What is dogfooding? How JetBrains builds better developer tools

Dogfooding in software development means using your own products to build, test, and improve them. At JetBrains, it’s a core part of how we create developer tools like IntelliJ IDEA, YouTrack, and Rider. We don’t rely on assumptions or abstract user personas. We use our tools every day in real workflows, which keeps us close to the problems developers actually face. Our CEO, Kirill Skyrgan, puts it: “You can only build truly great software if you use it yourself. Every feature and every decision comes from firsthand experience.