# Idea Mcp Control

> JetBrains IDE plugin (currently PhpStorm) that gives AI agents full debugger control via MCP

- **Type:** MCP server
- **Install:** `agentstack add mcp-brannow-idea-mcp-control`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [brannow](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/brannow)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Developer Tools](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/developer-tools)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Upstream author:** [brannow](https://github.com/brannow)
- **Source:** https://github.com/brannow/idea-mcp-control

## Install

```sh
agentstack add mcp-brannow-idea-mcp-control
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

MCP Control

  

  JetBrains IDE plugin that gives AI agents full debugger control via MCP

  
  
  
  
  

---

## Setup

1. Install the plugin (Settings > Plugins > Install Plugin from Disk)
2. Open the **MCP Control** tool window (bottom panel)
3. Click **Install .mcp.json** to auto-configure your MCP client
4. Click **Start Server**

Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, and any other MCP client.

### Configuration

Settings > Tools > MCP Control

| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Port | 6969 | Localhost port for the MCP server |
| Auto-start | off | Start the server when the project opens |

If the port is already in use (e.g., another PhpStorm instance), you get a notification with options to change the port or retry.

### Installation

**From GitHub Release:** Download the latest `.zip` from [Releases](https://github.com/brannow/idea-mcp-control/releases), then in PhpStorm go to Settings > Plugins > Gear icon > Install Plugin from Disk and select the zip.

**From source:** Run `./gradlew buildPlugin`, the zip is in `build/distributions/`.

## Tools

13 tools across 4 categories. All debug tools operate on the active session (the one focused in the IDE's debug panel).

### Breakpoints (work without a debug session)

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `breakpoint_list` | List all breakpoints (line + exception) with conditions, status, annotations |
| `breakpoint_add` | Add a line or method breakpoint (a method/function definition line becomes a real method breakpoint) with optional condition, log expression, suspend control |
| `breakpoint_add_exception` | Break on a PHP exception class. Short names are resolved via project index. |
| `breakpoint_update` | Modify any breakpoint by ID (enable/disable, change condition, etc.) |
| `breakpoint_remove` | Remove by ID, file:line, exception class FQCN, file path, or all |

### Session management

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `session_list` | List active debug sessions with position and status |
| `session_stop` | Stop the active session or all sessions |

### Navigation (requires paused session)

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `debug_step` | Step over / into / out / continue. Returns a snapshot after pausing. |
| `debug_run_to_line` | Run to a specific file:line. Returns a snapshot. |

### Inspection (requires paused session)

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `debug_snapshot` | Get current state without changing anything; `frame_index` inspects any stack frame's scope |
| `debug_variable_detail` | Expand variables to any depth with circular reference detection; `offset`/`limit` page through large collections |
| `debug_evaluate` | Evaluate PHP expressions in debug context, including side effects; `offset`/`limit` page through large results |
| `debug_console` | Read stdout/stderr from the debug console (works with Docker/remote processes) |

## How it works

You start debug sessions in PhpStorm as usual. The agent connects via MCP and interacts with those sessions: setting breakpoints, stepping through code, inspecting state. You both see the same debug session.

```
Human: starts debug session, hits breakpoint
Agent:  debug_snapshot → sees source, variables, stack
Agent:  debug_step(action: "over") → next line, new snapshot
Agent:  debug_variable_detail(path: "$request.headers") → expands nested object
Agent:  debug_evaluate(expression: "count($items)") → evaluates in current scope
```

## The Debug Snapshot

Most tools return a snapshot. It mirrors what a human sees when paused at a breakpoint: session info, source context, variables, and call stack in one response.

```
#12345 "index.php" at src/WorldClass.php:22 (active)

\Brannow\Sandbox\WorldClass::fooBar() — src/WorldClass.php:22

 20         $engine = new TypedPatternEngine();
 21         $result = $engine->match('PAGE55');
→22         return $bar;

$this = {Brannow\Sandbox\WorldClass}
$foo = {string} "foo"
$bar = {string} "foo-bar"

→#0 WorldClass->fooBar() at src/WorldClass.php:22
 #1 WorldClass->foo() at src/WorldClass.php:11
 #2 {main}() at src/index.php:8
```

Snapshots are customizable. Pass `include: ["source", "variables"]` to skip the stack trace. Useful when stepping through 10 lines and you don't need the full stack every time.

## Design decisions

**Natural language, not JSON.** Tools respond with readable text, not structured data. The agent reasons about it directly, no parsing needed.

**Self-contained responses.** Every error includes enough context to self-correct. Not found? Here are all breakpoints in the project. Ambiguous? Here are the options with IDs. The agent never needs a follow-up call just to orient itself.

**Input matches output.** If a tool outputs `src/index.php:15`, another tool accepts `src/index.php:15` as input. No reformatting between calls.

**Tools, not wrappers.** Each tool is designed like an application for the agent, not a thin API wrapper. The agent doesn't need to know how XDebugSession or XBreakpointManager work internally.

## Build from source

```bash
./gradlew build          # compile + test
./gradlew runIde         # launch sandboxed IDE with plugin
./gradlew buildPlugin    # build distributable zip
```

Requires JDK 21.

## Source & license

This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [brannow](https://github.com/brannow)
- **Source:** [brannow/idea-mcp-control](https://github.com/brannow/idea-mcp-control)
- **License:** Apache-2.0

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/mcp-brannow-idea-mcp-control
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/brannow
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.