IDE + CLI Coordination

IDE + CLI Coordination

Master the art of combining Claude Code CLI with your IDE for a powerful, efficient development workflow. This guide covers integration patterns, real workflows, and productivity techniques.

Understanding the Synergy

Note

Claude Code complements your IDE by handling complex generation and analysis tasks while your IDE provides real-time editing and navigation.

Workflow Comparison

IDE Strengths

• Real-time syntax highlighting
• IntelliSense/autocomplete
• Integrated debugging
• Git integration
• Project navigation

Claude Code Strengths

• Complex code generation
• Large-scale refactoring
• Cross-file analysis
• Documentation generation
• Architecture decisions

IDE Integration Setup

Claude Code provides dedicated integrations for popular IDEs:

VS Code Integration

1. Install the integration

   • Open VS Code’s integrated terminal
   • Run claude - the extension will auto-install
   • Restart VS Code if prompted

2. Use the features

   • Cmd+Esc (Mac) or Ctrl+Esc (Windows/Linux) to launch Claude Code
   • Diff viewing directly in VS Code instead of terminal
   • Current selection/tab automatically shared with Claude
   • Cmd+Option+K (Mac) or Alt+Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) to insert file references

3. Configure preferences

   # In Claude Code, run:
   /config
   # Set diff tool to 'auto' for IDE detection

JetBrains IDEs Integration

Installation

1. Find and install the Claude Code plugin from JetBrains Marketplace
2. Restart your IDE completely
3. Run claude in the integrated terminal

Tip

For Remote Development, install the plugin on the remote host via Settings → Plugin (Host)

Features

• Quick launch with Cmd+Esc / Ctrl+Esc
• IDE diff viewer integration
• Automatic diagnostics sharing
• File reference shortcuts
• Selection context awareness

Connecting from External Terminals

If you prefer using an external terminal:

# Start Claude Code in your project directory
cd /path/to/project
claude

# Connect to your IDE
/ide

Real-World Workflows

Workflow 1: Feature Development

IDE → Claude → IDE Pattern

# 1. Create skeleton in IDE
# Write interface/class structure with comments

# 2. Launch Claude Code (Cmd+Esc)
claude

# 3. Have Claude implement based on structure
"Implement the empty methods in UserService.ts based on the interface and comments"

# 4. Review changes in IDE diff viewer
# Make final adjustments in IDE

Workflow 2: Test-Driven Development

1. Write test skeleton in IDE

   describe('UserService', () => {
     it('should create a new user', () => {
       // Test implementation needed
     });
   });

2. Use Claude to complete tests

   # In Claude Code
   "Complete the test cases in user.service.spec.ts with comprehensive scenarios"

3. Implement with Claude

   "Now implement UserService to make all tests pass"

4. Refine in IDE

   • Use IDE for quick fixes
   • Add breakpoints for debugging

Workflow 3: Code Review and Refactoring

Review → Refactor → Test

1. Analyze with Claude

   "Review the authentication module for security issues and performance problems"

2. Plan refactoring

   "Create a plan to address the issues found"

3. Execute refactoring

   "Implement the refactoring plan for the auth module"

4. Verify in IDE

   • Run tests
   • Check linting
   • Review changes

Productivity Patterns

Using @-mentions and Context

File References

# Reference specific files
"Refactor @auth/login.ts to use the new validation from @utils/validators.ts"

# Reference current IDE selection
"Explain what this selected code does"

Multiple Files

# Work across files
"Update all components that import @UserService to use the new API"

# Pattern matching
"Find all TODO comments in the codebase and create a plan to address them"

Leveraging CLAUDE.md Files

Create context files that both you and Claude can reference:

# Project Guidelines

## Architecture
- Use dependency injection pattern
- Follow clean architecture principles
- Services should be stateless

## Code Style
- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Prefer functional components
- Document all public APIs

## Testing
- Minimum 80% coverage
- Test edge cases
- Use meaningful test descriptions

Multi-Instance Workflows

Tip

Run multiple Claude Code instances for different parts of your codebase - one for backend, one for frontend, etc.

