Top 5 AI Features in IntelliJ IDEA
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IntelliJ IDEA's AI capabilities extend well beyond the chat window. Five key features are highlighted: AI completion that anticipates the next related edit (not just the next token), in-editor code generation via Ctrl+\ for inline prompts without switching context, AI Actions (Alt+Enter menu) for explain/test/document without conversation, Agent Client Protocol (ACP) support for connecting external coding agents alongside JetBrains' own Junie agent with reusable skills, and Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) for using organization-approved API providers. Additional smaller features include AI-powered stack trace explanation in the run console and automatic commit message generation from staged diffs.
Table of contents
Top 5 AI Features in IntelliJ IDEA1. AI completion2. In-editor code generation3. AI Actions4. Bring your own agent5. Bring Your Own KeyBeyond the top fiveThe part you may have missedQuestions this post answers
How do I generate code inline in IntelliJ IDEA without using the AI chat?
Press Ctrl+\ anywhere in a file, type a plain-language instruction such as 'turn this loop into a stream' or 'give me a builder for this class', and the code appears at the cursor as an in-editor diff. You can accept, reject, or refine the prompt with additional constraints like 'Keep the method name' or 'use Optional instead of null', and IntelliJ IDEA regenerates in place. Developers integrating AI into their Java workflow track IntelliJ IDEA updates like these on daily.dev.
What is the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) in IntelliJ IDEA and how does it work with external agents?
ACP is a protocol that lets you connect external coding agents to IntelliJ IDEA, similar to how LSP standardizes language server integration. One protocol covers all agents, so the IDE needs no custom integration per agent. JetBrains' own agent Junie appears in the same registry as third-party agents with no special treatment. Agents can propose steps, edit files, run tests, and leave a reviewable diff inside the IDE. Teams evaluating AI coding agents for Java projects can follow ACP ecosystem developments on daily.dev.
How do I use my own API key for AI features in IntelliJ IDEA instead of JetBrains' default provider?
Configure Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) in Settings | Tools | AI Assistant | Providers & API keys. Under Third-party AI providers, choose a provider, enter the key or endpoint, and test the connection. Once connected, the provider's models appear in the AI chat's model selector and can back features like commit message generation, depending on what the provider and model support. Teams navigating provider approval processes for AI tooling share decisions like this on daily.dev.