JetBrains Makes Its Language Server Protocol API Free

JetBrains has announced that its Language Server Protocol (LSP) API will be available free of charge, with changes that align the IDE’s distribution model across editions. In July 2025, JetBrains revealed a shift that combines the paid IntelliJ IDEA edition with the free Community edition into a single installation package, where activating a paid subscription within the Community edition grants access to advanced features and expired subscriptions revert users to the free Community edition.

Beginning with version 2025.2, the LSP API will be offered as part of the limited feature set available in fallback mode, enabling plugin developers to deliver plugins that serve both paid and free users. However, the LSP API cannot fully replace the PSI, which remains the foundational platform powering all advanced features of IntelliJ IDEA, according to JetBrains.

The IntelliJ Platform API already provides capabilities including parsed code completion, navigation to definitions, hover documentation, diagnostics, code actions, quick fixes, and document formatting. The article notes that while the LSP API in IntelliJ IDEA Community 2025.2 will eventually be deprecated, it remains usable for now.