Glider
Install Glider
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Preview

Install and connect JGlider

The JGlider preview is available on npm through the next tag.

JGlider lets your agent inspect Java declarations, compiler facts, and source in Maven and Gradle projects.

Preview setup

Prerequisites

Install Node.js 24 or later and JDK 21 or later.

  • The JDK must contain java and javac with the same major version.
  • Set JAVA_HOME to an absolute JDK directory to select Java. An invalid or empty value stops startup.
  • Without JAVA_HOME, npm startup searches PATH and standard JDK locations, including macOS bundles and Homebrew prefixes.
  • On Unix, select an installed UTF-8 locale for Unicode paths. LC_ALL overrides LC_CTYPE and LANG.
  • The launcher preserves the environment and never downloads a JDK.

Run the preview

Run JGlider with npx.

  • The next tag selects the current preview.
  • The package contains the server jar. Safe-mode reads require no Maven or Gradle installation.
npx -y --ignore-scripts jglider@next --version
npx -y --ignore-scripts jglider@next --help

Connect

Configure a stdio server with an absolute project path.

  • This example uses the common mcpServers format. Use the equivalent stdio configuration for your client.
  • The client must find Node.js and npx on PATH. Omit --project to select a project later.
  • On Windows, clients that cannot launch npm command shims directly need cmd.exe as shown below.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jglider": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "--ignore-scripts", "jglider@next", "--project", "/path/to/java-project"]
    }
  }
}
Windows: launch through cmd.exe

Use this form when your client requires an executable.

  • Replace the example project path. Keep shell control characters out of this command string.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jglider": {
      "command": "cmd.exe",
      "args": [
        "/d",
        "/s",
        "/c",
        "npx -y --ignore-scripts jglider@next --project \"C:\\Projects\\MyApp\""
      ]
    }
  }
}

Product skill and Java specialist

Install the JGlider skill for agent guidance.

  • The JGlider plugin bundles the skill and a safe-mode stdio connection.
  • For an existing manual connection, install only the skill. Keep one server registration.
  • For substantial Claude Code investigations, ask the jglider:java-specialist agent to inspect Java source and report compiler coverage.
  • The specialist is read-only. Use the skill directly for small tasks.

Verify

Ask your agent to inspect one Java file.

  • Ask: “Confirm the selected Java project. List declarations in OrderService.java and read the OrderService source. Do not edit files.”
  • Expect source locations and declarations. Trusted supported projects can resolve exact symbols, references, direct callers, and compiler diagnostics.
  • Hierarchy, implementations, outgoing calls, and edits remain unavailable.
  • See example tasks and compatibility.

Optional compiler analysis and build permissions

Select an analysis JDK

Add --analysis-jdk with a local JDK 21 when compiler analysis is unavailable.

  • Use a JDK 21 layout with release signatures for Java 8 through 21.
  • Restart the server after you add or change this startup option.
  • The option selects local platform APIs. It does not grant build trust.

Permit build imports

Safe mode reads build files without executing them.

  • Add --trust-workspace with an absolute root only when you permit build execution for that root.
  • Add --allow-network-fetch with a root separately to permit dependency downloads.
  • Trusted imports need an installed or cached build distribution. JGlider does not download distributions.
  • Use --maven-home or --gradle-home for installed distributions. Use --gradle-user-home for a cache; GRADLE_USER_HOME takes precedence.
  • Use --allow-build-tool-version-mismatch only to permit a different distribution version for that root. It grants neither trust nor network access.

Preview availability

  • Use jglider@next for the current preview. Use an exact version, such as [email protected], to keep a fixed version.
  • The proposed Homebrew formula, glidermcp/homebrew-tap/jglider-preview, remains unpublished. It requires JDK 21 and runs without Node.js.
  • The preview formula supplies jglider. A future stable formula cannot be linked at the same time.
  • Telemetry and feedback are disabled. See the telemetry policy.