Providing Live Templates

Adding custom Live Templates.

This tutorial illustrates how to add default Custom Live Templates to an IntelliJ Platform plugin, and assign valid contexts for these templates based on the surrounding code and file type. In addition, the tutorial discusses how to export existing Live Templates, and bundle them within a plugin. Any Live Template that can be created and exported can be added to a plugin by following the Template Creation, Export, and Extension Point Registration processes.

This tutorial uses the SDK code sample live_templates.

Template Creation

Get started by creating a new Live Template within the IntelliJ Platform-based IDE:

Add a new Template Group, "Markdown" and create a new Live Template under this group.
Assign the template the abbreviation "{".
Assign the description "SDK: New link reference".
Paste the following snippet into the Template text field:

[$TEXT$]($LINK$)$END$

The variables $TEXT$ and $LINK$ may be further configured in the Edit variables dialogue to reorder their precedence and bind to the functions that invoke auto-completion at the appropriate time. In the Edit variables dialog, set the Expression for the LINK to complete() using the combo box.

There are many predefined functions that developers should become familiar with before implementing any unique functionality in a plugin.

Consider iteratively testing the Live Template using the current editor and a markdown file to minimize debugging later.

Export the Live Template

Once the Live Template produces the expected result, export the Live Template. The export produces a file called Markdown.xml with the following contents:

See for a detailed description of the templates XML file structure and elements.

{style="note"}

<templateSet group="Markdown">
  <template
      name="{"
      value="[$TEXT$]($LINK$)$END$"
      description="SDK: New link reference"
      toReformat="false"
      toShortenFQNames="false">
    <variable
        name="TEXT"
        expression=""
        defaultValue=""
        alwaysStopAt="true"/>
    <variable
        name="LINK"
        expression="complete()"
        defaultValue=""
        alwaysStopAt="true"/>
  </template>
</templateSet>

To localize the description, instead of the description attribute, use key and resource-bundle attributes pointing to a key in a message bundle. A quick fix to extract the localized key is available since 2024.2.

Copy this file into the plugin's resources folder.

Implement `TemplateContextType`

A TemplateContextType tells the IntelliJ Platform where the Live Template is applicable: Markdown files. Every context must have a unique TemplateContextType defined for it, and the Platform defines many context types out of the box. The MarkdownContext class defines it for Markdown files. Ultimately, a file's extension determines the applicable Markdown context.

{src="live_templates/src/main/java/org/intellij/sdk/liveTemplates/MarkdownContext.java" include-symbol="MarkdownContext"}

Once the MarkdownContext is defined, be sure to add the new context type to the previously created Live Template settings file.

{style="note"}

Within the <template>...</template> elements in the Markdown.xml Live Template definition file, add the following context elements:

<template>
  <variable ... />
  <context>
    <option name="MARKDOWN" value="true"/>
  </context>
</template>

It is not always necessary to define your own TemplateContextType, as there are many existing template contexts already defined in the IntelliJ Platform. Consider reusing one of the many existing template context types that inherit from TemplateContextType if you are augmenting language support to an existing area.

Completing the Live Template Implementation

Depending on the version of the IntelliJ Platform, different steps are used to complete the implementation of the feature.

Using the and , register the implementations with the IntelliJ Platform. The file attribute in specifies path/filename under the src/main/resources folder.

Specify required contextId attribute in instead of TemplateContextType constructor (existing declarations will continue working).

<extensions defaultExtensionNs="com.intellij">
  <defaultLiveTemplates file="/liveTemplates/Markdown.xml"/>
  <liveTemplateContext
          contextId="MARKDOWN"
          implementation="org.intellij.sdk.liveTemplates.MarkdownContext"/>
</extensions>

Using the and , register the implementations with the IntelliJ Platform. The file attribute in the specifies path/filename under the src/main/resources folder.

<extensions defaultExtensionNs="com.intellij">
  <defaultLiveTemplates file="/liveTemplates/Markdown.xml"/>
  <liveTemplateContext
      implementation="org.intellij.sdk.liveTemplates.MarkdownContext"/>
</extensions>

Check Plugin

Now verify the plugin is working correctly. Run the plugin in a Development Instance and verify there is a new entry under Settings | Live Templates | Markdown | { (SDK: New link reference).

Finally, create a new file test.md and confirm that the Live Template works by entering a { character and then pressing Tab.

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