NetBeans IDE AI Plugin — Full Swing UI Support for Claude, Devin, Windsurf, Cursor

A fork expanded beyond the original scope — while the upstream project focused only on Claude Code CLI, this version adds full Devin CLI support, MCP server for Cursor/Windsurf, and complete Swing GUI form generation via AI.

🎯 Key Feature: 100% Swing UI Creation — This MCP can create fully functional NetBeans Swing forms (.form + .java) with proper GEN markers, color encoding, event handlers, and layouts that open correctly in the NetBeans GUI Designer on the first try.

NetBeans Claude Code GUI is a NetBeans IDE plugin that embeds an AI CLI (Claude Code or Devin) as a full interactive terminal session directly inside the IDE. You type prompts in a dedicated session tab, the AI reads and edits your project files, and the plugin provides:

• Graphical file diff — review every proposed file change before it is written to disk; accept, decline (with an optional reason), or interrupt Claude
• Interactive choice menu — Claude's Yes/No and multiple-choice prompts appear as a native panel instead of raw terminal text
• Prompt history and favorites — recall past prompts with Ctrl+Up/Down; save reusable prompts as favorites with optional keyboard shortcuts
• File attachments — attach files via @path tokens with auto-completion popup, drag-and-drop, and clipboard paste support
• Multiple profiles — run Claude Code under separate accounts or API keys for different projects, each with an isolated config directory, authentication, proxy, and model settings
• OpenAI-compatible proxy — route Claude Code through any OpenAI-compatible provider (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Groq, DeepSeek, Ollama, LM Studio, and others) via a built-in translation proxy; no changes to Claude Code CLI required
• Session management — start new sessions, continue the last session, or resume a specific past session; sessions persist across IDE restarts
• Markdown Preview — live-rendered markdown tab for plan files and MCP-initiated previews; includes a find bar (Ctrl+F) and font zoom (Alt+Scroll)
• Auto Plan Preview — when Claude writes a plan file, a live preview tab opens automatically as soon as you accept the diff
• IDE integration via MCP — open editors, diagnostics, current selection, and file operations are exposed to Claude via the MCP protocol so it always has full context about your work
• NetBeans look & feel — the plugin respects the active NetBeans color theme and font settings, including dark/light mode
• Flexible UI customization — per-session terminal font and zoom (Alt+Scroll), configurable diff viewer placement, adjustable session list limit, and keyboard shortcuts for favorite prompts

The plugin code was written entirely by Claude Code using Claude Sonnet 4.6, with the author acting as architect and reviewer.

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How to use this plugin

There are two ways to use the plugin, and which one is available to you depends on whether the AI CLI is installed:

1. Embedded terminal inside NetBeans (requires a CLI)

To run the AI as a full interactive terminal session inside NetBeans (the main feature — diffs, choice menus, prompt history, session management, etc.), you must install the IDE's CLI first:

• Claude Code → install the claude CLI
• Devin → install the devin CLI
• Google Antigravity → install the antigravity CLI
• Cursor → install the cursor-agent CLI

The chosen CLI must be on your system PATH (or its absolute path configured in Tools → Options → Claude Code). Without the CLI installed, the embedded terminal cannot launch.

In short: if you prefer to drive the AI from inside NetBeans, the corresponding CLI (Devin CLI, Claude Code, etc.) must be installed first.

2. NetBeans as an MCP server (no CLI required)

If you do not install a CLI, you can still use the plugin: NetBeans runs a built-in MCP server (default port 28991) that any external MCP-capable IDE can connect to. In this mode you drive the AI from another IDE (Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, or the Devin desktop app) and it uses NetBeans' tools over MCP.

In short: without a CLI installed, you can only use the plugin via MCP from another IDE — see Use NetBeans as an MCP Server.

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Download

Download the latest .nbm file from GitHub Releases.

Intermediate builds between releases are available as artifacts on the Actions page — open the latest successful workflow run and download the nbm artifact (delivered as a zip file; extract the .nbm before installing).

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See Installation & Build for requirements, installation steps, and build instructions.

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Devin CLI Setup

This fork significantly expands capabilities beyond the original. The upstream project only supports Claude Code CLI. This version supports Claude Code, Devin, Windsurf, Cursor and adds AI-powered Swing GUI form generation.

