Multiple JetBrains instances configuration

7 min read

Learn how to run multiple instances of JetBrains IDEs in Coder.

This article walks you through the process of configuring Coder to support the use of multiple instances of the same JetBrains IDE.

You will:

Create and build the custom image
Write the configure script
Write the config.yaml file needed to utilize Coder's [workspace applications] feature to surface additional JetBrains IDE instances in your browser

This article shows you how to configure multiple instances of IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, but you can use this process for any JetBrains IDEs.

Using additional JetBrains IDEs consume extra workspace compute resources, so ensure that you've allocated enough resources to your workspace to support all of your IDE instances.

Build a custom image that installs the primary JetBrains IDE and copies the configure script, .profile script, and config.yaml file to the image:

FROM codercom/enterprise-java:ubuntu

USER root

# Install IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate
RUN mkdir -p /opt/idea
RUN curl -L \
"https://download.jetbrains.com/product?code=IU&latest&distribution=linux" \
| tar -C /opt/idea --strip-components 1 -xzvf -

# Create a symbolic link in PATH that points to the Intellij startup script.
RUN ln -s /opt/idea/bin/idea.sh /usr/bin/intellij-idea-ultimate

# bash .profile so projector can be added to the path
COPY [".profile", "/coder/.profile"]

# configure script
COPY ["configure", "/coder/configure"]
RUN chmod +x /coder/configure

# copy custom apps info (config.yaml)
COPY ["./coder", "/coder"]

# Set back to coder user
USER coder

Add the JetBrains Projector CLI to the workspace's PATH (in this example, .profile is located in the Coder directory within the directory that contains the image's Dockerfile:
```
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin
```

Create the configure script that installs the Projector CLI into /home/coder and uses the CLI to install additional JetBrains IDEs. Each IDE configuration has a different directory in /home/coder/.projector/configs. In this example, the configure script is in the directory that contains the image's Dockerfile:

Each additional IDE requires a unique port number.

# install projector into /home/coder/ pvc
pip3 install projector-installer --user

# put projector CLI into path
cp /coder/.profile $HOME
source $HOME/.profile

# autoinstall intellij version specifying config name and port
$HOME/.local/bin/projector --accept-license

PROJECTOR_CONFIG_PATH=$HOME/.projector/configs/IntelliJ_2

if [ -d $PROJECTOR_CONFIG_PATH ]; then
    echo 'projector has already been configured - skip step'
else
    $HOME/.local/bin/projector ide autoinstall --config-name IntelliJ_2 \
    --ide-name "IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2021.3.2" --port 8997 \
    --use-separate-config
    $HOME/.local/bin/projector ide autoinstall --config-name IntelliJ_3 \
    --ide-name "IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2021.3.2" --port 8998 \
    --use-separate-config
    $HOME/.local/bin/projector ide autoinstall --config-name IntelliJ_4 \
    --ide-name "IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2021.3.2" --port 8999 \
     --use-separate-config
fi

Create the config.yaml file used by workspace applications to surface icons for each additional JetBrains IDE in the workspace. The configuration uses the JetBrains icon included with the initial JetBrains IDE installed.

In this example, config.yaml is located in a coder/apps directory within the directory that contains the image Dockerfile.

Each workspace application name must be unique so that Projector can point to the correct config directory.

# /coder/apps/config.yaml
apps:
  # Name of application in launcher. Name may consist of alphanumeric
  # characters, dashes, underscores. Names must begin with an alphanumeric
  # character. Names must be unique per application. Required.
  - name: IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2
    # Application scheme - must be http or https. Required.
    scheme: http
    # Application port. Required.
    port: 8997
    # Host of the application to use when dialing. Defaults to localhost.
    # Optional.
    host: "localhost"
    # Working directory for the start command. Required.
    working-directory: /home/coder
    # File path to icon used in application launcher. Icons should be either
    # PNG, SVG, or JPG. Required.
    icon-path: /opt/idea/bin/idea.svg
    # Command to start the application. Required.
    command: /home/coder/.projector/configs/IntelliJ_2/run.sh
    # Array of arguments for command. Optional.
    args: [""]
    # Health checks to get running application status. Can use exec or http
    # health checks to localhost. Optional, but we recommend specifying a
    # health check. If you don't supply one, then an http request is sent to
    # the application root path "/".
    health-check:
      http:
        # Scheme must be "http" or "https". If not specified it inherits
        # the application scheme. Optional.
        scheme: "http"
        # The host to use when dialing the address. If not specified it
        # inherits the application host. Optional.
        host: "localhost"
        # Port to use when dialing the application. If not specified it
        # inherits the application port. Optional.
        port: 8997
  - name: IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 3
    # Application scheme - must be http or https. Required.
    scheme: http
    # Application port. Required.
    port: 8998
    # Host of the application to use when dialing. Defaults to localhost.
    # Optional.
    host: "localhost"
    # Working directory for the start command. Required.
    working-directory: /home/coder
    # File path to icon used in application launcher. Icons should be either
    # PNG, SVG, or JPG. Required.
    icon-path: /opt/idea/bin/idea.svg
    # Command to start the application. Required.
    command: /home/coder/.projector/configs/IntelliJ_3/run.sh
    # Array of arguments for command. Optional.
    args: [""]
    # Health checks to get running application status. Can use exec or http
    # health checks to localhost. Optional, but we recommend specifying a
    # health check. If you don't supply one, then an http request is sent to
    # the application root path "/".
    health-check:
      http:
        # Scheme must be "http" or "https". If not specified it inherits
        # the application scheme. Optional.
        scheme: "http"
        # The host to use when dialing the address. If not specified it
        # inherits the application host. Optional.
        host: "localhost"
        # Port to use when dialing the application. If not specified it
        # inherits the application port. Optional.
        port: 8998
  - name: IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 4
    # Application scheme - must be http or https. Required.
    scheme: http
    # Application port. Required.
    port: 8999
    # Host of the application to use when dialing. Defaults to localhost.
    # Optional.
    host: "localhost"
    # Working directory for the start command. Required.
    working-directory: /home/coder
    # File path to icon used in application launcher. Icons should be either
    # PNG, SVG, or JPG. Required.
    icon-path: /opt/idea/bin/idea.svg
    # Command to start the application. Required.
    command: /home/coder/.projector/configs/IntelliJ_4/run.sh
    # Array of arguments for command. Optional.
    args: [""]
    # Health checks to get running application status. Can use exec or http
    # health checks to localhost. Optional, but we recommend specifying a
    # health check. If you don't supply one, then an http request is sent to
    # the application root path "/".
    health-check:
      http:
        # Scheme must be "http" or "https". If not specified it inherits
        # the application scheme. Optional.
        scheme: "http"
        # The host to use when dialing the address. If not specified it
        # inherits the application host. Optional.
        host: "localhost"
        # Port to use when dialing the application. If not specified it
        # inherits the application port. Optional.
        port: 8999

See Projector's CLI documentation for additional information on installation and the CLI commands it accepts.

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