#Keybindings for Jetbrains IDEs

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hidden vigil
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Hiya, slightly weird question: Does anyone use Intellij or any Jetbrains IDEs only with the keyboard, or at least, with minimal mouse usage? Coming from vim I really, really, really don't wanna reach for the mouse. If so, please enlighten me, I can't seem to figure out how this IDE wants me to use it except by clicking all over the place....

Thanks!

golden stormBOT
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<@&987246964494204979> please have a look, thanks.

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Here is an AI assisted attempt to answer your question 🤖. Maybe it helps! In any case, a human is on the way 👍. To continue talking to the AI, you can use </chatgpt:1108714622413963314>.

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TJ-Bot
Hiya, slightly weird question: Does anyone use Intellij or any Jetbrains IDEs only with the keyboard, or at least, with minimal mouse usage? Coming from vim I really, really, really don't wanna reach for the mouse. If so, please enlighten me, I can't seem

Using JetBrains IDEs primarily with the keyboard is definitely doable and common, especially among Vim users or those aiming for efficiency. JetBrains actually supports this mindset very well:

  • Keymap presets: You can switch your keybindings to Vim mode (via the IdeaVim plugin), which brings most Vim features into the IDE.
  • Extensive shortcuts: Navigation, editing, refactoring, running, debugging—all have rich keyboard shortcuts that minimize mouse dependency.
  • Search Everywhere (Shift+Shift): Quickly opens files, symbols, actions, and more without mouse usage.
  • Find Action (Ctrl+Shift+A): Allows triggering any IDE command directly via keyboard.
  • Structural navigation: Jump between classes, methods, usages, and errors efficiently.
  • Custom shortcuts: You can always customize or add shortcuts that fit your workflow.

Many users coming from Vim find the IdeaVim plugin invaluable, but even without it, IntelliJ’s keyboard-first features make mouse usage optional rather than required. Mastering these shortcuts takes time but dramatically speeds up coding sessions.

Useful links:

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lapis vortex
hidden vigil
lapis vortex
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what would you like more?

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this exist too

hidden vigil
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so say I wanna add another java class to my project

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how do I do that without the mouse?

lapis vortex
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alt + 1

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alt + insert

hidden vigil
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OOoh

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see that's not explained in ye document

lapis vortex
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xD just ask it is simpler

hidden vigil
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Do you use intellij keyboard-only?

lapis vortex
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lol, I am not sure of 1 place where all is there

hidden vigil
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if so did you change any binds? Do you have any tips?

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<tangent>FUCK my 40% keyboard does not have an insert key</tangent>

lapis vortex
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capsule like this exist

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but they are so many and in small parts

hidden vigil
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also how do you sort tabs and split your view with only the keyboard?

lapis vortex
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ctrl + shift + a

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then you write what you want

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split vertical

hidden vigil
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ewww gross

lapis vortex
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yeah...

hidden vigil
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command palette for basic windows management

pearl peak
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There's a vim plugin(s)

hidden vigil
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oh I guess I could use vim binds...

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also can I make goto-definition open the definition in the current view instead of going to whatever view has the file open?

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that just messes up my splits

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Also how do I move files in the filetree with only the keyboard?

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do i have to go to terminal and cd and ls my way around?

golden stormBOT
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@hidden vigil

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sudden mason
hidden vigil
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ooooo

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i'll check it out thanks

sudden mason
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@hidden vigil and if you had an insert key: ctrl+alt+insert would allow you to create a new class/file whatever next to where you're currently.

With alt+insert, you generally need to move focus to a package first

hidden vigil
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Fuck okay i'll see if I can edit my layout to accomodate an insert key somewhere

sharp lagoon
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I need an insert man :D, how else do I terminal

sharp lagoon
sudden mason
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@sharp lagoon could remap caps lock 🙃

sharp lagoon
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That's what I use

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Caps lock is my layer key

hidden vigil
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I use a 40% 😭 (corne keyboard)

sharp lagoon
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yeah, I'm a professional developer

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I have limits

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65 to me is perfect. I have all the buttons I need, including arrows, home end pgup and pgdn

hidden vigil
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Yeah im a professional... uh... hobbyist

hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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yeha

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Figure out an insert key first

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"layers"

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pffs

hidden vigil
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yeah im just an idiot i forgot to put it on one of the layers 😭

sharp lagoon
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So eehm

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ctrl-alt-shift-insert is a shortcut in intellij

sudden mason
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That's why I use a full keyboard 😇

sudden mason
sharp lagoon
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make sure you can use most special keys together

sharp lagoon
sudden mason
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I wasn't kidding

hidden vigil
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do they want me to get carpal tunnel

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"emacs pinky" how about "intellij wrist"

sharp lagoon
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You need easy access to all control buttons

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#justsaying

sharp lagoon
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ctrl-alt-shift left/right is also SUPER useful

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That one always surprises coworkers

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Esp followed with some alt-enter magic

sudden mason
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And ctrl+alr+shift+up/down for something very different but also super useful

sharp lagoon
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I need to try that one 😄

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Is that the move block?

sudden mason
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Gets you to the nearest modified block of code

sharp lagoon
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That's ctrl-shift-up/dn right?

