intellij-sdk-code-samples/topics/appendix/glossary.md

Glossary

Glossary of IntelliJ Platform specific terms.

See also Oracle's Java Technology Glossary.

A

Abstract Syntax Tree (AST)

The Abstract Syntax Tree represents the structure of source input files.
→ Program Structure Interface

Annotator

Provides semantic highlighting based on underlying → Program Structure Interface elements.
→ Inspection

B

Blocking Context

Executing in the Blocking Context means executing tasks on a thread without access to a coroutine context.
→ Suspending Context
→ Coroutine Execution Context
→ Coroutine

C

CancellationException (CE)

java.util.concurrent.CancellationException, kotlin.coroutines.cancellation.CancellationException (typealias in stdlib), kotlinx.coroutines.CancellationException (typealias in kotlinx-coroutines)
→ ProcessCanceledException

Coroutine

A Kotlin coroutines execution unit allowing for handling concurrency and asynchronous tasks efficiently with a sequential/imperative code style.

Coroutine Dispatcher

Part of the coroutine context. Determines a thread or a thread pool the corresponding coroutine is executed on. See for more details.
→ Coroutine

Coroutine Execution Context

Executing in the Coroutine Execution Context means executing code (suspending or non-suspending/blocking) from a coroutine.

Coroutine Scope

Coroutine scopes define the lifetime of coroutines and ensure proper handling of coroutine cancellations and structured concurrency.
→ Coroutine

D

Document Object Model (DOM)

abstracts working with XML files based on a custom semantic model.

E

Event Dispatch Thread (EDT)

The Event Dispatch Thread handles all Swing events. See also and .

Extension Point (EP)

Most functionality is provided by Using Extension Points provided by the platform or plugins. Plugins can also define their own to allow extensibility.

External System (ES)

allows integrating external project management systems.

F

Feature Usage Statistics (FUS)

JetBrains internal API to track feature usage in the IDE.

File Based Index (FBI)

File Based Index allows storing key-value information based on the project's files.

G

Gradle Build Script

A configuration file written in Kotlin (build.gradle.kts) or Groovy (build.gradle) that describes the build process and dependencies of a plugin.

I

Inspection

Supports configurable semantic highlighting.
→ Annotator

Intention

Provides an automated fix for commonly encountered code problems.

L

Language Server Protocol (LSP)

Communication standard between development tools and Language Servers, see .

Local History (LVCS)

A builtin → Version Control System tracking all changes in the project locally.

Look and Feel (LaF)

Defines the visual appearance and behavior of the user interface; see Swing Tutorial.

J

JetBrains Project System (JPS)

Represents the project model in External Build process.

JetBrains Runtime (JBR)

The JetBrains Runtime is the default bundled runtime for all IntelliJ Platform-based IDEs by JetBrains.

N

Non-Blocking Read Action (NBRA)

A → Read Action that is canceled by a → Write Action. See also .

P

ProcessCanceledException (PCE)

ProcessCanceledException An exception indicating that the currently running operation was terminated and should finish as soon as possible.
→ CancellationException

Program Structure Interface (PSI)

The Program Structure Interface represents a syntactic and semantic code model of the source input files.
→ Abstract Syntax Tree → Stubs

R

Read Action (RA)

Allows accessing code-related data structures for reading purposes. See also .
→ Non-Blocking Read Action → Write Action

Run Configuration (RC)

A Run Configuration allows running external processes from within the IDE.

S

Structural Search and Replace (SSR)

Allows searching and replacing code by defining the structure of the searched code fragments, see .

Stubs

A subset of a → Program Structure Interface tree in a binary serialized compact format, see .

Suspending Context

Executing in the Suspending Context means executing tasks in Kotlin coroutines.
→ Blocking Context
→ Coroutine Execution Context
→ Coroutine

Symbol

A semantic element in some model, e.g., language or framework model, see .

U

Unified Abstract Syntax Tree (UAST)

An abstraction layer on the → Program Structure Interface of different JVM languages.

V

Version Control System (VCS)

The API for Version Control System allows accessing builtin as well as adding custom implementations.

Virtual File (VF)

A Virtual File represents a file in a → Virtual File System.

Virtual File System (VFS)

A Virtual File System provides a unified API for working with files represented as → Virtual File.

W

Write Action (WA)

Allows accessing code-related data structures for writing purposes. See also .
→ Read Action

Write Allowing Read Action (WARA)

A coroutine → Read Action that is canceled by an incoming → Write Action. See for details.
→ Suspending Context
→ Coroutine

Write Blocking Read Action (WBRA)

A coroutine → Read Action that blocks incoming → Write Action. See for details.
→ Suspending Context
→ Coroutine