Need For IDE - Features Galore

IDE - Integrated Development Environment : Let us look at the benefits an IDE provides over a text editor for coding programs.

Coding in a text editor is like driving a car without nice to have features like AC, power steering etc.

Using IDE for development is like using a high end car providing a number of features. Luckily one need not shell out money for Java IDEs (as in buying a high end car). Some of the features provided by an IDE are

• Syntax Highlighting
• Auto Completion
• Source Code  Navigation
• Integration with Version Control System (we will cover version control system in later chapters)
• Above all the ability to compile and run Java programs from a single location

IDEs available for Java:

The popular IDEs available for Java related development are

1. Eclipse     2. NetBeans  3. IntelliJ IDEA

We will be using NetBeans for future examples. So let us install NetBeans on our computer.

Go to NetBeans download link  and download the related installer.  (You choose the 'Download' button under Java SE or Java EE or All ). Double click the exe file (if in windows) or run the installer shell script (if in UNIX or Linux).

Once installation is successful you should get a shortcut on the desktop. You can double click the shortcut to open NetBeans.