JetBrains has rolled out IntelliJ IDEA 2021.1, bringing significant improvements and new features to its flagship integrated development environment (IDE). One of the most exciting updates in this release is the introduction of “run targets,” which allows developers to configure where applications are run directly from within the IDE. This new feature provides greater flexibility by enabling developers to run applications in environments like Docker containers, SSH servers, or the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), rather than just running them locally as was previously the case. This makes it easier to test and deploy applications in various real-world environments directly from the IDE.
The ability to set run targets offers developers more control over how their applications are executed. For example, when working with a Spring Boot application, developers can now select an SSH or Docker target for running the app. If Docker is chosen, IntelliJ IDEA 2021.1 even supports pulling or building Docker images. Code completion features help developers select the appropriate image, streamlining the workflow and enhancing the overall development experience. This new functionality aligns with modern development practices, where containerization and remote environments are increasingly common.
Along with run targets, IntelliJ IDEA 2021.1 introduces support for Java 16, which was officially released in March. This update enables developers to fully leverage the latest features of Java, such as records, and refactor them just like any other Java class. The IDE now supports easy migration of existing Java code to adopt new language features, ensuring that developers can stay up to date with the latest advancements in Java development.
Other enhancements in this release include an updated inspection profile feature, which allows developers to analyze their code for potential issues before committing changes. A built-in HTML preview feature has also been added, allowing developers to see live previews of HTML changes as they work. Additionally, the IDE now offers functionality to handle JSONPath expressions, improving support for modern web development tasks. With these updates, IntelliJ IDEA 2021.1 continues to enhance its capabilities, making it an even more powerful tool for developers across various programming languages and platforms.