Lithe

A lightweight IntelliJ IDEA alternative for AI-assisted Java development

Core IDEA workflows · ~300–400 MB baseline memory · tools start on demand

Let Codex or Claude Code write. Use Lithe to understand, run, debug, and review.

简体中文 · Core features · Product tour · Download · Architecture · Develop Lithe · Contact us

Download the latest release · View the repository

Why Lithe

Codex, Claude Code, and other AI coding tools can now handle much of the implementation work. Developers still need an IDE to understand the generated code, follow symbols, run and debug the project, and review every diff. Keeping a heavyweight development environment open for those tasks can mean several gigabytes of resident memory.

Meet Lithe

Lithe is a lightweight IntelliJ IDEA alternative built first for Java and Spring Boot developers. It keeps the core workflows for browsing, editing, navigation, search, Maven, run and debug, Git diff review, local history, and databases.

The Lithe application typically uses about 300–400 MB of baseline memory after opening a regular project. Language servers, terminals, build tools, debuggers, and database helpers start on demand. Actual usage varies with the project and active services.

AI writes the code. Lithe helps you understand it, run it, and review it.

Core features

1. Built for Spring Boot projects and Java development.
2. Maven management, breakpoint debugging, and custom run configurations.
3. Git management and side-by-side diff review.
4. Double-Shift search and Command + Shift + F project-wide search.
5. Process-free lightweight completion and current-file navigation, with on-demand language servers for richer completion, hover, and semantic navigation.
6. Local snapshot history.
7. Multiple projects open within the app.
8. Multiple files open independently in the same window.
9. AI-generated commit messages with customizable formats.
10. Rich Markdown rendering consistent with Yuque syntax.
11. Local application memory usage monitoring.
12. One-command installation and updates through Homebrew.
13. One-click in-app updates and installation.
14. Automatic project entry-point detection with one-click run support for Spring Boot, Java, Maven, Gradle, npm, Cargo, Go, Python, Make, Docker Compose, Procfile, and shell projects.
15. Per-language service switches so language servers can be enabled or disabled independently to match the machine's resources.
16. Multi-line editor tabs for keeping more files visible in the same workspace.
17. Database connection workspace with multiple database types, connection management, SQL history, table browsing, and database operations.
18. Ongoing bug fixes and user experience improvements.

Product tour

Download and install

• macOS 13+: Download the arm64 DMG for Apple silicon or the x86_64 DMG for Intel Macs from GitHub Releases.
• Windows x64: Download the Windows .exe installer from GitHub Releases.

Homebrew is the recommended installation and update method on macOS:

brew tap 1lck/lithe https://github.com/1lck/Lithe-IDEA.git
brew install --cask 1lck/lithe/lithe
brew upgrade --cask lithe

Java features require JDK 17 or newer. Release packages include Eclipse JDT Language Server, so JDTLS does not need to be installed separately.

Architecture Overview

macOS is the current reference product. Windows is an independent React/Tauri implementation. Both products share deterministic commands and contracts through Rust Core while keeping native UI and platform integrations separate.

flowchart LR
    subgraph macOS["macOS"]
        MacUI["SwiftUI / AppKit workbench"] --> MacApp["Application models and services"]
        MacApp --> MacAdapters["macOS adapters"]
    end

    subgraph Shared["Shared behavior"]
        Contracts["JSON contracts and fixtures"] --> Core["Rust lithe-core"]
    end

    subgraph Windows["Windows"]
        WinUI["React workbench"] --> WinFeatures["TypeScript features and stores"]
        WinFeatures --> Tauri["Tauri 2 host and Windows adapters"]
    end

    MacApp -->|"JSON C ABI"| Core
    Tauri -->|"Rust crate"| Core

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Develop Lithe

Development requires Swift 6.2 or later. Running the complete test suite requires Xcode; basic SwiftPM builds only need Command Line Tools.

Run the development build from the repository root:

./scripts/preview.sh

The script builds and links Rust Core before launching the macOS app. To validate only the Swift source, run:

swift run --disable-sandbox Lithe

Build an app bundle:

./scripts/package-app.sh
open dist/Lithe.app

Before submitting a change, run:

./scripts/test-macos.sh
./scripts/verify-core.sh
./scripts/verify-git-graph.sh
./scripts/verify-service-boundaries.sh
./scripts/verify-shared-contracts.sh
./scripts/verify-windows-boundaries.sh
./scripts/verify-rust-core.sh

See Repository layout and shared boundaries for directory ownership, cross-platform boundaries, sharing rules, and the required Rust Core comment standard. Include your verification steps and known limitations when submitting a change.

Project support

❤️ Sponsors

	FastAI provides convenient relay access to a range of leading large language models, making it easier to connect AI capabilities to everyday development workflows. Its support helps Lithe continue improving its AI-assisted experience. Thank you to FastAI for supporting this project!
	CodeZ focuses on stable relay access to GPT-family models, offering developers a straightforward way to integrate model APIs into their tools and projects. Its sponsorship contributes to the ongoing development and maintenance of Lithe. Thank you to CodeZ for supporting this project!
	Yuanliu Token offers relay access to multiple large language model APIs, giving developers a flexible entry point for experimenting with different models and building AI applications. Its sponsorship supports Lithe as the project expands and polishes its AI features. Thank you to Yuanliu Token for supporting this project!
	TorchAI provides large language model relay services for developers who need convenient API access across coding, content, and automation scenarios. Its support helps sustain Lithe's development and exploration of practical AI-powered tools. Thank you to TorchAI for supporting this project!

⭐ Special thanks

For all things AI, head to LINUX DO. Wishing the community ever greater success.

Contributors

Thank you to everyone who contributes to and improves Lithe.

License

Lithe is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.

Star History

Each point shows the repository's cumulative Star count at 00:00 Beijing time on that date. The chart starts at zero on August 2, 2026.

Contact us

Join the Lithe-IDEA community group to discuss the project and share feedback, or contact the author directly.

Join the community group	Contact the author