IDEA plug-in development-persistent configuration information solution

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  • Configuration information persistent storage
  • How to save configuration files
  • Implementation plan for each method
    • 1.PropertiesComponent:
    • 2.PersistentStateComponent:
    • 3.Project Settings:
      • 4. External files:
    • 5. Database:
    • 6. Encrypt data:
    • 7. Custom configuration file format:
  • Configuration file location
    • Project-level configuration (stored under the .idea folder):
    • Global configuration (stored in the global configuration file under the user’s home directory):
  • Implementation of different locations
    • Project-level configuration information (under the .idea folder):
    • Custom file format:

Persistent storage of configuration information

In IntelliJ IDEA, the PropertiesComponent is used to save the persistent configuration data of the plug-in and store this data in the configuration file. Specifically, the data for PropertiesComponent is stored in:

For global configuration data, the data will be saved in IDEA’s configuration file. These configuration files are usually located in IDEA’s system directory, and their exact location depends on your operating system. On Windows, this is typically located in the %USERPROFILE%.IntelliJIdea\config directory, and on macOS, it is typically located in the ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains directory. For project-specific configuration data, the data will be saved in the project’s .idea directory, typically in the .idea/workspace.xml file.

PropertiesComponent uses a simple key-value storage system, allowing plugins to associate configuration data with unique keys. This data can include user preferences, plug-in configurations, window layout information, and more. This is a convenient way to save the configuration information required by the plugin without writing complex file reading and writing logic.

Note that because these data are stored in IDEA’s configuration files, they may be affected when IDEA is updated or configuration changes occur. In most cases, this is appropriate because it allows the same configuration to be shared across multiple machines. But also keep in mind that these data are not suitable for storing large or sensitive information, as they can often be accessed and edited by users. If you need a more secure way to store your data, consider using encryption or other mechanisms to protect your data.

How to save configuration files

In IntelliJ IDEA plug-in development, you can use different ways to save configuration files and data. Here are some common ways:

  1. PropertiesComponent: com.intellij.ide.util.PropertiesComponent allows you to easily store simple key-value pair data that will be saved in IDEA’s configuration files. This is suitable for saving persistent configuration data for plugins, such as user preferences and settings.
  2. PersistentStateComponent: The com.intellij.openapi.components.PersistentStateComponent interface allows you to define a component that saves and loads the persistence configuration data of the plugin. This provides a more advanced way to manage configuration data, including support for custom data types.
  3. PluginSettings: Configuration data stored through com.intellij.ide.util.PropertiesComponent can be stored in the config directory. You can use com.intellij.ide.plugins.PluginManager to get the plugin configuration directory and create files to save the configuration data.
  4. Project Settings: For project-specific configuration data, you can use XML files in the project file .idea to store the configuration. This typically includes storing project-level configuration data for the plugin.
  5. External files: You can also choose to store configuration data in an external file outside the project directory, such as a JSON file, XML file, or properties file. These files can be read and written by plugins. Database: If you need persistent data storage, you can store configuration data in a database, such as SQLite, H2, etc. This is typically used when the plugin needs to handle large amounts of data or needs to share data across projects.
  6. Encrypted data: If the configuration data contains sensitive information, you can choose to encrypt the data and then save the encrypted data in one of the above methods.
  7. Custom configuration file format: You can create a custom configuration file format to meet your plug-in needs. This may involve creating and parsing files in XML, JSON, YAML, or other formats.

Which method you choose depends on your plug-in needs and the complexity of your data. In most cases, PropertiesComponent and PersistentStateComponent are the common approaches because they provide easy ways to store and retrieve configuration data without having to manually deal with file and directory structures. If your plugin requires more advanced data management or custom file formats, consider other options.

Implementation plan of each method

Different methods require different code implementations. Here are code implementation examples for each approach:

1.PropertiesComponent:

Store configuration data:

PropertiesComponent.getInstance().setValue("myPluginSetting", "someValue");

Get configuration data:

String value = PropertiesComponent.getInstance().getValue("myPluginSetting");

2.PersistentStateComponent：

Create a class that implements the PersistentStateComponent interface and implements the getState() and loadState() methods to save and load configuration data.

public class MyPluginState implements PersistentStateComponent<MyPluginState> {<!-- -->
    private String mySetting = "default";

    @Nullable
    @Override
    public MyPluginState getState() {<!-- -->
        return this;
    }

    @Override
    public void loadState(MyPluginState state) {<!-- -->
        // Load the state
        mySetting = state.mySetting;
    }

    // Accessor methods for your configuration data
    public String getMySetting() {<!-- -->
        return mySetting;
    }

    public void setMySetting(String value) {<!-- -->
        mySetting = value;
    }
}

3.Project Settings:

Add project-specific configuration data in XML files in the .idea directory and access this data through the corresponding APIs.

