Opening Projects with EelApi

This document explains how to open projects in different environments (WSL and Docker) using the Eel API.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Opening WSL Projects
3. Opening Docker Projects
4. Configuration Options
5. Comparison with Traditional Approaches

Introduction

The Eel API provides a unified way to interact with different execution environments, such as the local machine, Docker containers, and WSL distributions. One of the key features of EelApi is the ability to open projects located in these environments directly in IntelliJ IDEA, providing a seamless development experience.

Opening WSL Projects

Opening projects in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with EelApi is straightforward. You can simply open a WSL project as if it were a local project.

How It Works

1. Navigate to the WSL path using the UNC format: \\wsl$\<distribution_name>\path\to\project or \\wsl.localhost\<distribution_name>\path\to\project
2. Open the project as you would any local project (File > Open)
3. IntelliJ IDEA automatically detects that the project is in a WSL distribution and uses EelApi to interact with it

Benefits of EelApi for WSL Projects

While WSL project opening was available before EelApi, the new implementation provides several advantages:

• Improved Stability: More robust handling of file system operations
• Better Performance: Up to 30% faster file system access compared to using the Windows file system API
• No Freezes: Eliminates the freezes that often occur when working with WSL file systems
• Reduced Latency: Optimized file operations reduce the latency when reading and writing files

Opening Docker Projects

Traditionally, the only way to open a project in a Docker container was to use Remote Development, which is resource-intensive and doesn't provide a local-like experience. With EelApi, you can now open Docker projects as if they were local projects.

Prerequisites

To open Docker projects using EelApi, you need to enable certain VM options and registry keys:

1. Add the VM option -Djbr.java.io.use.nio=true to your IDE configuration
2. Enable the following registry keys:
   • open.docker.projects.using.eel=true
   • use.eel.file.watcher=true

Additional registry keys that improve the experience:

• git.use.eel.for.non.local.project=true
• And other registry keys for specific subsystems

Opening a Docker Project

You can open a dev container project using the "Open Project" action:

or you can open any folder in a Docker container as a project:

1. Open the Docker tool window in IntelliJ IDEA
2. Navigate to the container you want to work with
3. Go to the Files tab on the container
4. Right-click on the folder you want to open as a project
5. Select "Open as Project"

How It Works

When the open.docker.projects.using.eel=true flag is enabled, IntelliJ IDEA stops using the client-backend approach for Docker projects. Instead, it opens the project as if it were local, using EelApi to handle all interactions with the Docker container.

This approach provides several benefits:

• Lightweight: No need for a heavy backend process
• Resource-Efficient: Uses fewer system resources
• Local-Like Experience: The project behaves like a local project, with all the IDE features available

Comparison with Traditional Approaches

WSL Projects

Feature	Traditional Approach	EelApi Approach
Opening Method	Open as local project	Open as local project
Performance	Slower file system access	Up to 30% faster file system access
Stability	Occasional freezes	No freezes
Feature Support	Full IDE features	Full IDE features

Docker Projects

Feature	Remote Development	EelApi Approach
Resource Usage	High (client-backend)	Low (direct access)
Setup Complexity	Complex	Simple
Performance	Slower due to client-backend communication	Faster direct access
Local Experience	Limited	Full local-like experience
Feature Support	Limited by client-backend	Full IDE features

Conclusion

EelApi provides a seamless way to open and work with projects in different environments, particularly WSL and Docker. By enabling the appropriate options, you can enjoy a local-like development experience with projects located in these environments, with better performance and resource efficiency.