IntelliJ IDEA is an built-in improvement setting (IDE) from JetBrains. Whereas used primarily for Java improvement, IntelliJ IDEA additionally helps many different programming languages and has a full set of options that enhance developer productiveness, equivalent to static code evaluation, code completion, and extra. By dealing with repetitive duties and saving time, it lets builders spend extra power on the artistic facet of software program improvement.
Does this imply that IntelliJ IDEA is the best developer instrument for you? We are going to assist reply that query by breaking down the IDE’s options, pricing, professionals, and cons. And, if you happen to discover it not the suitable match, we can even reveal among the high IntelliJ IDEA alternate options so you have got loads of choices when procuring round.
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Overview of IntelliJ IDEA
JetBrains first launched IntelliJ IDEA to the market in 2000 as a programmer instrument meant to spice up productiveness and clear up points confronted by Java builders. As an alternative of merely providing customary coding assist, IntelliJ IDEA’s creators aimed to take issues one step additional and supply superior capabilities for refactoring, code evaluation, and integrations with among the most widely-used frameworks.
Because of a user-friendly interface, modern options like clever code completion, and dependable efficiency, IntelliJ IDEA was in a position to construct a stable fame with builders. As time handed, JetBrains expanded the developer instrument’s options to incorporate enhanced help for added programming languages like Scala, Groovy, Kotlin, and so forth., plus plugin and internet improvement, database integration, and extra. At the moment, IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains’ high providing and one of the crucial common IDEs within the business utilized by particular person builders of all talent ranges and software program improvement groups trying to streamline their processes whereas rising productiveness.
Options of IntelliJ IDEA
What makes IntelliJ IDEA such a preferred developer instrument? Options like these:
- New Undertaking wizard
- Customizations
- Extensibility by means of plugins
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Sensible coding help
- On-the-fly code inspections
- Reside templates
- Clever code completion
- Refactoring instruments built-in
- Diagrams
- Highly effective search
- Run, check, and debug
- Constructed-in developer instruments
- Third-party integrations
- Model management
- Internet improvement help
- Collaboration options
IDE newbies can get new tasks began rapidly in IntelliJ IDEA with the New Undertaking wizard. Merely choose the language, construct system, and JDK model, and the remainder of the settings shall be configured for you so you’ll be able to start working inside minutes. Builders looking for a personalized expertise will get simply that when utilizing IntelliJ IDEA. You’ll be able to customise the interface, select from over 100 customized themes to make these lengthy days of coding simpler in your eyes, set up simply the plugins you might want to get your required degree of performance, and extra.
Keyboard shortcuts play a big position in saving time and offering comfort in IntelliJ IDEA. Double Shift triggers the Search All over the place operate to seek out gadgets inside or exterior of tasks, and you will discover many different shortcuts for important capabilities like debugging, viewing current information, and so forth.
Whereas IntelliJ IDEA was designed with Java and Kotlin improvement in thoughts, the developer instrument can decipher different programming languages, equivalent to Scala, Groovy, JavaScript, and so forth. Not solely can it perceive these extra languages, however the IDE can present sensible coding help to identify errors on the fly, supply code completion, refactoring, and extra. The on-the-fly coding inspections can increase confidence and guarantee your code meets the very best requirements, whereas additionally rising your coding pace. Talking of coding pace, IntelliJ IDEA’s reside templates, which may also be personalized, will allow you to obtain that accelerated purpose by typing in predefined abbreviations.
The clever code completion begins as quickly as you sort code into the editor with out the necessity for any extra configurations or shortcuts. Computerized refactoring effectively simplifies your code to attenuate upkeep and make it extra readable. The IDE additionally provides builders with diagrams for analyzing, visualizing, and navigating code with ease.
One space the place IntelliJ IDEA is especially sturdy is with navigation and search. The IDE has a number of options for locating what you might be searching for quick, starting with the aforementioned Search All over the place instrument. Hit the Shift key twice and sort the identify of what you might be searching for, and Search All over the place will scour your codebase to seek out it rapidly. An identical function is Discover in Information, which might pinpoint textual content strings in tasks. IntelliJ IDEA additionally offers you the Fast Definition popup to see the place and the way symbols are outlined in tasks, plus SSR (Structural search and exchange) and Discover Usages.
