What’s New in IntelliJ IDEA 2023.3? AI Assistant, Java 21, and Built‑in Kubernetes

IntelliJ IDEA 2023.3 brings the AI Assistant out of preview, offering enhanced in‑editor code generation, contextual AI chat for project queries, and AI‑driven actions that consider the broader project context, along with a diff viewer to track AI‑made changes.

Key Highlights

Full Java 21 Support

The release fully supports the latest Java 21 language features, including virtual threads, record patterns, pattern‑matching switch expressions, serialized collections, string templates, and scoped values.

Run to Cursor Debugging

A new Run to Cursor option lets developers execute code up to a specific line during debugging. Hover over the target line and click the popup, or place the text cursor on the line and press ⌥F9.

Floating Toolbar with Edit Actions

A floating toolbar appears beside selected code, providing quick access to Extract , Surround , Reformat , and Comment operations, as well as context actions. Users can customize or hide the toolbar via the three‑dot menu or through

Settings/Preferences | Advanced Settings | Editor → Hide floating toolbar for code editing

.

Built‑in Kubernetes Development (Ultimate)

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2023.3 bundles the Kubernetes plugin, enabling developers to deploy, debug, and manage Kubernetes clusters directly from the IDE without additional setup.

User Experience Improvements

Option to Hide Main Toolbar in Default View

Users can now hide the main toolbar in the default UI mode via View | Appearance | Toolbar , matching the behavior of the older UI.

Default Tool Window Layout

The new “Default” layout restores the workspace to its original state quickly via Window | Layouts . This layout is not customizable but provides a fast reset.

Color‑Coded Editor Tabs

Editor tabs now display default colors that reflect their file type as shown in the Project tool window. Settings are available under Settings/Preferences | Appearance & Behavior | File Colors .

New macOS Icon

The IntelliJ IDEA icon for macOS has been redesigned to align with the operating system’s visual guidelines.

Speed Search Shortcut

The Speed Search feature can now be invoked with shortcuts (e.g., ⌘F) in tool windows and dialogs, allowing rapid navigation. Custom shortcuts can be assigned via Settings / Preferences | Keymap .