Top IDEs For Java Developers in 2021

 

Heya! A warm welcome to all the programmers and readers.

Before we go ahead and read the below article, I’m sure the first computer language which you all would have explored would be “java”, right?

In this digital era, nothing is possible without programming. From smartphones in our pocket to the self-driving cars, everything needs programming. The cursor of the mouse which you are rolling needs programming too! That’s quite an interesting fact. Lol to myself.

Let’s start with the basics:-

Knowledge of programming allows programmers to communicate with computers with their machine language.

We all know, there are several programming languages that anyone can learn. However, ‘Java’ programming has always been a favorite bull’s eye to the programming archers.

How would it sound if I tell you that this is one of the oldest and important programming languages?

Considering this, we have covered the 10 best IDEs (Integrated Development Environment) for Java programming language in this article. Point no 1 and 2 being my personal favorite.

Advantages of Using IDEs

• These are simple editing environments consisting of several features making coding quick and efficient.
• Takes less time and effort- It includes various tools and features that help to prevent mistakes, organizes resources and provide shortcuts.
• It allows quick navigation to the type
• Programmers can quickly navigate to other members by using hyperlinks
• IDEs organize imports and can add appropriate imports
• It can give warning in case of any errors or mistakes
• IDEs are great for generating code or completing the code depending upon previous codes.
• These environments make the unit test’s running easy

Apart from these, there are several other benefits of using IDE’s depending upon its types or programming languages.

Some IDEs are specific to the programming language while some support various programming languages. Because of the Java programming language’s growing popularity and having multiple applications, herein we will discuss the 10 best IDE’s for the same. Both of these programming languages are also the most basics and is recognized worldwide. All the IDE’s which I have mentioned below not only supports Java but also various other languages.

5 best IDEs for JAVA

1. Eclipse

Eclipse is a Java IDE that is one of the 3 biggest and most popular IDE’s in the world. It was written mostly in Java but it can also be used to develop applications in other programming languages apart from Java using plug-ins. Some of the features of Eclipse are as follows:

• PDE (Plugin Development Environment) is available in Eclipse for Java programmers that want to create specific functionalities in their applications.
• Eclipse flaunts powerful tools for the various processes in application development such as charting, modeling, reporting, testing, etc. so that Java developers can develop the application as fast as possible.
• Eclipse can also be used to create various mathematical documents with LaTeX using the TeXlipse plug-in as well as packages for the Mathematica software.
• Eclipse can be used on platforms like Linux, macOS, Solaris and Windows.

2. BlueJ

BlueJ is a Java IDE that is widely used by Java programmers in the world. While it was originally developed for educational purposes, it is also useful in software development, although on a smaller scale. Some of the features of BlueJ are as follows:

• The basic design of BlueJ is different from other IDE’s as it was mainly created to teach OOPS to beginners. So the interactive interface is clean and easy to use.
• The main screen on BlueJ shows the class structure of the current development application where objects can be easily accessed and modified.
• All the OOPS elements like classes, objects, etc. can be easily represented on BlueJ in a visual format using a diagram similar to UML.
• BlueJ can be used on platforms like Linux, macOS, and Windows.

3. IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is a Java IDE that is one of the 3 biggest and most popular IDE’s in the world. It has two versions, namely the free open-source community edition and a paid Ultimate edition. Some of the features of IntelliJ IDEA are as follows:

• Both versions of IntelliJ IDEA support various programming languages like Java, Scala, Kotlin, Groovy, etc.
• There are many features in IntelliJ IDEA that make programming simpler such as debugging, code completion, code inspections, XML editing support, code refactoring, unit testing, TestNG, etc.
• Some of the other tools that are only offered in the paid Ultimate version duplicate detection, JavaScript and database tools, Perforce integration, etc.
• IntelliJ IDEA can be used on platforms like Linux, macOS, and Windows.

4. jGRASP

jGRASP is a lightweight Java IDE which is written using Java and can run on all platforms using a Java Virtual Machine. It is an integrated debugger as well as a workbench with various tools for Java developers. Some of the features of jGRASP are as follows:

• Things like complexity profile graphs and UML class diagrams for an application can be easily generated using jGRASP.
• jGRASP is a lightweight Java IDE but still, it can produce static visualizations of the application source code structure and its data structures at runtime.
• Although jGRASP is written using Java, it can still create CSDs (Control Structure Diagrams) for other programming languages such as C, C++, Python, Ada, Objective-C, etc.
• jGRASP can be used on platforms like Linux, macOS, and Windows.

5. JCreator

JCreator is a lightweight Java IDE that has an interface like Microsoft’s Visual Studio. It has 3 editions, namely the Lite Edition (LE), Pro Edition (Pro) and Lite-Pro Edition. Some of the features of JCreator are as follows:

• Since JCreator is a Java IDE that is programmed in C++, it doesn’t need a JRE for executing Java code. This means it is faster than other Java IDEs that are programmed in Java.
• The paid version of JCreator has various features similar to other Java IDEs such as Ant support, project management, code wizards, and a debugger. However, it has no advanced features like automated refactoring, support for common frameworks, etc.
• Despite some drawbacks, JCreator is a great Java IDE for beginners because of its compact size and higher speed.
• JCreator can be used on platforms like Linux (via Wine) and Windows