6 Best IDE for Java

Hands down, as of now, Java is the best programming language in the world. With more than 9 million Java developers around the globe, it is clearly a developer’s favorite!

Being open-source and totally reliable, Java has a robust ecosystem of IDEs. As being recognized as the most popular programming language for developing enterprise applications, JAVA continues to grow strong, even in the beginning of this new decade.

For developers, it is necessary to work with a programming editor or an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that can assist them with coding in Java or using its framework and libraries.

There are a large variety of different JAVA IDE’s available in the market as of now, which we will discuss shortly. But before we get to that, let us see what exactly is an IDE and the cause for its popular use.

What is a Java IDE?

To implement Java, the developers need to work with certain environments where the user can write complex codes and develop full-scale applications. Developer often face issues while coding an application. With missing classes & files, it gets difficult to find where the issue lies, hence it gets difficult to debug.

This is where the JAVA IDE comes to play.

With IDE, the proper life cycle of the project can be monitored and maintained. The IDE tool has in-built features that include the text editors, debuggers, compilers and other tools that help in automation, testing and analyzing of an application’s development flow. The JAVA IDE provides developers with predictive syntax that helps them write better code.

Features of IDE

Any Java IDE has the following core features:

  • Compile and automatic build features.
  • A good debugging tool to test the developed application completely.
  • Strong resource management to help identify missing sources, headers and libraries.

IDE is very helpful for development as it simplifies the development process. With so many different JAVA IDE’s to choose from, let us see the best options for your business development needs.

Top 6 JAVA IDE’s

1. Eclipse

Eclipse


Eclipse is an open-source, fully-featured, powerful JAVA IDE that is widely used for Java Application Development. With extensive plug-in system, developers are able to customize solutions and make the application more robust. Based on the core foundation of Java, it is compatible with many languages like C++, Groovy, Python, Perl and C#.

Here are some notable features of Eclipse:

  • Cross-platform- runs on Linux, Mac OS and Windows.
  • Extensive documentation for help.
  • Allows easy integration with Apache Maven serve & Git version control.
  • Eclipse supports debugging both locally and remotely.
  • It has a good workspace environment, which allows developers to identify projects, folder and files easily.

Using Eclipse, developers can scale an application as they like for different platforms. However initially setup becomes difficult at times without the proper guidelines. Adding to this issue, it also requires a lot of validation to JSP and HTML files which can get troublesome for new developers to solve.

2. IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA


Intellij IDEA is a great IDE for java development. Developed by JetBrains, it is extensively used by developers for commercial development projects.

Some key features of IntelliJ IDEA are:

  • It strongly supports integration with the application servers.
  • Powerful compiler- capable of detecting code issues.
  • Many built-in tools: Git, Version Control, De-compiler, SQL and much more.
  • Great interface options.
  • Extensive customization features to change the project structure as per the user’s need.
  • Ability to analyze the data flow and gives the most accurate code to change at runtime.
  • It is best suited for Android development.
  • Autosaves the work.

Even IntelliJ IDEA is difficult to work with initially due to the tool documentation it needs. But crashes associated with large applications make it economically infeasible, considering the high price for enterprise edition- makes developers switch to a different IDE.

3. NetBeans

NetBeans


NetBeans is truly an outstanding and prominent web development IDE. It is easy to use and gives the user a chance to create great web applications in a quick time. It is a free JavaScript IDE and has an incredible HTML5 IDE integrated for standard use.

Here are some core features of NetBeans:

  • It is easy to learn and use.
  • Highly customizable to fit the user’s work approach.
  • Developers can deploy code from their environment.
  • An active community allows for finding quick solutions to problems.

However, due to its large size, the plug-ins consume a lot of system resources, due to which, it gets slow in processing the code at times. But overall it is one of the best IDEs for Java development.

4. BlueJ

BlueJ


BlueJ is a free Java IDE that is recommended for beginners. It has a simple interface than most professional IDE’s and offers standard development tools.

Some good features of BlueJ are:

  • Small, simple and portable interface.
  • It is an online Java IDE. You can use this tool without installing it.
  • Cross-platform compatibility- Windows, Mac OS X, and Ubuntu.
  • Run java objects while the program running in the background.
  • Supports syntax coloring

This is a great platform to build powerful Java applications.

5. JDeveloper

JDeveloper


Written in Java, Oracle’s JDeveloper is a free integrated development environment that simplifies the development of Java-based apps by addressing every step of the app lifecycle. It offers end-to-end development for Oracle’s platform and apps.

Here are some interesting feature JDeveloper has to offer:

  • Covers the full development lifecycle from design through coding, debugging, optimization and deployment of the app.
  • It is cost effective.
  • Drag and Drop functionality makes apps easier to design.
  • It has the latest HTML 5 editor for the UI design process.
  • Supports JAVA SE, JAVA EE and other dB environments to build a scalable app.
  • It has appealing visuals and declarative editors, making it easier for the developers to understand what’s going on.
  • Good customer support worldwide.

Although the learning curve of JDeveloper is very steep, making it difficult to work with initially. It requires constant vigilance of experienced developers. Also, it consumes large chunks of RAM when implementing the business processes, thus making it very slow.

6. DrJava

DrJava


DrJava is a free light-weight Java IDE where users can easily write and run Java programs. It uses Sun Microsystems’ Swing toolkit and therefore has a consistent appearance on different platforms.

Here are some key features of DrJava:

  • Being lightweight, makes it faster.
  • Designed for students, no initial setup is required.
  • DrJava has a unique feature for the read-eval-print loop (REPL) that is used for evaluating Java expressions and statements interactively.
  • Good for troubleshooting and testing.

DrJava is an ideal java development platform for developers who want to work on a light framework, have faster execution and want to create an interactive interface for the app. It is not an ideal framework for developers who want to build large applications.

Make the right choice!

Although, Java IDE’s do have a complex learning curve, it is always recommended to have experienced Java developers working on the project so they can efficiently help create a robust application and meet deadlines. And that’s the reason why many businesses choose to go with development experience in such crucial times. Hiring professionals from an established development company guarantees an overall great application that your users would love to engage with.

That’s where Communication Crafts comes to play!

Being in the development industry for more than 15+ years, we are recognized as an “innovative development company that simply make it work!”

And so we do! With the best Java developers, cross-platform developers, full-stack developers, iOS developers, and Android developers as part of our Advantage team, over these years we have provided excellent Java solutions for all our clients around the world. Our highly dedicated web and mobile app development team work round the clock and gather & understand your business requirements thoroughly, which helps them create just the website or the application you would want.

We always strive for utmost customer satisfaction and nothing else! Because if our clients are happy, so are we!

Take your Java development to the next level with

Communication Crafts!

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