Why JetBrains Fleet Is the Next‑Gen Distributed IDE for Modern Development

JetBrains, leveraging 20 years of IDE development experience, created Fleet as a next‑generation development tool that uses the IntelliJ code engine, features a distributed IDE architecture, and a redesigned UI. Its main characteristics are lightweight, intelligent, distributed, collaborative, and multi‑language, and it aims to give users more choices rather than replace existing JetBrains tools.

Lightweight

Fleet is built as a fast, lightweight text editor that satisfies quick code browsing and editing needs. It starts within seconds, allowing immediate work, and can seamlessly switch to a full IDE, with the IntelliJ code engine running separately from the editor.

Unlike IDEA, you no longer need a high‑end computer and a long wait before starting work.

Intelligent

Fleet inherits beloved IntelliJ features such as project‑ and context‑aware code completion, definition and usage navigation, real‑time code quality checks, and quick fixes. The UI includes a “Smart Mode” button.

Distributed

Fleet’s architecture is designed to support various configurations and workflows. You can run Fleet solely on your computer or move some processes elsewhere, such as deploying the code‑processing flow to the cloud.

Therefore, it works even without a local project; Fleet does not care whether the project is local, in a container, or thousands of miles away.

Frontend: provides UI, parses files, and offers limited syntax highlighting for supported file types.

Backend: handles heavy‑weight services such as indexing, static analysis, advanced search, and navigation, triggered by requests from the workspace.

Workspace: maintains shared state among multiple frontends and registers components to expose available services and APIs.

FSD (Fleet System Daemon): connects to the system where source code and SDK reside, building projects, running code, executing terminal commands, and performing other operations on behalf of Fleet.

Collaboration

Fleet enables collaborative coding beyond shared editing. You can share terminals and debug sessions, conduct code reviews, explore code, and perform many other actions without any setup. Others can join a session you start on your computer, or everyone can connect to a shared remote development environment.

Multi‑language

Fleet offers out‑of‑the‑box intelligent support for many languages and technologies, with plugins planned for additional languages. With LSP support, you can also use other language services within Fleet.

Fleet automatically detects project configuration from source code, maximising the value of its intelligent engine while minimising IDE configuration. It provides a familiar and consistent user experience across different project types, allowing a single IDE to be used for any tech stack.

Integrated Tools

Fleet provides a set of essential, well‑integrated built‑in tools to enhance developer productivity.

References

https://blog.jetbrains.com/blog/2021/11/29/welcome-to-fleet/ https://www.jetbrains.com/help/fleet/1.0/architecture-overview.html https://www.jetbrains.com/zh-cn/fleet/