# Terminal 1: Backend work
cd backend
claude

# Terminal 2: Frontend work
cd frontend
claude

# Terminal 3: Documentation
cd docs
claude

Advanced Integration Techniques

Git Integration Workflow

Feature Branch

# 1. Create branch with Claude
"Create a new git branch for the user authentication feature"

# 2. Implement feature
"Implement JWT authentication for the Express API"

# 3. Commit with Claude
"Review my changes and create a descriptive commit message"

# 4. Push and create PR
"Push the branch and help me create a pull request description"

Code Review

# Review PR changes
"Review the changes in this PR for potential issues"

# Address feedback
"Fix the security issue mentioned in the code review"

# Update PR
"Update the PR description with the changes made"

Documentation Generation

Auto-Documentation Pattern

# 1. Analyze codebase
"Analyze the API endpoints in src/routes and understand their purpose"

# 2. Generate documentation
"Create comprehensive API documentation in Markdown format"

# 3. Add examples
"Add curl examples for each endpoint in the documentation"

# 4. Keep updated
"Update the API docs to reflect the new endpoints I just added"

Debugging Assistance

# Analyze error
"Here's the error stack trace: [paste]. What's causing this issue?"

# Suggest fix
"How can I fix this null pointer exception in the user service?"

# Implement fix
"Implement the fix you suggested with proper error handling"

# Add tests
"Add test cases to prevent this error from happening again"

Best Practices

Task Distribution

Use IDE for:

• Quick edits and fixes
• Navigation and search
• Debugging with breakpoints
• Git operations

Use Claude for:

• Complex implementations
• Large refactoring
• Test generation
• Documentation

Context Management

• Start fresh sessions with /clear for new features
• Use CLAUDE.md for persistent context
• Reference specific files with @mentions
• Keep related work in same session

Performance Tips

1. Batch Related Requests

   # Instead of multiple separate requests:
   "Add error handling to this function"
   "Now add logging"
   "Now add tests"
   
   # Use one comprehensive request:
   "Add error handling, logging, and comprehensive tests to this function"

2. Leverage IDE Search

   • Use IDE to find files quickly
   • Let Claude focus on analysis and generation
   • Use IDE’s refactoring for simple renames

3. Optimize Context Loading

   # Be specific about what Claude needs to see
   "Analyze the authentication flow in @auth/**.ts files"
   
   # Rather than
   "Analyze the entire codebase for authentication"

Common Patterns and Scripts

Quick Access Aliases

Add to your shell configuration:

# ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias cc='claude'
alias ccp='claude --dangerously-skip-permissions'
alias ccc='claude --continue'
alias ccr='claude --resume'

# Function for quick feature start
new-feature() {
  git checkout -b "feature/$1"
  claude "Help me plan and implement a $1 feature"
}

IDE Launch Scripts

VS Code

vscode-claude.sh

#!/bin/bash
code .
sleep 2  # Wait for VS Code to open
claude

JetBrains

idea-claude.sh

#!/bin/bash
idea . &
sleep 3  # Wait for IDE to open
claude

Troubleshooting

Caution

Common issues and solutions for IDE integration

Extension Not Installing

1. Ensure you’re running claude from the IDE’s integrated terminal
2. Check that CLI tools are in PATH:
   • VS Code: code command
   • Cursor: cursor command
   • JetBrains: IDE-specific command
3. Try manual installation from marketplace

Connection Issues

# If /ide doesn't connect:
1. Restart both Claude Code and your IDE
2. Ensure you're in the same project directory
3. Check IDE plugin is enabled and up to date

Performance Issues

• Use /clear regularly to reset context
• Close other Claude instances when not needed
• Disable unused IDE extensions that might conflict

Next Steps

Enhance your workflow with:

• Terminal Mastery for CLI efficiency
• Batch Operations for bulk changes
• Script Automation for repetitive tasks

Tip

Remember: The key to IDE + CLI coordination is understanding each tool’s strengths. Use your IDE for navigation, debugging, and quick edits. Use Claude Code for complex generation, analysis, and cross-file operations. The combination is more powerful than either tool alone.