JetBrains IDE Now Supports Codex Agent and MCP Server Management — Here's

Key Takeaways

• JetBrains adds Codex agent, MCP server management, and approval controls.
• Claude Code users should compare MCP management UX and consider hooks for CLI workflows.

What Changed — JetBrains IDE Gets Multi-Agent and MCP Management

GitHub released a significant update for JetBrains IDEs (July 7, 2026) that brings three major changes:

1. Codex as an agent provider (public preview) — You can now switch between GitHub Copilot and Codex agents directly in the IDE.
2. Agent Customizations editor with Hooks support and richer MCP server management — MCP servers can be added, started, stopped, and removed from the IDE UI.
3. Approval settings for Copilot CLI sessions — Choose between Default Approvals, Bypass Approvals, and Autopilot (preview).

What It Means For You — Claude Code Users Should Take Note

MCP Server Management Is Becoming Table Stakes

The most relevant feature for Claude Code users is the MCP server management UX. JetBrains now lets you:

• Browse and install MCP servers from a marketplace
• Add MCP servers via command or HTTP
• View server status (running/stopped)
• Start, stop, restart, and uninstall servers
• Define workspace-level MCP servers via .github/mcp.json

This is a direct competitor to Claude Code's MCP server configuration via CLAUDE.md or the claude mcp CLI commands. JetBrains' approach is more visual and IDE-native, while Claude Code's is terminal-first and file-based.

Why this matters: MCP is becoming a standard protocol for agent-tool integration. Claude Code has been a leader in MCP adoption (73 sources confirm Claude Code uses MCP). Now JetBrains is catching up with polished UI for MCP management. If you're evaluating tools, this reduces the friction of using MCP servers in JetBrains.

Hooks Support in Customizations

JetBrains now supports Hooks in Agent Customizations for both local and Copilot CLI sessions. This mirrors the hooks system Claude Code has had for a while (Bash hooks, pre/post hooks).

Claude Code advantage: Claude Code's hooks are more mature — you can use them for pre-flight checks, logging, and custom workflows. JetBrains is just getting started.

Approval Settings for CLI Sessions

JetBrains introduces three permission modes for Copilot CLI:

• Default Approvals — Follows configured approval settings
• Bypass Approvals — Auto-approves all tool calls
• Autopilot (Preview) — Auto-approves and auto-responds to clarifying questions

Claude Code has had similar controls via --yes flag and permission modes, but JetBrains' UI-based approach is more accessible for non-terminal-native users.

Try It Now — What to Do

For JetBrains Users

1. Install Codex CLI on your machine
2. Go to Settings > Tools > GitHub Copilot > Chat
3. Enable Codex and set the Codex CLI path
4. Select Codex from the agent picker in Copilot Chat
5. Explore the Agent Customizations editor for MCP servers and hooks

For Claude Code Users Evaluating Both

1. Compare MCP server management experiences:
   • JetBrains: .github/mcp.json + UI
   • Claude Code: CLAUDE.md + claude mcp CLI
2. Test the approval settings vs. Claude Code's --yes flag
3. If you're in a JetBrains-heavy team, this update makes Copilot more competitive with Claude Code for MCP workflows

The Bottom Line

JetBrains is catching up on agentic features, but Claude Code still leads in MCP maturity and hooks flexibility. If you're a Claude Code user, this update is a reminder that the ecosystem is converging — expect more MCP management UX from all tools soon.

Source: github.blog