The New Terminal (Beta): Updates for JetBrains IDEs v2024.2

Anastasia Shabalina

The 2024.1 versions of JetBrains IDEs introduced the new terminal as an opt-in feature, which can be enabled via Settings/Preferences | Tools | Terminal | Enable New Terminal. While we are actively gathering feedback and working on improvements, the new terminal remains in its Beta version. In the previous post, we covered the significant changes made to the terminal for the initial launch. This post will focus on the updates and enhancements introduced in the 2024.2 versions of JetBrains IDEs.

AI-powered command generation

The new terminal now features AI-powered command generation capabilities. Users of JetBrains AI Assistant can generate commands with AI directly within the terminal. To use this feature, switch to AI mode in the terminal by pressing ⌘\ (macOS) or Ctrl+\ (Windows and Linux), describe your command in natural language, and then submit the request. AI Assistant will create the corresponding command, which will appear in the prompt for immediate execution or further editing. Considering previous commands and their outputs, the OS, and the shell, the AI command generation in the new terminal is context-aware, improving the accuracy of the results.

Moreover, the history in AI mode now displays a list of previously executed AI requests. This can be particularly helpful when you want to edit and re-run previous requests to generate new commands.

Looking ahead, we plan to expand the terminal’s AI feature set. Upcoming enhancements will include the ability to fix commands that failed and explain outputs.

Prompt customization

The new terminal now includes enhanced prompt customization options. You can choose between single-line and double-line prompt settings via Settings/Preferences | Tools | Terminal | Enable New Terminal | Prompt style. This allows for more efficient use of space or improved readability, depending on your personal preference. 

Additionally, we have addressed a common user request by adding the ability to enable the prompt settings configured in a shell. You can now use the new terminal with the same familiar prompt as your system terminal. Please report any prompt customization problems on this YouTrack issue.

Enhanced command completion

We are continuously working on improving command completion. In the 2024.2 release, you will notice enhancements in the following areas:

• Git completion: Improved completion for Git aliases and branches.
• npm packages: Enhanced completion for npm packages (1 and 2).
• Popular PHP commands: Better support for popular commands in the PHP stack.
• Ruby CLIs: Improved completion for Ruby-related command-line interfaces.

If you encounter any issues, please report them through the tickets linked above or create a new one on YouTrack. As we continue to work on improving the new terminal, we’d appreciate your feedback in the comments section below.

Thank you!

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