial plugins only available in the Ultimate Edition.

For open-source integration, you should be able to download the source for the Community Edition and navigate to your heart’s content.

For commercial plugin integration, you’ll need to find the jar file for that plugin and take a look at the class/method structure to get a guage on what you’ll need to call. As far as defining your components in the plugin.xml file, you’ll need to look for extension points in the plugin’s plugin.xml file and implement those interfaces. There is documentation on the IntelliJ site explaining how to define extension points and define implementations of extension points for other plugins.

I used both of these approaches when I wrote a plugin for configuring an internal framework where I work.