IDEs for Java programmers

IDEs are great helpers to programmers. They can help programmers write less error-prone programs with less time. They have become an inevitable part of many programmers. As a Java developer, you may be familiar with Eclipse already. But do you know other IDEs for Java programmers?

We will give an overview of different IDEs for Java programmers. These IDEs are Eclipse, Intellij IDEA, NetBean and BlueJ.

Eclipse

Eclipse is the most widely used IDE for Java programmers. It's an open source IDE which is originally developed by IBM. Now it can not only be used to write Java programs, but also C++, C, JavaScript and many other programming languages with its powerful plugin system.

This IDE provides many handy functions and plugins to help programmers improve their efficiency. You can go to the Eclipse Marketplace to find the plugins you want to install. There are plenty of them.

Rrecently, the new Eclipse 4.4 was released with many new features provided.

Intellij IDEA

Intellij IDEA is a commercial IDE, you need to pay if you want to use the full featured IDE. But you can also get a free community edition. It is considered the best IDE for Java developers. With Intellij IDEA, you can write better code because it knows your code and can give you smart and relevant suggestions to you when you type your code. The IDE automates the tedious and repetitive development tasks so you can stay focused on the big picture and become a more productive developer.

This IDE is widely used in big companies especially in banks.

NetBeans

NetBeans is a free and open source IDE developed by Oracle. It is very popular among developers who focus on GUI development. If you want to develop what you see is what you get(WYSIWYG) program, you can choose it. It provides powerful drag and drop capabilities with many components support.

This IDE now also provides support for several languages (PHP, JavaFX, C/C++, JavaScript, etc.) and frameworks.

BlueJ

BlueJ is a development environment that allows you to develop Java programs quickly and easily. BlueJ is deliberately designed with good pedagogy in mind. There is a popular textbook designed for teaching introductory university/college courses with BlueJ, and a site full of teaching resources. This IDE is not as powerful as other IDEs like Eclipse as it focus on providing novice programmers to learn different concepts about Java. This is an IDE for novice programmers.