What do you recommend as being the best Java IDE?

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1

Hi,

What do you recommend as being the best Java IDE?

In particular what I am looking for is a Java IDE that allows for execution of the Java code right from the IDE.

Regards,

2

Before I got into website development I was using Netbeans for my Java IDE.

And I have continued using Netbeans for my website development.

Imho, definitely worth considering.

3

Hi,

Can you tell me what you liked about NetBeans over other IDEs?

Regards,

4

to be honest, I haven’t used any other IDE.

Netbeans is the one we used when I did my “Software Develoment Course” and I have just continued using it because it hasn’t given me any reason to change to something else.

Things I like about it and not in any order:

  1. it’s open source and free

  2. easy to install and configure

  3. you can test all your code from within the IDE

  4. whenever you enter a class name (core or user defined) during coding you get a popup showing all the properties and methods available in that class.

  5. when you select a method you get a “help” popup summarising the parameters needed for that method.

  6. when you click any sort of bracket, the matching bracket is also highlighted which makes it easier to spot missing or extra berackets.

  7. when you open the source file for a class, all the class’ properties and methods are listed in alphabetical order in the navigation panel making it easy to go to the code for a particular method by simply double-clicking the method name in the nav. panel

Overall, I find it to be a complete package, well at least for what I need it to do to make my life easy.

If you haven’t seen Netbeans before, since it’s free perhaps download a copy from the link I posted earlier and have a “play” with it and see what you think.

5

Thanks for the many good points that you have listed below.

Just wondering though, where did you do your “Java Software Develoment Course”?

6

it wasn’t a specific java course.

java was just one part of it. the other parts included html/css/javascript/php with database connectivity (hence the title under my name :lol:)

I did the course at a local tertiary institution a few years ago.

7

Aha.
Much ThanX.

FYI, i am downloading the Netbean as we speak.
And I am downloading it with the Java bundel.
Hopefully it will be good :slight_smile:

8

Eclipse is much better for me.

9

I’ve used Eclipse exclusively for the last 6 years. Quite a nice IDE.

10

I feel both eclipse and netbeans have its own features.

There is no need to change IDE because if you change the IDE it wil take time to fit with that shortcut keys.

11

I like intellij , but if all you’re after is executing Java code from the IDE I think nearly any IDE will do.

12

That’s true, any IDE is just about same. I’ve had many gripes w/ Eclipse for many many reasons…then again last time I used plain Eclipse was at least 3 years ago and vow never to return. For me, I use MyEclipse… it’s like Eclipse on Steroids and for lazy programmers who hates to install plugins.