IntelliJ Platform Plugin SDK Help

Link

A preview of link types: default, drop-down, and external.

When to use

Use a regular link for navigation between pages of the same window. In the example bellow Manage scopes… opens another page in Settings for editing the values.

Correct

A vertical list of three options: 'Non-Project Files', 'Problems', and 'Production', followed by a 'Manage scopes…' link below.

Incorrect

A vertical list of three options: 'Non-Project Files', 'Problems', and 'Production', followed 'Manage scopes' button below.

Web resources

Use an external link for navigation to web resources. See below for the external link icon.

Text 'Learn more about what is logged' with 'what is logged' as an external link with an arrow icon.

Secondary actions in packed UI areas

Use a regular or drop-down link for secondary actions in packed or small UI areas.

Build and run section with 'Modify options' drop-down link. Contains a Java SDK selector, a command line arguments selector, and a program arguments input.

Secondary actions in a tree or table

Some items can be changed

Use a link as a secondary action for some items of a tree or table.

A tree with a checkbox and four dependent controls, and links 'Set…' in the first and the fourth control

All items can be changed

If a link in every tree or table line has meaningful formatting, leave it.

For example, links in the Push Commits window help understand the relation between them: [remote repository] : [branch]; moving these links elsewhere would break this meaning.

Links in the Push Commits window 'origin : master'

When not to use

Primary actions

Use a button or a drop down list for primary actions. These controls can be selected from the keyboard and are bigger and easier to click.

Correct

The Commit Message input with primary and secondary actions as buttons.

Incorrect

The Commit Message input with primary and secondary actions as links.

Secondary actions in a tree or table

Editable items

When all items can be changed, add an icon button to a toolbar.

Correct

Table with a toolbar with icon-buttons

Incorrect

Table with a link 'Edit…' in every row

List of choices

For a list of choices, add a separate table column of drop-down cells (see Table).

Correct

Table with a toolbar with icon-buttons

Incorrect

Table with a link 'Edit…' in every row

Simple UI

Use a button or a drop down list when a UI is not constrained. These controls can be selected from the keyboard and are bigger and easier to click.

Correct

A stack of controls with a button 'Edit' following one of the controls.

Incorrect

A stack of controls with a link 'Edit' following one of the controls.

How to use

Writing guidelines

Use sentence capitalization

Follow the sentence capilaziation guideline.

Correct

A 'Modify options' drod-down with the sentence style capitalization.

Incorrect

A 'Modify Options' drod-down with the title style capitalization.

Ellipsis

Add an ellipsis to a link if it opens another UI area where input is possible. See examples for the Button.

Correct

A vertical list of three options: 'Non-Project Files', 'Problems', and 'Production', followed by a 'Manage scopes…' link below. The link has an ellipsis in the end.

Incorrect

Vertical list of three options: 'Non-Project Files', 'Problems', and 'Production', followed by a 'Manage scopes' link below. The link doesn't have an ellipsis in the end.

Wording

Do not use words like navigate or click here. A link already implies navigation or clicking.

Correct

Link 'Proxy settings…'.

Incorrect

Link 'Navigate to general proxy settings'.

Correct

Link 'Download drivers…'.

Incorrect

Text reading 'Click here to download drivers' where 'here' is a link.

Make it informative

When possible, replace Learn more and other generic phrases with more informative ones.

Correct

Link 'How to use Closure Linter'.

Incorrect

Link 'Learn more'.

Link as a part of text

A link can be a part of a checkbox or radio button label or of any stand-alone text, like the text in an empty state or in context help:

Checkbox 'Use console font instead of the default font' where 'deafult font' is a link.

Make a link the minimum phrase that is enough to understand what will happen without reading the whole text:

Correct

Text reading 'Learn more about what is logged' where 'what is logged' is a link.

Incorrect

Link 'Learn more about what is logged'.

Add the arrow icon for an external link. The icon shows that the user will switch to a browser and lose the current context.

Text 'Learn more about what is logged' where 'what is logged' is an external link with the external link icon.

Implementation

val externalLink = ActionLink("External link") { BrowserUtil.browse("https://www.jetbrains.com") }.apply { setExternalLinkIcon() }
ActionLink externalLink = new ActionLink( "External link", event -> BrowserUtil.browse("https://www.jetbrains.com") ); externalLink.setExternalLinkIcon();

Help icon

Use the help icon in links in empty states to indicate that this is an external help resource. The arrow icon in this case is unnecessary.

Correct

Empty state in the Database tool window with an explanation text and a help source link 'Defining a database' with the help icon.

Incorrect

Empty state in the Database tool window with an explanation text and an external link 'Defining a database' with the external link icon.

Drop-down links show a context menu or a popup. To implement, use DropDownLink.

Control 'Changes from 2 commits' where '2 commits' is a drop-down link opening a list of all commits

Placement

Built-in behavior

A focused link is activated from the keyboard with Space.

10 April 2025
Input FieldNotifications