runIde in split mode also opens a window in light mode with a "remoteDevStatus" file

IntelliJ Platform
1

Hi, I’m facing a weird issue while working on a new plugin that supports the new split mode:

  • have an IDE running (1). This IDE is used for something else, don’t touch it
  • in a terminal, checkout https://github.com/JetBrains/intellij-platform-modular-plugin-template and run gradlew runIde
  • it will open a sandboxed IDE, but it will also open a new window in the first IDE (1), in light mode, with a file named “remoteDevStatus”
  • if I close the sandboxed IDE, the runIde task completes successfully, but the window in light mode stays opened. It seems to belong to the first IDE (which is not used to run the gradle task)
  • each time I run runIde, it adds another “remoteDevStatus” file to the window. They disappear if I close the window, or the IDE (1).

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Can you reproduce this issue? This is a bit annoying. It’s like an IDE detects another IDE is running in split mode, and… I don’t know.
I found some references to “remoteDevStatus” in IJ sources. It seems to refer to the headless mode.
Should I fill an issue in YT?
Thx

2

It also happens if I open the project in an IDE. If I run gradlew runIde, even via a Run Configuration, it also opens a new window in light mode with a file named “remoteDevStatus”.

It doesn’t happen if I set intellijPlatform.splitMode to false in build.gradle.kts.

So, if my understanding is correct:

  • when testing a plugin in split mode (run the backend and frontend tasks), I should keep splitMode to true
  • but when testing a plugin in normal mode (run runIde only), I should set splitMode to false

Nota: this problem happens on Windows, but not on Linux. I’m using IJ 2026.1.3 on both OS.

4

hey, indeed the splitMode flag controls whether the ide is going to work in split mode (two separate processes, frontend and backend) or in monolithic mode.

actually, we do recommend following the approach from the docs and using dedicated tasks for running frontend and backend processes, see Configuring a Plugin for Split Mode | IntelliJ Platform Plugin SDK

also, there is a built-in run configuration in the modular plugin template project called Run IDE (Split Mode), one can generate such a configuration via :generateSplitModeRunConfigurations gradle task - it uses a properly configured sandbox.

this way the bug you are facing is expected to be gone. as for the bug itself, we’ll look into it. but i think we better promote the dedicated frontend/backend run tasks and the generated run configuratuions, because under the hood they are doing a more correct setup than the regular runIde. thanks for reporting!