At IDR Solutions we spend a lot of our time working with Java as our JPedal Java PDF Library, BuildVu PDF to HTML5/SVG converter and JDeli Java Image Library are written in Java.
Our developers spend a lot of time buried in Java code and we use a variety of different IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) to develop Java code, so I thought it would be good to compile a list of the best free IDEs out there for Java programmers, developers and coders.
In this article, I will be taking a look at 11 different IDEs. Everyone has different requirements and we feel one of the strengths of the Java world is the choice available.
These IDEs offer a variety of features: building Java applications, TestNG, debugging, code inspections, code assistance, JUNIT testing, multiple refactoring, visual GUI builder and code editor, Java, Maven build tools, ant, do data modelling and build queries, and more.
NetBeans
NetBeans, an open-source IDE crafted in Java, has experienced a surge in development momentum since its integration into the Apache project.
The NetBeans IDE, designed to support the development of all types of Java applications—such as Java SE, JavaFX, web, EJB, and mobile apps—comes ready to use out of the box. Its modular design allows for easy extension by third-party developers, who can create plugins to enhance its functionality. A prime example of this is our PDF Plugin for NetBeans.
NetBeans has now moved to Apache, making it easier for people to get involved and contribute. They have a new website explaining more about Apache NetBeans.
The NetBeans IDE can be used to develop in Java, but also supports other languages. These include PHP, C/C++, and HTML5.
NetBeans offers a variety of features, including an Ant-based project system, Maven support, and tools for refactoring and version control. It supports several version control systems such as CVS, Subversion, Git, Mercurial, and Clearcase. Additionally, NetBeans is available under a dual licensing model: the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) v1.0 and the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2.
NetBeans is cross-platform and runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and other platforms supporting a compatible JVM. It can also be used for working with Cloud applications. This useful guide covers how to use the NetBeans IDE with the Google App Engine.
If you would like to find out more about NetBeans we have a series of articles which includes lots of tips and tutorials.
VS Code
Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a highly flexible and powerful code editor that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and web browsers. Other than Java, it supports a broad array of programming languages such as Python, Javascript, C++ and offers features such as syntax highlighting, smart code completion, and refactoring tools.
VS Code also integrates Git for version control, includes a robust debugger, and provides a built-in terminal. Its extensive extension marketplace allows developers to customize their setup to meet specific needs.
Additionally, features like IntelliSense, code snippets, and support for various development workflows contribute to its popularity among developers.
Xcode
Xcode, created by Apple, serves as a full-featured IDE for developing applications on iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It includes a variety of tools for writing, debugging, and testing code, such as intelligent code completion, live previews, and animations.
Xcode’s seamless integration with Git facilitates version control, and it comes with a powerful debugger and an integrated simulator for testing applications on various devices. Other than Java, it also supports Swift, Python and Ruby.
Supporting both Swift and SwiftUI, Xcode offers a streamlined development process with comprehensive tools for managing project files, resources, and localization.
Eclipse
Eclipse is another free Java IDE for developers and programmers. It is mostly written in Java. Eclipse lets you create various cross-platform Java applications for use on mobile, web, desktop and enterprise domains.
Its main features include a Windows Builder, integration with Maven, Mylyn, XML editor, Git client, CVS client, and PyDev. It also contains a base workspace with an extensible plug-in system for customizing the IDE to suit your needs. Through plugins, you can develop applications in other programming languages. These include C, C++, JavaScript,, Perl, PHP, Prolog, Python, R, Ruby (including Ruby on Rails framework), to name just a few.
Eclipse is available under the Eclipse Public License and is available on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is a free Java IDE (Integrated Development Environment). It is mainly used for Android app development, Scala, Groovy, Java SE and Java programming. It is lightweight in design and comes with useful features like JUnit testing, TestNG, debugging, code inspections, code completion, and support for multiple refactoring. Plus Maven build tools, ant, visual GUI builder and code editor for XML and Java.
There are some features missing from the Community Edition. If you require more you can buy a license to unlock all the features.
IntelliJ Idea Community Edition is is released under the Apache 2 License.
Android Studio
Android Studio from Google is mainly designed for developing on the Android Platform. However it is capable of running and editing some Java code.
Originally it was built on the IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition created by JetBrains. It features a Flexible Gradle-based build system, build variants and multiple APK generation. It has expanded template support for Google Services and various device types and a rich layout editor with support for theme editing. It also has Lint tools to catch performance, usability, version compatibility, and other problems.
