- Install the Checkstyle-IDEA plugin by going to
File>Settings(Windows/Linux), orIntelliJ IDEA>Preferences...(macOS).
SelectPlugins, pressBrowse Repository, and find the plugin.
Restart the IDE to complete the installation. - Click
File>Settings...>Other Settings>Checkstyle - Set
Scan ScopetoOnly Java sources (including tests), so that the plugin will run checkstyle for our test source codes as well. - Ensure that the
Checkstyle versionis set to8.1. This is the same version that we are using inside Gradle, so that you won't get any errors due to version incompatibility.
- If
Checkstyle versionis not set to8.1, set it to version8.1and clickApply.
- If
- Click the plus sign under
Configuration File. - Enter an arbitrary description e.g.
reposense. - Select
Use a local Checkstyle file. - Use the checkstyle configuration file found at
config/checkstyle/checkstyle.xml. - Click
Next>Finish. - Mark
Activefor the newly imported check configuration.

- Click
OK.
Problem: When importing checkstyle.xml, Checkstyle-IDEA plugin complains that The Checkstyle rules file could not be parsed. ... The file has been blacklisted for 60s.
- Reason:
checkstyle.xmlis written for a particular version, but the plugin was not configured to the correct version. - Solution: Ensure that you have selected the correct
Checkstyle versionthat matches the version inbuild.gradleand have clickedApply, ascheckstyle.xmlis written for Gradle's checkstyle.
Problem: After setting up checkstyle.xml, Checkstyle-IDEA plugin does not seem to highlight the errors / real-time scanning seems broken.
- Reason: The plugin may not immediately run after setting it up.
- Solution: Restart the IDE.