Command-line interface

The installation directory contains batch scripts and executables for launching CLion, formatting the source code, and running inspections. To use them from the Command Prompt cmd.exe, add the location of the CLion bin folder to the PATH environment variable. For example, if you installed CLion to C:\Program Files\JetBrains\CLion, you can use the following command:

>
set PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files\JetBrains\CLion\bin

This command changes the PATH environment variable for the current shell only (the current instance of cmd.exe). If you want to update it permanently for the current user, run setx:

>
setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\Program Files\JetBrains\CLion\bin"

To update it system-wide for all users, run setx /M instead of setx.

tip

The installer can do this for you if you select Add launchers dir to the PATH on the Installation Options step of the setup wizard.

After you configure the PATH variable, you can run the executable from any working directory in the Command Prompt:

>
clion64.exe

Alternatively, you can use the batch script:

>
clion.bat

To run CLion from the shell, use the open command with the following options:

-a

Specify the application.

-n

Open a new instance of the application even if one is already running.

--args

Specify additional arguments to pass to the application.

For example, you can run CLion.app with the following command:

$
open -na "CLion.app"

note

If CLion is not in the default /Applications directory, specify the full path to it.

You can create a shell script with this command in a directory from your PATH environment variable. For example, create the file /usr/local/bin/clion with the following contents:

#!/bin/sh

open -na "CLion.app" --args "$@"

Make sure you have permissions to execute the script and since /usr/local/bin should be in the PATH environment variable by default, you should be able to run clion from anywhere in the shell.

If you do not have permissions to execute the script, run the following:

$
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/idea

On Linux, the installation directory contains the launcher shell script clion.sh under bin. For example, if you installed CLion to /opt/clion, you can run the script using the following command:

$
/opt/clion/bin/clion.sh

You can create a symbolic link to the launcher script in a directory from the PATH environment variable. For example, if you want to create a link named clion in /usr/local/bin, run the following command:

$
ln -s /opt/clion/bin/clion.sh /usr/local/bin/clion

Since /usr/local/bin should be in the PATH environment variable by default, you should be able to run the clion command from anywhere in the shell.

%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\Toolbox\scripts

By default, the Toolbox App puts shell scripts in a directory from the system PATH environment variable, so you can run the name of the script as a command to launch CLion from any working directory.

Rename shell scripts

If you have several versions of the same IDE, the Toolbox App generates a shell script for each version with a unique name. You can change the name of the shell script for an IDE instance in the settings for this specific instance.

1. Open the Toolbox App.

2. Click next to an IDE instance and select Settings.

3. At the bottom of the Configuration section, change the Shell script name field.

/usr/local/bin

or

~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox/scripts

By default, the Toolbox App puts shell scripts in a directory from the system PATH environment variable, so you can run the name of the script as a command to launch CLion from any working directory.

Rename shell scripts

If you have several versions of the same IDE, the Toolbox App generates a shell script for each version with a unique name. You can change the name of the shell script for an IDE instance in the settings for this specific instance.

1. Open the Toolbox App.

2. Click next to an IDE instance and select Settings.

3. At the bottom of the Configuration section, change the Shell script name field.

~/.local/share/JetBrains/Toolbox/scripts

By default, the Toolbox App puts shell scripts in a directory from the system PATH environment variable, so you can run the name of the script as a command to launch CLion from any working directory.

Rename shell scripts

If you have several versions of the same IDE, the Toolbox App generates a shell script for each version with a unique name. You can change the name of the shell script for an IDE instance in the settings for this specific instance.

1. Open the Toolbox App.

2. Click next to an IDE instance and select Settings.

3. At the bottom of the Configuration section, change the Shell script name field.