1. Install the plugin

Build from this fork and install the .nbm (see above), or build from source:

mvn clean package -DskipTests

Then install target/nbm/netbeans-plugin-claude-code-gui-*.nbm via Tools → Plugins → Downloaded → Add Plugins…

2. Switch to Devin CLI in settings

1. Open Tools → Options → Claude Code → Advanced
2. Set CLI type to Devin (devin)
3. Leave CLI executable path blank — the plugin auto-detects devin from your PATH
4. Click OK and restart if prompted

3. Register the NetBeans MCP server with Devin (once only)

Unlike Claude Code (which accepts --mcp-config at startup), Devin, Antigravity and Cursor store MCP servers persistently. Run this once in a terminal — replace the port if you changed it from the default:

devin mcp add netbeans http://127.0.0.1:28991/sse

Verify with devin mcp list — you should see netbeans listed.

4. Start a session

Click the Devin toolbar button (or open the session tab) — devin will launch in the embedded terminal with the MCP server already connected.

Note: The MCP port (default 28991) must match what the plugin is using. Check Tools → Claude Code Status to confirm the server is running and note the port.

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Cursor CLI Setup

The plugin can also embed the Cursor CLI (cursor-agent) as an interactive terminal session inside NetBeans.

1. Install the Cursor CLI

curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash

The installer creates both agent (primary) and cursor-agent (legacy) on your PATH. Verify with cursor-agent --version (or agent --version).

2. Switch to Cursor CLI in settings

1. Open Tools → Options → Claude Code → Advanced
2. Set CLI type to Cursor (cursor-agent)
3. Leave CLI executable path blank — the plugin auto-detects cursor-agent (falling back to agent) from your PATH
4. Click OK and restart if prompted

3. Register the NetBeans MCP server with Cursor (once only)

Cursor reads MCP servers from ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project). Add the netbeans server — replace the port if you changed it from the default:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "netbeans": {
      "url": "http://localhost:28991/sse"
    }
  }
}

4. Start a session

Click the Cursor toolbar button (or open the session tab) — cursor-agent will launch in the embedded terminal with the MCP server already connected.

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Usage

See the User Manual for full documentation of all plugin features.

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Use NetBeans as an MCP Server from Windsurf, Cursor, or VS Code

The plugin runs a full HTTP/SSE MCP server inside NetBeans (default port 28991). Any MCP-capable IDE can connect to it — not just Claude Code CLI. This works independently of whether you use Claude Code or Devin in the embedded terminal.

Devin (desktop app) — run once in a terminal:

devin mcp add netbeans http://127.0.0.1:28991/sse

Windsurf — add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "netbeans": {
      "serverUrl": "http://localhost:28991/sse"
    }
  }
}

Cursor — add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "netbeans": {
      "url": "http://localhost:28991/sse"
    }
  }
}

VS Code (1.99+ native MCP, or .vscode/mcp.json in workspace):

{
  "servers": {
    "netbeans": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "http://localhost:28991/sse"
    }
  }
}

After connecting, the AI in your IDE can call NetBeans tools: getWorkspaceFolders, getOpenEditors, getCurrentSelection, getDiagnostics, openFile, saveDocument, permission_prompt, show_markdown, and more.

Verify the server is running: http://localhost:28991/status

See docs/windsurf-cursor-vscode.md for full setup instructions.

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Windsurf Skill — Better AI Results with NetBeans GUI Forms

When you ask Windsurf to create NetBeans JFrame forms via MCP, importing the bundled skill file gives the AI precise knowledge of the .form XML format, color encoding rules, layout templates, and component properties — resulting in forms that open correctly in the NetBeans GUI Designer on the first attempt.

How to import the skill

1. Copy docs/netbeans-form-color-format.md to your Windsurf skills folder:

%USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\skills\netbeans\SKILL.md       (Windows)
~/.codeium/windsurf/skills/netbeans/SKILL.md                    (macOS / Linux)

2. Restart Windsurf (or open Cascade → Skills and click Refresh).
3. The skill named netbeans will appear in the Skills panel as Global.

Once active, Windsurf will automatically apply the skill whenever you ask it to create NetBeans GUI forms, JFrames, or work with .form files — no extra prompt needed.

Why it matters: NetBeans' .form XML has several non-obvious requirements — color values must be hex strings (not decimal), GEN-BEGIN/END markers are required for the Design tab, and .form files must be in the views/ package to appear in the Projects panel. The skill encodes all of these rules so the AI gets them right every time.

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Third-party code

The MCP server integration (package org.openbeans.claude.netbeans) is based on claude-code-netbeans by Emilian Marius Bold, used under the ISC License:

Copyright (c) 2025 Emilian Marius Bold

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

Changes made: updated target NetBeans version from RELEASE190 to RELEASE230; integrated into the netbeans-claude-code-gui plugin build alongside the PTY terminal component.

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License

Apache License 2.0