sharp lagoon
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Even after 10 years you still learn new ones 😄

sudden mason
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Opens the pop-up for it as if you clicked on the gutter "modification line", so you can also revert it right away with ctrl+alt+z, but also just useful to flip through your changes and add some more

sharp lagoon
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yeah, that's different than the one from commit view I think

sudden mason
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The shortcut? Yeah, there it's F7 I believe

sharp lagoon
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hmm, I think I might use yours on commit view already

sudden mason
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But F7 also doesn't open the overlay

hidden vigil
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jesus these keymaps actually cause carpal tunnel this is crazy

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frankly this is just convincing me that vim or vscode is the way

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but thanks for letting me know they exist, I'm probably gonna remap the hell out of them

sharp lagoon
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Just use vim bindings

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An IDE beats a text editor every day of the week

hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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Blind much lol

hidden vigil
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yeah that doesn't come with a keybinding to move files in the explorer

sharp lagoon
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F6

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like...

hidden vigil
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yeah

hidden vigil
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also no binding for this

sharp lagoon
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yeah, you choose the vim way

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you deal with it

hidden vigil
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vscode's vim plugin actually lets you bind any editor action to any vim combo

sharp lagoon
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this one does as well

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I know my coworkers do it

hidden vigil
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🧐 do i suck at reading docs

sharp lagoon
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there's like a million options in intellij and almost anything can be customized

sudden mason
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I tried the vom plugin once, there's tons of conflicts, wasn't worth it for me

sharp lagoon
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Although I only change 2 or 3 settings from the defaults

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Using defaults is just so much easier when moving computers etc

hidden vigil
sudden mason
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And I feel like the kind of line editing that vim provides is rarely useful when working in IntelliJ, I'd keep it off by default, IntelliJ is more about semantic editing than character by character changes

sharp lagoon
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well, that's because this tool has a purpose. It's not just a general text editor

hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
hidden vigil
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actual neovim can do this ezpz

sharp lagoon
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then use neovim 🙂

hidden vigil
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well yeah im trying to be open-minded here

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and learn the most popular thing

sharp lagoon
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I do want to see neovim rename a method across a 100 files simultaneously

sudden mason
hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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Yeah, and that is what an IDE is for

hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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There is no filesystem management in Java projects

sudden mason
sharp lagoon
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You just move classes around

hidden vigil
hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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all of those shortcuts we mentioned work in those as well

hidden vigil
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ye

sharp lagoon
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So if you're already using those, I don't see the issue

hidden vigil
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that's really awesome

hidden vigil
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i just need to figure out how jetbrains wants me to tile windows

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but I see they recently added a few really helpful settings for that 👀

sharp lagoon
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what wm are you using?

hidden vigil
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hyprland

sharp lagoon
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on nix or arch right?

hidden vigil
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fedora

sharp lagoon
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hmm, more basic than I imagined

hidden vigil
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dual booted with windows

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need secure boot

sudden mason
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Tiling in IntelliJ is cumbersome

hidden vigil
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arch and nix don't support secure boot

sharp lagoon
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Yeah, I just installed Ubuntu, because I want shit to just work

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I just want to make stuff, and I'm too old to mess with configs and shit

sudden mason
sharp lagoon
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I most of the time have only a single file open

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I just switch through files and keep context in my brain

hidden vigil
sharp lagoon
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I also only have a single monitor

hidden vigil
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fedora also "just works" but it has newer packages

sudden mason
sharp lagoon
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yeah, hence the dual booted Ubuntu...

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Problem is being stuck in your ways lol

hidden vigil
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Or as I like to call it, Uwubuntu 😂

sharp lagoon
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lol

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anyway, game's downloaded

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cya

hidden vigil
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see ya thanks for the help ❤️

sharp lagoon
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yw

hidden vigil
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sorry it's c++ i don't have the java sdk installed on windows

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just a poc

sudden mason
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@hidden vigil that's shift-F6 in IntelliJ

In some places, you can also just change the name and the invoke the refactoring after the fact with alt+enter. When changing a method signature for example

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@hidden vigil can you go into normal mode within that overlay?

hidden vigil
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yea i did

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see the ciw i did in that overlay?

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if you look closely you'll see normal mode on the bottom while im in the overlay for a short moment

sudden mason
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Ah yeah, I see it now

hidden vigil
sudden mason
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With the newest version, you can also just type ".rename" after some stuff

sharp lagoon
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ooh I love the postfix things

sudden mason
sharp lagoon
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.reqnonnull is a very common one

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I have a custom Check.nonNull in my own project so I added a .cnn for that

sudden mason
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Oh for templates I agree, thought you meant the new actions/intentions

sharp lagoon
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.var, .return, .if, .not, ...

golden stormBOT
# sharp lagoon .var, .return, .if, .not, ...

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sharp lagoon
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no bot

sudden mason
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@sharp lagoon I also use the plugin custom postfix expressions. Super handy, also has things like string.toInt and such

sharp lagoon
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I'll check it out

sudden mason
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Streamlines things like offering .first or .stream everywhere

hidden vigil
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dont those custom postfix expressions pollute the LSP suggestions?

sudden mason