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GitHub Copilot CLI Connects Terminal Sessions to JetBrains IDEs

GitHub CopilotView original changelog

GitHub Copilot CLI now supports an /ide command that links a terminal session directly to a developer's JetBrains IDE context, including selections, diagnostics, and file references. Shell commands run through Copilot can also pick up IDE-configured environment variables and the project's Python interpreter, including automatically activating its virtual environment. The feature, in public preview, brings the same terminal-to-IDE integration VS Code already has to JetBrains, keeping terminal-first Copilot workflows grounded in what a developer is actively viewing and editing.

Key Takeaways

  • The new /ide command in Copilot CLI connects a terminal session directly to a JetBrains IDE's context, including selections, diagnostics, and file references.
  • Keeps terminal-based Copilot workflows grounded in whatever the developer is actively viewing and editing in the IDE.
  • Copilot's shell commands can now use IDE-configured environment variables and the project's Python interpreter, including auto-activating its virtual environment.
  • Ships in public preview, following JetBrains' broader shift toward Copilot CLI as its default agent harness earlier in 2026.
  • Extends the same /ide integration pattern VS Code already uses, bringing terminal-IDE parity to JetBrains.
  • Targets developers who prefer terminal-first agent workflows but still want IDE context without switching tools.

New Feature: Connecting Copilot CLI to JetBrains IDEs

GitHub Copilot CLI gained a public preview integration on September 8, 2026 that lets a terminal session connect directly to a developer's JetBrains IDE. Running /ide inside Copilot CLI links the session to the IDE's current context, including open selections, diagnostics, and file references.

Why It Matters

Developers who prefer working from the terminal previously had to describe what they were looking at manually if they wanted Copilot CLI to reason about IDE state. With the /ide connection, terminal-based Copilot sessions stay grounded in whatever the developer is actively viewing and editing inside JetBrains, closing the gap between terminal-first and IDE-first workflows.

Environment-Aware Shell Commands

Once connected, Copilot's shell commands can use environment variables from the IDE's terminal and the Python interpreter configured for the project, including activating the project's standard local Python virtual environment automatically. That makes commands Copilot runs through the connected session behave more consistently with the developer's actual development environment, rather than a generic shell context.

Availability

The integration mirrors the /ide pattern GitHub Copilot CLI already uses in VS Code and arrives in public preview, following JetBrains' move earlier in 2026 toward Copilot CLI as its default agent harness.