I was drowning in 50+ microservices, so I built a plugin to save my sanity 🚀

Artem Zuev — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:29:03 +0000

I love IntelliJ IDEA. I’ve been using JetBrains products for years, and they’ve always been the gold standard for developer comfort. But in mid-2025, that comfort vanished.

I was working with a new client that had a massive ecosystem of 50+ microservices. Every single task required me to touch 3, 4, or 5 different repositories.

Suddenly, the Recent Projects list — a feature I used to rely on daily — became a nightmare. I was constantly scrolling through a "zoo" of repos, trying to find the right service, losing my focus and my "zone" every time I had to switch context.

I searched for a solution. I wanted a way to group these projects, to link them together, to search them instantly. I found nothing that fit.

So, I decided to build it myself.

The Journey: 6 Months of Dogfooding

I spent the last six months developing Projects Organizer while simultaneously using it to manage those same 50+ microservices.

It wasn't just a side project; it was a tool for my own survival. I kept adding features as I encountered new pains. I needed to group by client? I added Hierarchical Groups. I needed to open related services together? I added Linked Projects. I wanted to stop touching the mouse? I added Quick Open.

Now that it’s in a state that I consider "perfect" for my workflow, I’ve decided to release it to the world.

The Solution: A Structured Project Catalog

Projects Organizer is a free plugin for JetBrains IDEs that turns your workspace into a categorized catalog.

1. Hierarchical Groups (Folders for Projects)

Organize your repositories into nested groups. Client A, Client B, Open Source, Personal. Just like your file system, but inside your IDE.

2. Linked Projects (The Microservice Lifesaver)

When you're working on microservices, you often need to open a set of repos: the Gateway, the Auth Service, and the UI. With Linked Projects, you can bind them together. When you open one, the plugin asks if you want to open the rest. One click, and your environment is ready.

3. Quick Open (Ctrl+Shift+P)

Inspired by VS Code’s command palette, this feature allows you to open any project in your catalog just by typing its name. It’s the fastest way to switch context.

4. Auto-discover

Don't waste time adding projects manually. Point the plugin to your ~/work folder, and it will scan and find all projects automatically.

5. Favorites

Star your go-to projects to keep them pinned at the top of your list for instant access.

6. Tags & Filtering

Label your projects (e.g., #backend, #frontend, #client-x) and use the intelligent filter to find exactly what you need in a split second.

7. Notes & Documentation

Keep your context close. Attach links to Jira tasks, Wiki pages, or READMEs directly to each project in your catalog.

8. Startup Command (Automation)

Tired of running npm install or docker-compose up every time? Set a startup command that executes automatically in the terminal when you open a project.

9. NDA Filter (Privacy Mode)

Screen sharing or working in an open office? Use the NDA Filter to hide confidential projects or entire groups from the catalog and Quick Open.

10. Usage Statistics

Keep track of your workflow with stats on how many times you’ve opened a project and when you last touched it.

11. Import/Export

Moving to a new machine? Export your entire catalog to a JSON file and import it on your new setup in seconds.

12. Drag & Drop

Simply drag folders from Finder or Explorer directly into the Projects Organizer window to add them.

Why I’m Sharing This (and Why It’s Free)

I built this because I truly needed it. I know there are thousands of developers out there struggling with the same "context switch tax" that I was paying every day.

I’m making it free because I want to give back to the community that builds the tools I use every day. If this helps you stay in the flow and reduces your frustration, then my mission is accomplished.

Get Started

You can find Projects Organizer on the JetBrains Marketplace.

👉 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/30429-projects-organizer
👉 projects-organizer.dev

I'd love to hear your thoughts! How do you manage your project zoo? Let's chat in the comments!

I love IntelliJ IDEA. I’ve been using JetBrains products for years, and they’ve always been the gold standard for developer comfort. But in mid-2025, that comfort vanished.

I was working with a new client that had a massive ecosystem of 50+ microservices. Every single task required me to touch 3, 4, or 5 different repositories.

