Choosing the right IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Java development is essential for efficiency and productivity. Every Java programmer needs a tool that can streamline the often tedious aspects of writing code, managing class libraries, and working with frameworks. The best IDE for you depends on various factors, such as the type of projects you are working on, your skill level, the development team’s standards, and your personal preferences. Understanding these variables will help you make an informed decision about which IDE will suit your needs.
A good Java IDE should support the latest versions of Java, as well as other JVM-based languages like Kotlin, Scala, and Groovy. It should also seamlessly integrate with popular Java frameworks and application servers, including Apache Tomcat, Spring, JavaServer Faces, and Hibernate. Support for build systems like Ant, Maven, and Gradle, along with version control tools such as Git, SVN, and Mercurial, is also crucial. The IDE should offer comprehensive support across your entire tech stack, from the client side with technologies like JavaServer Pages and TypeScript to the database side with tools like JPA and SQL.
Beyond language and framework support, an effective Java IDE should offer features that help you write, test, and debug code with ease. Intelligent code completion and refactoring tools are essential for reducing manual coding errors, while code metrics help you assess the health of your project. For teams that follow test-driven development (TDD), the IDE should offer robust support for testing frameworks and stubbing. Integration with CI/CD tools and ticketing systems can further improve workflow efficiency, making it easier to deploy and debug code in real-time.
While there are many IDEs to choose from, the three most popular ones for server-side Java development are IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans. Each has its own set of features and benefits. For this review, I explored fresh installations of IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2022.1.1, Eclipse 2022-03, and NetBeans 13 on a MacBook Pro, also testing several open-source Java projects to highlight the capabilities of each IDE. We’ll compare these IDEs along with lighter-weight alternatives to help you find the best match for your development style.