Java framework is one of the well-known languages for making secure web or desktop apps. For easy writing of Java code, Java developers prefer to use a specific integrated development environment (IDE).

In this article, we will discuss what exactly a Java IDE is, and why to use it. Though Java code can be written in a simple text editor why using IDE is helpful?

The simplest answer to why to use a Java IDE is- because IDEs are more efficient and help the developers to write Java code in a proper format.

IDEs are used for efficiently writing code. It improves the efficiency of a developer by giving them different features like validating the errors while writing the code, and much more. So, let's talk about some top Java IDEs that will help you in writing efficient Java programs for the project you are working on.

Java IDE- Basic Overview

IDE is the acronym for Integrated Development Environment. It provides different functions that make programming easier.

Java IDEs are developed to make the Java app development process easier and faster. It gives you different functionalities such as smart code completion, easy error recognition, etc.

These features might look small, but they help in speeding up the Java program writing processes. In addition to useful shortcuts, IDEs also provide one feature-rich source code editor, different build automation tools, a text highlighting feature, a debugger, some fancy code snippets, and much more.

In recent years, there have been various Java IDEs available in the market. So, it gets tricky to choose the most accurate Java IDE for your project.

In the further article, we will discuss the top 5 Java IDEs along with their features, pros, and cons. This information will help you choose the best IDE for your upcoming Java projects.

Top 5 developer-friendly Java IDEs

Let’s see 5 best Java IDEs that make Java development easier for developers.

1. Eclipse

Eclipse is a Java IDE that helps Java developers with continuous and easy Java development.

Eclipse IDE is open-source and free to use. You can pick between its cloud version or desktop version as per your project requirement.

If you are planning to code on one go, you can pick the cloud version for productive output.

You get easy access to plugin development where you can develop your customized features or create a mixture of other plugins for tailoring your IDE as per your project requirement. This feature is pretty distinctive among other Java IDEs.

Other than that, there are many plugins available in Eclipse that can help you personalize your IDE to get the work done quickly.

In addition to Java, Eclipse IDE also supports other popular languages like C++, PHP, JS, and many more. Here are the key features of Eclipse:

Here are the key features of Eclipse:

It is available for Mac, Linus, and also Windows
Supports PHP, JS, and C++
It supports Java 19
Free-to-use and open-source

Advantages of Eclipse:

It supports different plugins
Eclipse provides easy, simple, and developer-friendly interface
You get good debugging features
Supports 100+ programming languages

Disadvantages of Eclipse:

The performance might slow down after multiple plugins installation.
It might consume the majority of system resources.
Memory management might have been better in Eclipse.

2. IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is an IDE from JetBrains. It’s been 2023’s most popular Java IDE for over 2 decades now. Other than being one of the best Java code editors, it is also a professional, and full-fledged development environment.

You can choose anyone from the paid Edition- Ultimate or the free Edition- Community. Both editions have debuggers and support Git, Ant, Maven, VirtualEnv, and much more.

It provides virtual mapping for your project, that helps in detecting errors, suggesting code variants, refactoring, and much more. IntelliJ IDEA is like you get a coding assistant while writing Java code.

In the paid version, you get the latest AI coding assistant as well!

If you are developing enterprise-level development, you can choose the Ultimate version that supports Java frameworks such as Spring or Jakarta EE. Additionally, this tool supports 25+ languages like JS, PHP, Go, etc.

You can use IntelliJ with Angular, Node, React, Vue, etc. while working on full-stack development.

While the community edition is a good choice if you are a pro-Java developer. The IDE supports JavaFX and also offers support for Kotlin, Rust, and Python.

