# JavaScript documentation look-up

> **TL;DR**
> Required plugin:
>
>
>
> `JavaScript and TypeScript` -    the plugin is bundled with IntelliJ IDEA and enabled by default.

IntelliJ IDEA shows you reference for standard JavaScript APIs, for symbols from your project and from its dependencies, as well as for symbols defined in external libraries. You can view the documentation for symbols in the Documentation popup and open documentation on external sites if links to them are available.

* For a project symbol or for a symbol from the project dependencies, IntelliJ IDEA generates the documentation from the corresponding [JSDoc comment](https://github.com/jsdoc3/jsdoc/).

* For a standard JavaScript object or method, IntelliJ IDEA shows the corresponding JSDoc comment from the built-in [TypeScript definition files](https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/tree/master/lib) `d.ts`. These files are bundled with IntelliJ IDEA and updated on a regular basis.

* If no comment is found in the `d.ts` files, IntelliJ IDEA shows a summary from the corresponding [MDN article](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript).

By default, documentation is shown in the Documentation popup but you can always open it in the  [Documentation tool window](documentation-tool-window.html) or even configure it to appear in the Documentation tool window by default.

## Quick Documentation in a popup

![Quick Documentation in a popup](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/ws_js_quick_doc_popup_706.animated.gif)

Procedure:

* Hover over the necessary symbol in the editor.

* Place the caret at the symbol and press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) or select `View | Quick Documentation` from the main menu.

Press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) again to open this documentation in the Documentation tool window.

* Click ![the Show Options Menu icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.more.svg)  in the popup to change the font size, display the quick documentation toolbar, or go to the source code.

> **Note:**
> To toggle the focus between the Quick Documentation popup and the Documentation tool window, press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) sequentially.

Click ![the Show Options Menu icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.more.svg)  in the popup to change the font size, display the quick documentation toolbar, or go to the source code.   For more information, refer to  [Quick Documentation in a popup](viewing-reference-information.html#quick_doc_popup_configure).

## Quick Documentation in the tool window

With the default settings, pressing `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) (`View | Quick Documentation`) opens quick documentation in a popup. You can change the settings to view documentation in the tool window.

![Quick Documentation Lookup in the tool window](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/ws_js_quick_doc_tool_window_706.animated.gif)

Procedure:

* In the quick documentation popup, click ![the Show Options Menu icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.more.svg) and disable the Show Documentation Popup First option.

* In the Documentation tool window, click ![the Show Options Menu icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.more.svg) on the tool window toolbar and disable the Show Documentation Popup First option.

You can open a piece of documentation for a specific code element  [in the tool window](viewing-reference-information.html#keep-docs-in-tool-window) and keep viewing documentation for other elements in your current file.

In the tool window, code documentation is displayed on the unpinned tab (the tab marked with the asterisk symbol (`*`). You can view this documentation by hovering over a symbol or placing the caret at it.  See  [Quick Documentation tool window: modes](viewing-reference-information.html#quick_doc_tw_modes).

## MDN documentation for symbols

Procedure:

* In the Documentation popup `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)), click the link at the bottom:

![ws_mdn_docs.png](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/ws_mdn_docs.png)

* Press `Shift+F1` (Windows), `⇧ F1` (macOS), `⇧ F1` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⇧ F1` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Shift+F1` (XWin), `Shift+F1` (GNOME), `Shift+F1` (KDE), `Shift+F1` (Emacs), `Shift+F1` (Sublime Text), `⇧ F1` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Shift+F1` (NetBeans), `Shift+F1` (Visual Studio), `⇧ F1` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Shift+F2` (Eclipse), `⇧ F2` (Eclipse (macOS)) or select `View | External Documentation` from the main menu.

IntelliJ IDEA  opens the MDN article in the  [default IntelliJ IDEA browser](configuring-third-party-tools.html#web-browsers).

## Documentation for third-party JavaScript libraries

Procedure:

1. Download the required library or framework, configure it as an external JavaScript library, and specify the link to its external documentation. For more information, refer to [Configuring a custom third-party JavaScript library](configuring-javascript-libraries.html#ws_js_custom_third_party_library).

2. Place the caret at the symbol and press `Shift+F1` (Windows), `⇧ F1` (macOS), `⇧ F1` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⇧ F1` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Shift+F1` (XWin), `Shift+F1` (GNOME), `Shift+F1` (KDE), `Shift+F1` (Emacs), `Shift+F1` (Sublime Text), `⇧ F1` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Shift+F1` (NetBeans), `Shift+F1` (Visual Studio), `⇧ F1` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Shift+F2` (Eclipse), `⇧ F2` (Eclipse (macOS)) or choose `View | External Documentation` from the main menu.

## Documentation for npm packages

Procedure:

* In a `package.json` file or in a `require` or `import` statement, place the caret at the name of the package and press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS))

Import statement:

![Quick Doc for an npm package is opened from an import statement](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/ws_quick_doc_for_npm_package.png)

package.json:

![Quick Doc for an npm package is opened from a package.json](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/ws_quick_doc_for_npm_package_from_package_json.png)

* To open the documentation on the [npm official website](https://www.npmjs.com) in the browser, click the link in the popup or press `Shift+F1` (Windows), `⇧ F1` (macOS), `⇧ F1` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⇧ F1` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Shift+F1` (XWin), `Shift+F1` (GNOME), `Shift+F1` (KDE), `Shift+F1` (Emacs), `Shift+F1` (Sublime Text), `⇧ F1` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Shift+F1` (NetBeans), `Shift+F1` (Visual Studio), `⇧ F1` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Shift+F2` (Eclipse), `⇧ F2` (Eclipse (macOS)).

## See also

### Procedures

[Quick Documentation](viewing-reference-information.html#inline-quick-documentation)