JetBrains IDEs

Configure JetBrains IDEs to access your Netdata infrastructure through MCP.

Supported IDEs

• IntelliJ IDEA
• PyCharm
• WebStorm
• PhpStorm
• GoLand
• DataGrip
• Rider
• CLion
• RubyMine

Transport Support

JetBrains AI Assistant currently communicates with MCP servers over stdio only (https://www.jetbrains.com/help/ai-assistant/mcp.html).

Transport	Support	Netdata Version	Notes
stdio (via nd-mcp)	✅ Fully Supported	v2.6.0+	Launches bridge as subprocess
stdio (via npx mcp-remote)	✅ Fully Supported	v2.7.2+	Wrap remote HTTP/SSE in stdio
Streamable HTTP / SSE	❌ Not Supported	-	Use a stdio launcher
WebSocket	❌ Not Supported	-	Accessible only through nd-mcp

JetBrains documents a “workaround for remote servers” that relies on launching a stdio wrapper. Native HTTP/SSE support is not available yet.

Prerequisites

1. JetBrains IDE installed - Any IDE from the list above
2. AI Assistant plugin - Install from IDE marketplace
3. Netdata v2.6.0 or later with MCP support - Prefer a Netdata Parent for full infrastructure visibility.
4. Stdio launcher:
   • nd-mcp bridge - Required for Netdata versions that only expose WebSocket (v2.6.0–v2.7.1)
   • npx mcp-remote@latest - Optional wrapper that exposes Netdata HTTP/SSE as stdio (useful for v2.7.2+)
5. Netdata MCP API key exported before launching the IDE:

   export ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN="$(cat /var/lib/netdata/mcp_dev_preview_api_key)"

   Each Netdata Agent or Parent has its own unique API key for MCP - Find your Netdata MCP API key

Installing AI Assistant

1. Open your JetBrains IDE
2. Go to Settings/Preferences:
   • Windows/Linux: File → Settings → Plugins
   • macOS: IntelliJ IDEA → Preferences → Plugins
3. Search for "AI Assistant" in Marketplace
4. Install and restart IDE

MCP Configuration

note

MCP support in JetBrains IDEs may require additional plugins or configuration. Check the plugin documentation for the latest setup instructions.

Method 1: Using nd-mcp Bridge (All Netdata versions v2.6.0+)

AI Assistant Settings:

1. Go to Settings → Tools → AI Assistant
2. Look for MCP or External Tools configuration
3. Add Netdata MCP server:

{
  "name": "netdata",
  "command": "/usr/sbin/nd-mcp",
  "args": [
    "ws://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp"
  ]
}

External Tools (if AI Assistant doesn't support MCP directly):

1. Go to Settings → Tools → External Tools
2. Click "+" to add new tool
3. Configure:
   • Name: Netdata MCP
   • Program: /usr/sbin/nd-mcp
   • Arguments: ws://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp

Method 2: Using npx mcp-remote (Netdata v2.7.2+)

For detailed options and troubleshooting, see Using MCP Remote Client. JetBrains still launches this command over stdio; mcp-remote converts the remote HTTP/SSE session into the format AI Assistant understands.

AI Assistant Settings:

{
  "name": "netdata",
  "command": "npx",
  "args": [
    "mcp-remote@latest",
    "--http",
    "http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
    "--allow-http",
    "--header",
    "Authorization: Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
  ]
}

External Tools:

• Name: Netdata MCP
• Program: npx
• Arguments: mcp-remote@latest --http http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp --allow-http --header "Authorization: Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"

Replace in all examples:

• /usr/sbin/nd-mcp - With your actual nd-mcp path (nd-mcp method only)
• YOUR_NETDATA_IP - IP address or hostname of your Netdata Agent/Parent
• NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY - Your Netdata MCP API key
• ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN - Export with your API key before launching the IDE (nd-mcp method only)

Usage in Different IDEs

IntelliJ IDEA (Java/Kotlin)

Monitor JVM applications:

// Ask AI Assistant about production performance
"What's the memory usage of our Java services?"
"Show me GC patterns in the last hour"
"Are there any thread pool issues?"

PyCharm (Python)

Debug Python applications:

# Ask: What's the CPU usage when this function runs in production?
def process_data():
    pass

# Ask: Show me memory patterns for the Python workers

WebStorm (JavaScript/TypeScript)

Monitor Node.js applications:

// Ask: What's the event loop latency?
// Ask: Show me API endpoint response times
// Ask: Any memory leaks in the Node processes?

DataGrip (Databases)

Analyze database performance:

-- Ask: Show me database query latency
-- Ask: What's the connection pool usage?
-- Ask: Any slow queries in the last hour?

IDE-Specific Features

Code Annotations

Add infrastructure context to your code:

@NetdataMonitor("cpu.usage > 80%")
public void resourceIntensiveMethod() {
    // AI Assistant can show real-time metrics
}

Debugging with Metrics

While debugging:

1. Set breakpoint
2. Ask AI Assistant: "What were the system metrics when this code last ran in production?"
3. Get historical context for better debugging

Performance Profiling

Combine IDE profiler with Netdata metrics:

• Run profiler in IDE
• Ask: "Show me system metrics during the profiling period"
• Correlate application and system performance

Best Practices

Development Workflow

1. Before deploying: "What's the current production load?"
2. During testing: "Compare metrics between dev and prod"
3. After deployment: "Show me metrics changes after deployment"

Troubleshooting Production Issues

"Show me what happened at 14:32 when the error occurred"
"What were the system resources during the last OutOfMemory error?"
"Find correlated metrics during the last service degradation"

Capacity Planning

"What's the resource usage trend for this service?"
"Project memory needs based on current growth"
"When will we need to scale based on current patterns?"

Plugin Alternatives

If official MCP support is limited, consider:

MCP Bridge Plugin

Search marketplace for:

• "MCP Client"
• "Model Context Protocol"
• "External AI Tools"

Custom Plugin Development

Create a simple plugin that bridges JetBrains with Netdata:

1. Use IDE Plugin SDK
2. Implement MCP client
3. Add tool window for Netdata metrics

Troubleshooting

AI Assistant Not Connecting

• Check MCP configuration in settings
• Restart IDE after configuration changes

No Netdata Option

• Ensure latest AI Assistant version
• Check for additional MCP plugins
• Try External Tools approach

Connection Errors

• Test Netdata access: curl http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/api/v3/info
• Verify bridge path and permissions
• Check IDE logs for detailed errors

Limited Functionality

• Some IDEs may have restricted AI Assistant features
• Try different JetBrains IDEs for better support
• Consider using Cursor or VS Code for full MCP support