I searched for a solution. I wanted a way to group these projects, to link them together, to search them instantly. I found nothing that fit.

So, I decided to build it myself.

The Journey: 6 Months of Dogfooding

I spent the last six months developing Projects Organizer while simultaneously using it to manage those same 50+ microservices.

Now that it’s in a state that I consider "perfect" for my workflow, I’ve decided to release it to the world.

The Solution: A Structured Project Catalog

Projects Organizer is a free plugin for JetBrains IDEs that turns your workspace into a categorized catalog.

1. Hierarchical Groups (Folders for Projects)

Organize your repositories into nested groups. Client A, Client B, Open Source, Personal. Just like your file system, but inside your IDE.

2. Linked Projects (The Microservice Lifesaver)

3. Quick Open (Ctrl+Shift+P)

Inspired by VS Code’s command palette, this feature allows you to open any project in your catalog just by typing its name. It’s the fastest way to switch context.

4. Auto-discover

Don't waste time adding projects manually. Point the plugin to your ~/work folder, and it will scan and find all projects automatically.

5. Favorites

Star your go-to projects to keep them pinned at the top of your list for instant access.

6. Tags & Filtering

Label your projects (e.g., #backend, #frontend, #client-x) and use the intelligent filter to find exactly what you need in a split second.

7. Notes & Documentation

Keep your context close. Attach links to Jira tasks, Wiki pages, or READMEs directly to each project in your catalog.

8. Startup Command (Automation)

Tired of running npm install or docker-compose up every time? Set a startup command that executes automatically in the terminal when you open a project.

9. NDA Filter (Privacy Mode)

Screen sharing or working in an open office? Use the NDA Filter to hide confidential projects or entire groups from the catalog and Quick Open.

10. Usage Statistics

Keep track of your workflow with stats on how many times you’ve opened a project and when you last touched it.

11. Import/Export

Moving to a new machine? Export your entire catalog to a JSON file and import it on your new setup in seconds.

12. Drag & Drop

Simply drag folders from Finder or Explorer directly into the Projects Organizer window to add them.

Why I’m Sharing This (and Why It’s Free)

I built this because I truly needed it. I know there are thousands of developers out there struggling with the same "context switch tax" that I was paying every day.

Get Started

You can find Projects Organizer on the JetBrains Marketplace.

👉 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/30429-projects-organizer
👉 projects-organizer.dev

I'd love to hear your thoughts! How do you manage your project zoo? Let's chat in the comments!

IntelliJ #Productivity #DeveloperExperience #OpenSource #Java #Kotlin #Microservices

DEV Community: Artem Zuev

I was drowning in 50+ microservices, so I built a plugin to save my sanity 🚀

The Journey: 6 Months of Dogfooding

The Solution: A Structured Project Catalog

1. Hierarchical Groups (Folders for Projects)

2. Linked Projects (The Microservice Lifesaver)

3. Quick Open (Ctrl+Shift+P)

4. Auto-discover

5. Favorites

6. Tags & Filtering

7. Notes & Documentation

8. Startup Command (Automation)

9. NDA Filter (Privacy Mode)

10. Usage Statistics

11. Import/Export

12. Drag & Drop

Why I’m Sharing This (and Why It’s Free)

Get Started

The Journey: 6 Months of Dogfooding

The Solution: A Structured Project Catalog

1. Hierarchical Groups (Folders for Projects)

2. Linked Projects (The Microservice Lifesaver)

3. Quick Open (Ctrl+Shift+P)

4. Auto-discover

5. Favorites

6. Tags & Filtering

7. Notes & Documentation

8. Startup Command (Automation)

9. NDA Filter (Privacy Mode)

10. Usage Statistics

11. Import/Export

12. Drag & Drop

Why I’m Sharing This (and Why It’s Free)

Get Started

IntelliJ #Productivity #DeveloperExperience #OpenSource #Java #Kotlin #Microservices