Use this guide after installation and account sign-in. The goal is one working development connection, with the correct project, account, and code version.
Have these details ready
- Your project repository, including the cartridges you work on.
- The development sandbox hostname and intended code version.
- Your sandbox account, or the team's encrypted credentials file and its matching secret key.
- The site and cartridge path your team uses. API clients and certificates are needed only when your sandbox or chosen features require them.
Connect your project
Open the project root
Use File → Open Folder and open the folder containing your cartridge projects. For a multi-root workspace, include each source folder you need. You do not need to create a dw.json file for the extension's connections.
Add or link credentials
Open Intellij SFCC → Credentials. Create or link your credentials file, then confirm the Business Manager account is visible. Connection records reference these credentials.
Create the sandbox connection
Open Explorer inside the Intellij SFCC sidebar and choose Add B2C Connection. Enter a recognizable name and the sandbox hostname, then select the account you added. Save the connection.
Choose the active target
Right-click the saved connection and select Activate Connection. Use Change Code Version to select your team's development version. Check the site scope and Auto Upload state in the status bar; keep automatic uploads off during setup.
Verify without uploading
Expand a remote folder under the connection in Explorer. Confirm that it lists files, that the active connection and code version are correct, and that local cartridges are visible in the Cartridges view in VS Code's file Explorer.
Try one local edit
Open a script in a cartridge and try completion for dw. or a cartridge require path. Open an .isml template and try tag completion. These checks help confirm that the IDE recognizes your source files.
When you are ready to send code to the sandbox, follow Cartridge Management. Verify the target before enabling auto-upload or using a manual upload action. Selecting a code version in the IDE does not mean it has been activated for the storefront on the server.
Adjust settings when needed
Open VS Code Settings and search for Intellij SFCC. Settings use the intellij-sfcc.* prefix. Automatic upload belongs to the active connection and is controlled from its status-bar action.
Use the feature guides for ISML formatting and script intelligence. You do not need to paste a settings bundle to complete installation.
Troubleshooting the first connection
| What you see | Next check |
|---|---|
| The account picker is empty | Open Credentials and add or sync the account, then reopen the connection form. |
| Remote folders cannot be listed | Check the hostname, sandbox authentication method, WebDAV permissions, and any required VPN. |
| The connection works but API actions fail | Configure the API client and permissions for that feature separately. |
| Local cartridges are missing | Confirm you opened the correct project folder and included the cartridge sources. |
| Overrides or routes resolve to the wrong project | Check the active connection, site scope, and cartridge path. |