Here are the key features of IntelliJ IDEA:

Free and paid options
Available for Mac, Linux, Windows
Support for 25+ languages
Supports Java 19

Advantages of IntelliJ IDEA:

IntelliJ IDEA is good for Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
It suggests improvements like adding exceptions in the case of any possibility of writing exceptions in your code.
You get to enjoy the feature of smart code completion
IntelliJ IDEA understands different languages like SQL, JavaScript, Kotlin, and many more. It also provides features of intelligent coding.
There’s a plethora of plugins that one can integrate into the code editor. We also use plugins from other developers like Prettier
It offers strong version control support, such as Git support that makes sharing and storing the code much easier.

Disadvantages of IntelliJ IDEA:

It is a heavy IDE that needs disk space from 700 to 800 MB.
The Ultimate edition is the whole version of IntelliJ and it’s highly expensive. It can cost somewhere between $149 / month for easy use.
It can reduce your computer’s speed as it uses system resources.
Lack of support in the community edition.

3. BlueJ IDE

BlueJ IDE is made for Java and is designed for beginners. It is the most beginner-friendly Java IDE that was made primarily for educational purposes. BlueJ made it easier to teach the concepts of OOP with visuals.

However, in modern times, BlueJ is used for developing small Java apps too. You may feel that its design is normally different from other IDEss as it was developed to support OOP learning.

On the main screen of this IDE, you can see the complete class structure of the app in the form of Unified Modeling Language (UML). Along with that, developers can make and test the objects easily. Hence, BlueJ sticks to being one of the best Java IDEs used for testing and experimenting with Java apps.

Key features of BlueJ:

Provides an interactive way to learn concepts of OOP
Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux
Uses UML and scope coloring
It provides an alternative via USB
Free & open source tool
It supports Java 17

Advantages of BlueJ:

BlueJs is a Java IDE that allows interaction with isolated objects of the class and allows them to run their public methods.
BlueJ is a lightweight IDE hence, it uses fewer system resources.
Developers can see a graphical representation of the class.
It can automatically develop a documentation file

Disadvantages of BlueJ:

It’s not a preferred alternative for enterprise projects
Does not provide auto-completion, auto-formatting, and indentation support
No support for different programming languages

4. Apache NetBeans

Apache NetBeans is also an amazing IDE that is used for Java programming. Just like other IDEs that we discussed, Apache NetBeans is also open-source.

You can enjoy features like highlighting the source code, refactoring the code, and much more. Moreover, this IDE supports the development of different types of Java apps like Java SE, JavaFX, Java ME, etc. It contains all the necessary modules for downloading Java development at one time.

Key features of Apache NetBeans:

It is used with Mac, Windows, and Linux
Wizards will quickly develop Java apps
Supports JavaScript, HTML, PHP, etc.
Supports Apache Ant system
Apache NetBeans supports Java 19

Advantages of NetBeans:

Apache NetBeans provides the functionality of auto-completion
One primary advantage of Apache NetBeans is- running server-based apps becomes easier with this IDE
You also get amazing debugging tools that save developers time.
There are in-built refactoring tools present in Apache Netbeans.
You can easily integrate this IDE with web app servers such as GlassFish and Tomcat.
It works easily with version control systems like Git and others.
It also supports Maven technology.

Disadvantages of Apache NetBeans:

NetBeans start and load time is much higher
Not efficient with memory
Fewer professional support
The process of execution and compilation is slower

5. Android Studio

Last but not least, Android Studio is a Java IDE that is used for developing Android apps.

Android Studio has a range of Android app-specific features such as code templates, fast emulators, GitHub integration, etc. It can also apply changes in your app without restarting it.

You also get support for various APKs, different code completion, gradle build, and other capable debuggers.

Key features of Android Studio:

It is available with Mac, Windows, ChromeOS, and Linux.
It’s an official Java IDE used for Android app development.
Support for Java 11
It includes the emulator, GitHub, code templates, and much more
Supports various APKs

Final Verdict

These 5 best Java IDEs are the most popular frameworks for making Java programming easier. Choose the one that fulfills your project requirements. For more technical updates, visit us or bookmark us. Happy reading.

Comparing Popular Java IDEs