[FEATURE] Open plan file on Jetbrains while planning

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

When using Claude Code's Plan Mode with JetBrains IDE integration, the plan file that Claude creates is hidden away in an internal folder (~/.claude/plans/) and isn't visible or editable in my IDE. This creates friction in my planning workflow:

The core issue: I can't see, edit, or collaborate on the plan file while Claude is creating it. The plan is essentially invisible until I exit Plan Mode, at which point Claude often immediately starts implementing—sometimes before I've had a chance to review or refine the plan.

Why this matters for my workflow:

1. No real-time visibility – While Claude is in Plan Mode researching my codebase and building a plan, I can't see what it's producing. I have to wait until it's "done" to review anything, which breaks the iterative planning collaboration I want.

1. Can't edit alongside Claude – JetBrains has excellent markdown editing with preview, structure navigation, and refactoring tools. I want to use these to refine the plan collaboratively—adding notes, adjusting task ordering, or correcting misunderstandings in real-time.

1. Context switching penalty – When I want to manually save or reference the plan, I have to exit Plan Mode (which sometimes triggers unwanted implementation), navigate to a hidden folder, or ask Claude to write a separate file—losing the native Plan Mode benefits.

1. Multi-agent workflows suffer – I often want one Claude session to reference a plan created by another. Having the plan auto-sync to a visible project file (e.g., PLAN.md in my repo root) would make cross-session and multi-agent coordination much smoother.

1. Version control integration – Plans are valuable artifacts I want to commit alongside my code. The current hidden folder approach means extra manual steps to preserve planning context.

In essence: The JetBrains integration already syncs file selections, diagnostics, and diffs beautifully. Extending this to automatically open/sync the plan file in my IDE during Plan Mode would make the planning experience feel native rather than terminal-bound.

Proposed Solution

Ideal experience: When I enter Plan Mode, the plan file automatically opens in a JetBrains editor tab—live-syncing as Claude writes. I can read, edit, and annotate the plan in my IDE while Claude works, with changes flowing both directions.

How I'd interact with this:

1. Entering Plan Mode – I press Shift+Tab twice (or run claude --plan) and JetBrains automatically opens a new tab showing PLAN.md (or a configurable filename). The file lives in my project root by default, not a hidden folder.

1. While Claude plans – As Claude researches my codebase and writes the plan, I see the markdown updating in real-time in my IDE. I can scroll through it, use JetBrains' structure view to navigate sections, and watch the plan take shape.

1. Collaborative editing – I can edit the plan directly in JetBrains while Claude is working. For example:

• Add a note: <!-- NOTE: Don't forget we deprecated the old auth module -->
• Reorder tasks by cutting/pasting sections
• Add acceptance criteria Claude missed
• Flag concerns inline: ⚠️ This approach won't work with our Kubernetes setup

Claude sees my edits and incorporates them into its continued planning.

1. Plan finalization – When I'm satisfied, I use a command or keyboard shortcut (e.g., /implement or a button in the JetBrains plugin UI) to signal "proceed with this plan." This is explicit—Claude doesn't start implementing just because I switched modes.

1. Configuration options (in JetBrains plugin settings or .claude/settings.json):

• Plan file location: project root, .claude/, or custom path
• Filename pattern: PLAN.md, plan-{timestamp}.md, etc.
• Auto-open behavior: always, ask, or never
• Sync direction: bidirectional, read-only in IDE, or Claude-only writes

Bonus interactions:

• Right-click a plan file in JetBrains → "Resume this plan with Claude"
• Plan file has collapsible sections for completed vs. pending tasks
• JetBrains gutter icons showing which plan items have been implemented

The key difference from today: The plan becomes a first-class, visible, editable artifact in my IDE rather than a hidden internal file I can only influence through terminal prompts.

Alternative Solutions

_No response_

Priority

High - Significant impact on productivity

Feature Category

Developer tools/SDK

Use Case Example

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Additional Context

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