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Basic Usage

This guide covers the most common ways to use the MCP JetBrains Code Inspections tool.

Single File Analysis​

Analyze a Specific File​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/components/Header.tsx',
});

Use Cases:

  • Check a file you're currently editing
  • Validate changes before committing
  • Quick quality check on specific files

Example Response​

## Code Inspection Results for: src/components/Header.tsx

### Issues Found: 2

**WEAK WARNING** at line 12, column 7:

- **Issue**: Variable 'unusedVar' is never used
- **Inspection**: UnusedDeclaration

**INFO** at line 18, column 1:

- **Issue**: TODO: Add proper error handling
- **Inspection**: TodoComment

Directory Analysis​

Analyze a Directory​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/utils',
});

Use Cases:

  • Check all files in a module
  • Analyze a specific package
  • Review utility functions

Analyze Nested Directories​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/components/forms',
});

The tool recursively analyzes all supported files in the directory.

Project Analysis​

Analyze Entire Project​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: '.',
});

Note: For large projects, consider:

  • Increasing the timeout: INSPECTION_TIMEOUT=600000
  • Excluding directories: Use .idea/inspectionProfiles/ configuration
  • Running on specific directories first

Analyze Source Directory​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/',
});

More focused than entire project, skips configuration and build files.

Path Types​

Absolute Paths​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: '/Users/username/projects/myapp/src/index.ts',
});

Relative Paths​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: './src/index.ts',
});

Current Directory​

await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: '.',
});

Common File Patterns​

Frontend Development​

// React component
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/components/UserProfile.tsx',
});

// Styles
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/styles/main.scss',
});

// Configuration
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'webpack.config.js',
});

Backend Development​

// Java class
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/main/java/com/example/UserService.java',
});

// Python module
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/services/user_service.py',
});

// Configuration
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'application.yml',
});

Understanding Results​

Severity Levels​

Results include different severity levels:

  • ERROR: Critical issues that prevent compilation
  • WARNING: Important issues that should be fixed
  • WEAK WARNING: Minor issues or style violations
  • INFO: Informational messages (TODOs, suggestions)

Common Inspection Types​

Code Quality​

  • UnusedDeclaration: Unused variables, functions, imports
  • DuplicatedCode: Repeated code blocks
  • ComplexityProblems: High cyclomatic complexity

Type Safety​

  • TypeScriptValidateTypes: TypeScript type errors
  • NullPointerException: Potential null pointer issues
  • ArrayIndexOutOfBounds: Array access issues

Style and Formatting​

  • ES6MissingAwait: Missing await keywords
  • JSUnusedGlobalSymbols: Unused global symbols
  • CssUnusedSymbol: Unused CSS classes

Basic Configuration​

Change Output Format​

Set environment variable for JSON output:

{
    "env": {
        "RESPONSE_FORMAT": "json"
    }
}

Exclude Common Noise​

Filter out noisy inspections:

{
    "env": {
        "EXCLUDE_INSPECTIONS": "SpellCheckingInspection,TodoComment"
    }
}

Increase Timeout​

For larger files or slower systems:

{
    "env": {
        "INSPECTION_TIMEOUT": "300000"
    }
}

Best Practices​

1. Start Small​

Begin with single files before analyzing entire projects:

// Good: Start with one file
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/index.ts',
});

// Then expand to directories
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/components',
});

2. Use Appropriate Paths​

Choose the most specific path for your needs:

// Specific file for focused analysis
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/utils/validation.ts',
});

// Directory for module analysis
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/utils',
});

3. Configure for Your Workflow​

Set up environment variables that match your development needs:

{
    "env": {
        "EXCLUDE_INSPECTIONS": "SpellCheckingInspection",
        "INSPECTION_TIMEOUT": "180000"
    }
}

4. Iterate Based on Results​

Use inspection results to guide further analysis:

  1. Run inspection on a directory
  2. Identify files with many issues
  3. Analyze those files individually
  4. Fix issues and re-run inspection

Common Workflows​

Pre-Commit Check​

// Check files you're about to commit
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/components/NewFeature.tsx',
});

Code Review Preparation​

// Analyze changed files
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/services/updated-service.ts',
});

Refactoring Validation​

// Check refactored code
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/refactored-module',
});

Quality Gate​

// Full project check before release
await get_jetbrains_code_inspections({
    path: 'src/',
});

Error Handling​

Common Issues and Solutions​

Timeout Errors​

Inspection timed out after 120000ms

Solution: Increase timeout or analyze smaller paths

File Not Found​

Path does not exist: src/nonexistent.ts

Solution: Verify the path exists and is accessible

IDE Not Found​

No suitable JetBrains IDE found

Solution: Install a JetBrains IDE or set FORCE_INSPECT_PATH

Next Steps​