Claude Code NetBeans Plugin

A NetBeans IDE plugin that provides integration with Claude Code through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Features

• Automatic Detection: Creates a lock file that Claude Code CLI can discover
• WebSocket Communication: Establishes real-time communication using MCP over WebSocket
• IDE Integration: Provides access to NetBeans project structure, file operations, and editor content
• File Operations: Read, write, and list files through Claude Code
• Project Management: Access open projects and project files
• Document Access: Retrieve content from open documents in the editor

Installation

Prerequisites

• NetBeans IDE 23.0 or later
• Java 11 or later
• Maven 3.6 or later

Building the Plugin

1. Clone or download this project
2. Navigate to the project directory
3. Build the plugin:

mvn clean package

4. The plugin will be built as target/claude-code-netbeans-1.0.0.nbm

Installing in NetBeans

1. Open NetBeans IDE
2. Go to Tools > Plugins
3. Click the Downloaded tab
4. Click Add Plugins... and select the .nbm file
5. Follow the installation wizard
6. Restart NetBeans when prompted

Usage

Automatic Startup

The plugin automatically starts when NetBeans launches and:

1. Creates Lock File: Writes connection information to ~/.claude/ide/{port}.lock
2. Starts WebSocket Server: Listens on an available port (8990-9100 range)
3. Updates on Changes: Refreshes workspace information when projects are opened/closed

Using with Claude Code

1. Install Claude Code: Follow the official installation guide

2. Start NetBeans: Open NetBeans with your project

3. Run Claude Code: In any terminal, run:

   claude

4. Verify Connection: Claude Code should automatically detect NetBeans. You can verify with:

   /ide

Available MCP Tools

The plugin provides these tools to Claude Code:

File Operations

• read_file: Read file contents
• write_file: Write content to files
• list_files: List directory contents

Project Operations

• get_open_projects: List all open projects
• get_project_files: Get files in a specific project

Editor Operations

• get_open_documents: List open documents
• get_document_content: Get content from open documents

Plugin Status

Check the plugin status through Tools > Claude Code Status in the NetBeans menu.

Architecture

Components

1. ClaudeCodeInstaller: Main plugin lifecycle manager
2. LockFileManager: Handles lock file creation and updates
3. WebSocketMCPServer: WebSocket server for MCP communication
4. NetBeansMCPHandler: Processes MCP messages and provides IDE capabilities
5. MCPWebSocketHandler: WebSocket message routing

Communication Flow

Claude Code CLI → WebSocket → NetBeans Plugin → NetBeans IDE APIs
                ←           ←                  ←

Lock File Format

{
  "pid": 12345,
  "ideName": "NetBeans",
  "transport": "ws",
  "port": 8991,
  "workspaceFolders": ["/path/to/project"]
}

Development

Project Structure

src/main/java/org/openbeans/claude/netbeans/
├── ClaudeCodeInstaller.java      # Plugin lifecycle
├── LockFileManager.java          # Lock file management
├── WebSocketMCPServer.java       # WebSocket server
├── MCPWebSocketHandler.java      # WebSocket message handler
├── NetBeansMCPHandler.java       # MCP protocol implementation
└── ClaudeCodeAction.java         # Status action

src/main/resources/
├── org/openbeans/claude/netbeans/Bundle.properties
└── META-INF/services/org.openide.modules.ModuleInstall

src/main/nbm/
└── manifest.mf                   # Plugin manifest

Dependencies

• NetBeans Platform APIs: IDE integration
• Model Context Protocol SDK: MCP implementation
• Jetty WebSocket: WebSocket server
• Jackson: JSON processing

Building for Development

# Build and install in development NetBeans
mvn clean install nbm:run-ide

# Package for distribution
mvn clean package

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Loading

• Check NetBeans logs: View > IDE Log
• Verify Java 11+ is being used
• Ensure all dependencies are available

Claude Code Not Connecting

• Verify lock file exists: ~/.claude/ide/{port}.lock
• Check if WebSocket port is accessible
• Review plugin status: Tools > Claude Code Status

WebSocket Connection Issues

• Check firewall settings for the port range (8990-9100)
• Verify no other applications are using the ports
• Review NetBeans and plugin logs

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

License

See the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues and questions:

• Check the NetBeans IDE logs
• Review Claude Code documentation
• Create an issue in the project repository