IntelliJ IDEA 2026.1: Free basic support for JavaScript and TypeScript

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JetBrains has released IntelliJ IDEA 2026.1, the first major version of the development environment this year. There are new features for using AI agents as well as for the programming languages Java and Kotlin. Support for JavaScript and TypeScript is now partially free of charge.

The IDE IntelliJ IDEA, which is primarily designed for Java and Kotlin, can handle the latest release, Java 26. This language version was already usable with the minor update IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3.4, which was released punctually on March 17th. Java 26 offers, among other things, the second preview for Lazy Constants. Kotlin can now be used in version 2.3.20, with new experimental features.

JavaScript and TypeScript support free of charge, with restrictions

Even without an Ultimate subscription, the core functions of IntelliJ IDEA are now available for JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, and React. However, for advanced productivity features – such as dedicated debuggers, test runners, or full support for all frontend frameworks like Angular or Vue – the Ultimate subscription is still required. According to the manufacturer, IntelliJ IDEA is now also more performant for large TypeScript projects.

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Connection to other AI agents

The new release has integrated support for more AI agents than before, including Codex, Cursor, and any agent compatible with the Agent Client Protocol (ACP). At the end of January, JetBrains and Zed introduced the ACP Registry, a curated collection of such AI agents. In the new release, AI agents can natively modify and query data sources and can also be used to work in parallel on multiple branches with Git worktrees.

All details about IntelliJ IDEA 2026.1 can be found in the JetBrains blog post announcing it and on the “What’s New” page.

Version 2026.1 for WebStorm, PyCharm, and more

Not only IntelliJ IDEA, but also JetBrains' other development environments and tools are receiving the new release. Numerous have already been equipped with it, including WebStorm, PhpStorm, and PyCharm. As in IntelliJ IDEA, support for JavaScript and TypeScript is now also partially available outside the Pro subscription in PyCharm.

(mai)