JetBrains just made Junie generally available. If you write Java in IntelliJ IDEA, this is the biggest workflow change since the debugger got good.
Junie is JetBrains' AI coding agent. It has been in beta for months. Now it is production-ready, and it ships with four features that actually matter for Java developers.
What Is Junie?
Junie is an AI agent that lives inside your JetBrains IDE. It reads your codebase, understands your project structure, and can write code, debug issues, and review pull requests.
Think of it as a junior developer who knows your entire project and never sleeps. But unlike a real junior, it uses the debugger instead of println.
The Four Features That Matter
1. Plan Mode: Agent Thinks Before It Codes
The biggest problem with AI coding agents is overconfidence. They start implementing before anyone agrees on what to build. You end up reviewing a PR that solves the wrong problem.
Junie's Plan mode fixes this. Before writing a single line, Junie proposes a plan. You review it, edit it if needed, then approve. Only then does it start coding.
For Java developers, this means: "I want to migrate this service to Spring Boot 3.x" becomes a structured plan with steps, not a wild implementation sprint.
2. Background Tasks: Start It and Walk Away
Some tasks don't fit a focused 30-minute session. Think: Spring Boot upgrade, migration to Java records, adding test coverage to a legacy service.
Junie runs these as background tasks. Start a task from your IDE, close your laptop, and check the results later from any device. It works asynchronously while you do other things.
This is the first time an AI agent in a JetBrains IDE supports this workflow natively.
3. Code Review With Project Context
Most code review tools see your codebase for the first time when the PR opens. Junie reviews with the same project context it uses to write code: your build, your tests, your conventions, your past decisions.
Three ways to trigger a review:
- GitHub Actions integration
- GitLab integration (including self-hosted)
-
/reviewcommand in the CLI or IDE plugin
For Java teams, this means Junie understands your Maven/Gradle setup, your test framework, and your code style before it reviews a single line.
4. Agentic Debugging: Uses the Debugger, Not println
When something goes wrong, most coding agents add log statements. Junie opens the debugger.
It can:
- Launch a run configuration
- Debug a test
- Take over an existing debug session
- Set breakpoints where they matter
- Step through code and inspect variables
For Java developers who have been debugging with System.out.println for years, this is a significant upgrade.
How to Get It
Junie is available as a plugin for all JetBrains IDEs:
- IntelliJ IDEA
- WebStorm
- PyCharm
- GoLand
- CLion
- And others
You need a JetBrains AI subscription to use it. Install the plugin from the IDE marketplace, sign in with your JetBrains account, and start.
My Take
JetBrains is late to the AI coding agent game. GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and others have been shipping for over a year. But Junie has one advantage: it is deeply integrated with the IDE.
It doesn't just generate code in a sidebar. It uses your debugger, understands your project structure, and reviews your PRs with full context. That integration is hard to replicate.
For Java developers using IntelliJ IDEA, Junie is worth trying. Not because AI will replace you, but because the debugging and background task features alone save real time.
Start with the Plan mode. Don't let the agent code without approval. Review what it produces. Use the debugger feature. And if you have a legacy Spring Boot service that needs test coverage, let Junie run it as a background task while you work on something else.
Try it: Install the Junie plugin from the JetBrains Marketplace. Requires a JetBrains AI subscription.
Source: JetBrains Blog — Junie: The JetBrains AI Coding Agent Leaves Beta
