How to run multiple IntelliJ IDEA configurations after one another (serially, sequentially)?

Question

Similar to this question, I want to run multiple Run Configurations as one. However, instead of running them simultaneously (parallel), I want to run them after one another in a specific order.

I know I can select another Run Configuration to run before another, like answered here, but approach has one issue: it's not possible to have one generic/main/super Run Configuration that runs nothing else than the specified run configurations. I must to pick one project-specific configuration (e.g. a Python configuration in PyCharm, the JetBrains Python IDE similar to IntelliJ IDEA) to be able to choose Run Configurations to run serially before the main one. This is an issue, because if I ever want to change to or insert a different configuration where the main Python Run Configuration is, I need to remake the Run Configuration Order besides a new one. With a predefined serial list of Run Configurations to execute, this would be as simple as inserting another configuration in the list.

Is this possible and how do I achieve this?

Answer 1

Besides the Before launch functionality mentioned in the question, there is no such possibility in IntelliJ IDEA and other JetBrains IDEs to my knowledge. However, there exists plugins that add Run Configurations that initially do nothing (empty), which can be considered as a generic/main/super Run Configuration. In such a configuration the regular way of specifying other configurations to run sequentially before launch can be used to achieve the question's goal.

An example of a plugin that adds an initially empty Run Configuration is the Multirun plugin. Don't be confused by its name: it's meant to run multiple Run Configurations simultaneously with the option to start them sequentially, but it does not wait for earlier ones to finish before starting the later ones. Just add the default (empty) Multirun configuration and queue up other tasks to run sequentially through the Before launch section.

It's a pity JetBrains haven't added a serial/sequential execution configuration in their Compound Run Configuration, which basically achieves what the Multirun plugin achieves: simultaneous / parallel execution. With compound run configurations, the Run Configuration editor would become a really powerful but simple to program configurations for various wishes like Gradle achieves for more complex build configurations.