4.External files:

You can use Java’s file manipulation API to create, read, and write external files such as JSON, XML, or properties files.

//Read external files
File configFile = new File("myPluginConfig.json");
if (configFile.exists()) {<!-- -->
    //Read configuration data and parse it
}
//Write to external file
//Create file and write configuration data

5. Database:

Use JDBC or other database access methods to connect to and manipulate the database, storing data in database tables.

//Use JDBC to connect to the database
Connection connection = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:sqlite:mydatabase.db");

//Create table and insert data
// Query data
//Update and delete data

6. Encrypted data:

If you need to encrypt data, you can use Java’s encryption library (for example, Bouncy Castle) to encrypt and decrypt the data, and then store the encrypted data in one of these ways.

//Encrypt data
byte[] encryptedData = encryptData(dataToEncrypt, encryptionKey);

// Decrypt data
byte[] decryptedData = decryptData(encryptedData, decryptionKey);

7, Custom configuration file format:

If you choose to create a custom configuration file format, you will need to write code to generate and parse the file format. This may involve using libraries such as XML, JSON, YAML, etc. to handle the serialization and deserialization of data.
Please note that the above examples are just basic examples and implementation will depend on the needs of your plugin and the complexity of your data. Make sure to choose the appropriate method based on your needs and implement the appropriate code logic to save and read configuration data.

Location of the configuration file

In IntelliJ IDEA plug-in development, the location where configuration information is stored depends on the scope and purpose of the configuration information. Typically, configuration information is stored under the .idea folder (project-level configuration) in the following cases, and in global configuration in other cases:

Project-level configuration (stored in the .idea folder):

  1. Project-specific configuration information: including project-level plug-in configuration, project files, workspace settings, module configuration, etc. These configuration information are related to a specific project and will not affect other projects.
  2. Version control configuration: including VCS (version control system) configuration files, such as .gitignore, .gitattributes, .hgignore, etc. These files are used to control version control behavior and are usually project specific.
  3. Run Configuration and Debug Configuration: The run configuration and debug configuration in a project are usually stored in the project’s .idea folder.
  4. The tool window layout and status of the project: for example, the open and closed status of the tool window, the layout information of the split pane, etc.

Global configuration (stored in the global configuration file under the user’s home directory):

  1. IDE settings: including global IDE settings, such as editor options, themes, shortcut key settings, plug-in configuration, etc. These settings apply to the entire IntelliJ IDEA application, not just to a specific project.
  2. Plugin global configuration: Some plugins require information to be stored in a global configuration so that it can be shared across all projects. This typically includes the plugin’s global settings and configuration.
  3. Plug-in state information: Some plugins may need to store state information in a global configuration to share data across different projects.
  4. Global tool window layout and status: For example, the open and closed status of tool windows, layout information of split panes, etc., apply to the entire IDE.
  5. User preferences: includes user-defined preference settings, such as fonts, themes, code styles, etc.

In short, the configuration information stored in the .idea folder is mainly project-specific configuration information, while the information stored in the global configuration applies to the entire IntelliJ IDEA application. Plug-in configuration and status information is usually stored in the global configuration, but can also be stored in the project-level configuration based on the needs of the plug-in. This helps distinguish between project-specific and global configuration data.

Implementation of different locations

In IntelliJ IDEA plug-in development, storing configuration information in different locations requires different operations based on your needs and the scope of the data. Here is some sample code demonstrating how to store configuration information in different locations:

Project-level configuration information (under the .idea folder):

//Save the configuration into the project-level configuration file
String configValue = "projectConfigValue";
PropertiesComponent.getInstance(project).setValue("myProjectSetting", configValue);

The project here is a reference to the current project.
Global configuration information:

//Save configuration to global configuration
String configValue = "globalConfigValue";
PropertiesComponent.getInstance().setValue("myGlobalSetting", configValue);

Note that no project is specified here, so the configuration information will be stored in the global configuration.
Version control configuration file:
If you need to store configuration information in a version control configuration file, you can do so through the API provided by the VCS plug-in. This usually involves reading and writing the corresponding configuration file (such as .gitignore or .hgignore).

Custom file format:

If you need to store configuration information in a custom file format, you can use Java’s file manipulation API to create, read, and write files. For example, if you want to use a JSON file to store configuration:

String configValue = "customConfigValue";
File configFile = new File("config.json");
try {<!-- -->
    FileWriter writer = new FileWriter(configFile);
    writer.write("{"myConfigKey":"" + configValue + ""}");
    writer.close();
} catch (IOException e) {<!-- -->
    e.printStackTrace();
}

These examples demonstrate how to store configuration information in different locations, but the implementation will vary based on your needs and the complexity of your data. Make sure to choose the appropriate location and implement the appropriate code logic as needed.