intellij-sdk-code-samples/topics/reference_guide/project_model/module.md

<!-- Copyright 2000-2025 JetBrains s.r.o. and other contributors. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the LICENSE file. -->

# Module

<tldr>

**Product Help:** [Modules](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/modules.html)

</tldr>

<link-summary>Modules represent a unit of a project.</link-summary>

A module is a discrete unit of functionality that can be run, tested, and debugged independently.
Modules include such things as source code, build scripts, unit tests, deployment descriptors, etc.

## Module Components

### Content Roots

The directories where the files belonging to the module (source code, resources, etc.) are stored.
Each directory can belong to one and only one module; it's not possible to share a content root between multiple modules.

### Source roots

A content root can have multiple source roots underneath it.
Source roots can have different types: regular source roots, test source roots, resource roots, etc.

In IntelliJ IDEA, source roots are used as roots of the package hierarchy structure.
Java classes directly under a source root will be in the root package.
Source roots can also be used to implement more fine-grained dependency checks.
Code under a regular source root cannot depend on code under a test source root.

> Not all other IntelliJ Platform-based IDEs use source roots.

### Order Entries

The dependencies of a module, which are stored in an ordered list.
A dependency can be a reference to an [SDK](sdk.md), a [library](library.md), or another module.

### Facets

The list of framework-specific configuration entries represented in a dedicated [](facet.md).

### Other

In addition to that, a module can store other settings, such as a module-specific [SDK](sdk.md), compile output path settings, etc.
Plugins can store additional data associated with a module by creating facets or module-level components.

## Working with Modules

<include from="project.md" element-id="useWorkspaceModelAPI"/>

The IntelliJ Platform provides a number of classes and interfaces you can use to work with modules:

* [`Module`](%gh-ic%/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/Module.java)
* [`ModuleUtil`](%gh-ic%/platform/lang-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/ModuleUtil.java) and [`ModuleUtilCore`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/ModuleUtilCore.java)
* [`ModuleManager`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/ModuleManager.kt)
* [`ModuleRootManager`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/ModuleRootManager.java)
* [`ModuleRootModel`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/ModuleRootModel.java)
* [`ModifiableModuleModel`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/ModifiableModuleModel.java)
* [`ModifiableRootModel`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/ModifiableRootModel.java)

This section discusses how to complete some common tasks related to management of modules.

See [Changing the Project Structure](project.md#changing-the-project-structure) for information on modifying project/module structure.

### How do I get a list of modules the project includes?

Use the `ModuleManager.getModules()` method.

### How do I get dependencies and classpath of a module?

_Order entries_ include SDK, libraries and other modules the module uses.
With the IntelliJ IDEA UI, you can view order entries for a module on the <control>Dependencies</control> tab of the <control>Project Structure</control> dialog box.

To explore the module dependencies, use the [`OrderEnumerator`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/OrderEnumerator.java) class.

The following code snippet illustrates how you can get classpath (classes root of all dependencies) for a module:

```java
VirtualFile[] roots = ModuleRootManager.getInstance(module).orderEntries().classes().getRoots();
```

### How do I get the SDK the module uses?

Use the `ModuleRootManager.getSdk()` method.
This method returns a value of the [`Sdk`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/Sdk.java) type.

The following code snippet illustrates how you can get detailed information on SDK the specified module uses:

```java
ModuleRootManager moduleRootManager = ModuleRootManager.getInstance(module);
Sdk sdk = moduleRootManager.getSdk();
String jdkInfo = "Module: " + module.getName() +
    " SDK: " + sdk.getName() +
    " SDK version: " + sdk.getVersionString() +
    " SDK home directory: " + sdk.getHomePath();
```

### How do I get a list of modules on which this module directly depends?

Use the `ModuleRootManager.getDependencies()` method to get an array of the `Module` type values or the `ModuleRootManager.getDependencyModuleNames()` to get an array of module names.
To clarify, consider the following code snippet:

```java
ModuleRootManager moduleRootManager = ModuleRootManager.getInstance(module);
Module[] dependentModules = moduleRootManager.getDependencies();
String[] dependentModulesNames = moduleRootManager.getDependencyModuleNames();
```

### How do I get a list of modules that depend on this module?

Use the `ModuleManager.getModuleDependentModules(module)` method.

Note that you can also check whether a module (*module1*) depends on another specified module (*module2*) using the `ModuleManager.isModuleDependent()` method in the following way:

```java
boolean isDependent = ModuleManager.getInstance(project).isModuleDependent(module1, module2);
```

### How do I get a module to which the specified file or PSI element belongs?

* To get the project module to which the specified file belongs, use the `ModuleUtil.findModuleForFile()` static method.

  To clarify, consider the following code snippet:

```java
String pathToFile = "/Users/john/plugins/myPlugin/src/MyAction.java";
VirtualFile virtualFile = LocalFileSystem.getInstance().findFileByPath(pathToFile);
Module module = ModuleUtil.findModuleForFile(virtualFile, myProject);
String moduleName = module == null ? "Module not found" : module.getName();
```

* To get the project module to which the specified [PSI element](psi_elements.md) belongs, use the `ModuleUtil.findModuleForPsiElement()` method.

### Storing a Reference to a Module

Use [`ModulePointer`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/module/ModulePointer.java) to store a reference to a `Module` by its instance or name.
A removal or rename of the `Module` will be tracked automatically.

### Accessing Module Roots

Information about module roots can be accessed via [`ModuleRootManager`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/ModuleRootManager.java).
For example, the following snippet shows how to access the content roots of a module:

```java
VirtualFile[] contentRoots = ModuleRootManager.getInstance(module).getContentRoots();
```

### Checking Belonging to a Module Source Root

To check if a virtual file or directory belongs to a module source root, use the `ProjectFileIndex.getSourceRootForFile()` method.
This method returns `null` if the file or directory does not belong to any source root of modules in the project.

```java
VirtualFile moduleSourceRoot = ProjectRootManager.getInstance(project).getFileIndex().getSourceRootForFile(virtualFileOrDirectory);
```

### Java: Compiler Output Properties

Obtain [`CompilerModuleExtension`](%gh-ic%/platform/projectModel-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/roots/CompilerModuleExtension.java) for given `Module` instance to access <control>Compiler Output</control> path related properties.

## Receiving Notifications About Module Changes

To receive notifications about module changes (modules being added, removed or renamed), use the [message bus](messaging_infrastructure.md) and the `ProjectTopics.MODULES` topic:

```java
project.getMessageBus().connect().subscribe(
    ProjectTopics.MODULES,
    new ModuleListener() {
      @Override
      public void moduleAdded(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Module module) {
        // action
      }
    });
```

[Declarative registration](plugin_listeners.md) is available as well.