Android Studio also comes with ProGuard and app-signing capabilities. It also features built-in support for Google Cloud Platform. Projects can be configured to use specific Java Development Kits.
Android Studio, which is distributed under the Apache License 2.0, can be downloaded for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It has taken over from Eclipse as Google’s main IDE for developing native Android applications.
BlueJ
BlueJ is an integrated development environment (IDE) for the Java programming language. It has been mainly developed for educational purposes. However, it is also suitable for those who wish to do small-scale software development. It runs with the help of a JDK (Java Development Kit).
BlueJ is mainly developed for the teaching of object-oriented programming. Its design differs from other development environments as a result.
The main screen graphically shows the class structure of an application under development. Objects can be interactively created and tested. This interaction facility, combined with a clean, simple user interface, allows easy experimentation with objects under development. This allows beginners to get started more quickly, and without being overwhelmed.
Newbie users can check values and call methods on objects. They can also pass them as parameters and Java expressions can be invoked without compiling. This means BlueJ is a powerful graphical shell/REPL for Java.
The BlueJ project is free and open source software. It is licensed under GNU GPL with the classpath exception. There are popular textbooks designed for teaching introductory university/college courses with BlueJ. There is also a site full of teaching resources. It can run on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and other platforms which run Java. It can also run without installation from a USB stick.
jEdit
jEdit is a text editor with hundreds (counting the time developing plugins) of person-years of development behind it. Most people argue that jEdit beats many expensive development tools for features and ease of use. In particular the jEdit core comes with a built-in macro language. This is an extensible plugin architecture. Hundreds of macros and plugins are available.
It also features an auto-indent function and syntax highlighting for over 200 languages. Additionally, it supports numerous character encodings, such as UTF8 and Unicode. Other features include text folding for hiding sections of code, word wrap, and more.
It can also be used for source code editing, search and replacing and file management. jEdit is written in Java, so it runs on Mac OS X, OS/2, Unix, VMS and Windows. It is released as free software with full source code, provided under the terms of the GPL 2.0.
Jdoodle
JDoodle is a cloud-based, AI-driven coding platform that supports more than 88 programming languages, including Java, Python, PHP, C, and C++. It provides an easy-to-use interface for writing, compiling, and executing code from any device without the need for complex setup.
JDoodle offers features such as collaborative coding, code sharing, and a REST-based compiler API for embedding code execution into other applications.
Additionally, it includes IDE plugins that can be seamlessly integrated into websites and learning management systems, making it a flexible tool for both teaching and learning programming.
jGRASP
jGRASP is a lightweight IDE designed to automatically generate software visualizations, enhancing software comprehensibility. It can create static visualizations of source code structures and runtime visualizations of data structures. jGRASP supports Control Structure Diagrams (CSDs) for languages like Java, C, C++, Objective-C, Python, Ada, and VHDL. It also generates Complexity Profile Graphs (CPGs) for Java and Ada, and UML class diagrams for Java. Additionally, it features dynamic object viewers and a viewer canvas, which integrate with its built-in debugger and workbench for Java.
The viewers have a built in feature that allows them to identify data structures. This means they can recognize objects that represent traditional data structures. For example stacks, queues, linked lists, binary trees, and hash tables. These can then be displayed appropriately.
jGRASP is implemented in Java. It was developed by the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University.
It can run on any platform that can run a Java Virtual Machine (Java version 1.5 or higher). At present the jGRASP web site offers downloads for Windows, Mac OS, and as a generic ZIP file suitable for Linux and other systems.
JDeveloper
JDeveloper is an IDE supplied by the Oracle Corporation and released as freeware. It offers various features for development in Java, XML, SQL and PL/SQL, HTML, JavaScript, BPEL and PHP. JDeveloper can be used for coding, debugging, optimization and profiling to deploying. It integrates with the Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF). This is an end-to-end Java EE-based framework that further simplifies application development.
JDeveloper is available in three versions: the Java Edition, the J2EE Edition, and the Studio Edition, each offering a distinct set of features.
The Java Edition comes with out of the box Java Support. it has a Code Editor and Code Navigation. Refactoring, compatibility with Swing, Unit Testing, Version Control, Auditing & Metrics, Debugging and profiling are all included. It supports Ant, Maven, XML and Open API & Extensions.
The same IDE platform also serves as the basis of another Oracle product, SQL Developer.
Hopefully you’ve found this guide on the best IDEs for programming, developing and coding Java useful.
What IDE do you use, let us know!
If you are interested in learning Java, we recommend you read our large back catalogue of Java articles. We also have some excellent guides on what is new in Java 8 and Java 9.