1lck/Lithe-IDEA

Lithe

A low-memory IntelliJ IDEA alternative for Java development and AI collaboration

简体中文 · Core features · Product tour · Download · Decision board · Develop Lithe

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Join the community

Welcome to join the Lithe community, share your experience, ask questions, and follow the latest updates.

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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, and debuggers 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.

If macOS says it cannot open Lithe.app

If macOS says that Apple cannot verify whether Lithe.app contains malware, the manually downloaded package may not yet be notarized by Apple. First confirm that the app came from the trusted GitHub Releases, then use one of these methods:

1. In Applications, Control-click Lithe.app, choose Open, and choose Open again in the confirmation dialog. 2. If macOS still blocks it, open System Settings > Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway next to the security warning, and launch the app again. 3. You can also remove the quarantine attribute in Terminal:

   sudo xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Lithe.app
   

Only use these steps for an app whose source you trust. Homebrew installations usually do not require manual quarantine removal.

Core features

Product tour

Screenshots show the macOS app with Chinese annotations. Click an image to view it at full resolution.

Git, diffs, and worktrees

Switch projects in one window, review diffs, prepare commits, and inspect and manage Git worktrees.

Search Everywhere and Markdown preview

Double-Shift searches files, symbols, and actions. Edit Markdown alongside its preview and navigate with the table of contents.

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.

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

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"]
        MacViews["SwiftUI / AppKit Views"] --> MacModel["AppModel and UI models"]
        MacModel --> MacFeatures["Application feature models"]
        MacFeatures --> MacServices["AppServices and Swift services"]
        MacServices --> MacRust["Typed Rust operations"]
        MacServices --> MacPorts["Platform ports"]
        MacPorts --> MacAdapters["macOS adapters"]
    end
subgraph Shared["Shared behavior"]
        Editor["Shared Monaco editor"]
        Contracts["JSON contracts and fixtures"] --> Core["Rust lithe-core"]
    end
subgraph Windows["Windows"]
        WinUI["React workbench and feature state"] --> WinBoundary["src/platform/tauri-core.ts"]
        WinBoundary --> Tauri["Tauri composition root and Windows adapters"]
    end
Editor -.-> MacViews
    Editor -.-> WinUI
    MacRust -->|"JSON C ABI"| Core
    Tauri -->|"Rust crate"| Core

./scripts/macos/build/preview.sh

swift run --disable-sandbox Lithe

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

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

Project support

❤️ Sponsors

FastAI
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! Scan the QR code above to join the FastAI Token community chat group #2 (group ID: 1073874006).

Special thanks to PatewayAI for sponsoring this project!
PatewayAI focuses on premium official-source API relay, supporting Claude, GPT, and leading Chinese models with transparent billing and enterprise-level services.
Economy mode rates are as low as 5% of official pricing. Sign up for trial credits, earn free credits in periodic campaigns, and receive mutual referral bonuses of up to $150 USD.

Thanks to APINEBULA for sponsoring this project!
APINEBULA, an enterprise AI platform under Galaxy Video Bureau, provides access to Claude, GPT, Gemini, and other leading models through one API, with prices starting at 10% of standard rates. It supports high concurrency, formal contracts, corporate bank transfers, and invoicing for AI coding, agent development, and business integrations.
Register through this link and enter promo code Lithe on your first top-up to get 10% off.

Want to be featured below?

	PackyCode provides API relay access to leading models through one key, with intelligent failover and dedicated Codex and Claude Code channels. Top up in RMB at a 1:1 rate with no transaction fees. New users receive a first-top-up discount and $1 in trial credit.
	TIMI CC is an enterprise AI relay platform focused on stability and service quality, providing fast, reliable model access for leading AI coding tools such as Claude Code and Codex.
	TorchAI provides convenient large language model relay access for coding, content, and automation. Thank you to TorchAI for supporting Lithe!
	CCSub provides Claude, GPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek access through one API key, with support for major AI coding tools. New users receive $5 in trial credit.
	Zeus provides GPT, Claude, Grok, and GPT Image relay access at rates as low as 0.08×, with invoicing and corporate payment support.
	Clidex provides AI infrastructure and API access for native AI command-line tools at just 0.8% of official pricing. Thank you to Clidex for supporting Lithe!
	Atlas Cloud provides AI model relay services with access to over 400 models, giving developers more options through one platform. Thank you to Atlas Cloud for supporting Lithe!
	CodeZ provides stable relay access to GPT-family models for integrating model APIs into tools and projects. Thank you to CodeZ for supporting Lithe!
	RainYun offers cloud servers for application deployment, website hosting, and development environments. Thank you to RainYun for supporting Lithe!

☕ Support Lithe

If Lithe is useful to you, you are welcome to buy the project a cup of coffee. Every contribution will be put back into Lithe's continued development and maintenance.

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Alipay

⭐ 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.

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