The IntelliJ IDEA options don’t cease there, because it additionally has sturdy instruments for setting run and construct parameters, debugging code, and making use of/creating Junit checks. It comes with a number of built-in instruments (terminal, database instruments, profiler, HTTP shopper, decompiler), plus integrates with common construct instruments like Maven, Ant, and Gradle and container orchestration programs like Docker and Kubernetes. IntelliJ IDEA additionally helps internet improvement, widely-used model management programs like Mercurial, Git, and so forth., and JVM frameworks like Spring, Spring Boot, JPA, and extra. Final however not least, IntelliJ IDEA has a number of collaborative options to assist distant builders keep on the identical web page, no matter location, equivalent to Code With Me, JetBrains Area, and extra.
IntelliJ IDEA Pricing
IntelliJ IDEA has numerous pricing plans for organizations and particular person use. The programmer instrument additionally has a 90-day free trial. Organizations and companies should purchase a Industrial license, which presents entry to a single particular person throughout the group. Personal people should purchase a Private license for their very own use. The pricing plans are as follows for yearly billing, which might prevent two months by paying upfront:
IntelliJ IDEA for organizations:
- IntelliJ IDEA Final: $599 per consumer for the primary yr. $479 for the second yr. $359 per yr onwards.
- All Merchandise Pack: $779 per consumer for the primary yr. $623 for the second yr. $467 for the third yr onwards.
The All Merchandise Pack is JetBrains’ greatest supply, because it unlocks 16 programmer instruments that embody:
- 10 IDEs
- 3 extensions
- 2 code profilers
- 1 collaborative service
Not solely do you get IntelliJ IDEA with the All Merchandise Pack, however you additionally get CLion, Code With Me, DataGrip, PhpStorm, ReSharper, Rider, WebStorm, and extra.
IntelliJ IDEA for people:
- IntelliJ IDEA Final: $169 for the primary yr. $135 for the second yr. $101 for the third yr onwards.
- All Merchandise Pack: $289 for the primary yr. $231 for the second yr. $173 for the third yr onwards.
Past these pricing plans and the 90-day free trial, JetBrains additionally has particular IntelliJ IDEA presents for choose forms of purchasers. College students, academics, coding bootcamps, and open-source tasks can benefit from the IDE for gratis. Startups, universities, and academic organizations can take pleasure in it at a 50 % low cost.
IntelliJ IDEA Execs
IntelliJ IDEA has the next professionals for builders:
- Clever code help
- Constructed-in coding instruments
- Loads of integrations
- Refactoring options
IntelliJ IDEA has a number of professionals, starting with its clever code help that provides code completion and different capabilities to extend builders’ coding effectivity and pace. The built-in instruments (terminal, profiler, and so forth.) supply loads of performance out of the field, which may be prolonged much more by means of IntelliJ IDEA’s a number of integrations. Refactoring is one other professional, because it lets builders modify code construction with ease and with out fear of affecting current code.
IntelliJ IDEA Cons
IntelliJ IDEA does have a number of cons for programmers:
- Studying curve
- Cluttered interface
- Costly
IntelliJ IDEA’s big selection of instruments is a plus, however it may also be a drawback since it could possibly take some time to study the place every little thing is and the way it works. Some have complained that the consumer interface can appear cluttered or overwhelming too. And if you wish to unlock all the developer instrument’s options, you will want to get a higher-price premium plan, which can not match all budgets.
Options to IntelliJ IDEA
If IntelliJ IDEA is just too expensive, complicated, or cluttered, it’s possible you’ll need to attempt one in all these improvement setting or code modifying alternate options:
Visible Studio Code (VS Code)
VS Code is a stable code modifying possibility in case you are looking for one thing sturdy but light-weight and, most significantly, free. It options together with:
- Help for hottest languages
- Syntax highlighting
- Constructed-in debugging
- Code refactoring instruments
- Loads of assets and integrations
Eclipse IDE
A versatile, extensible, and customizable IntelliJ IDEA different is Eclipse. It helps Java improvement, is open-source, and free. Its options embody:
- Developer collaboration instruments
- Information modeling
- Deployment options
- Code debugging
- Personal code repository
Study extra about Eclipse IDE.
NetBeans IDE
NetBeans is one other open-source and free IntelliJ IDEA different that helps Java improvement and comes loaded with loads of options for code completion, debugging, and extra. Different options embody:
- Help for cell improvement
- Code refactoring toolset
- Debugging choices
- Growth cycle instruments
- Help for internet improvement
Study extra about NetBeans IDE.
Last Ideas on IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA is a developer instrument that packs a powerful function set, integrations, and extra, however at a value. Should you can afford it, IntelliJ IDEA can take your productiveness as a developer to a different degree. However if you happen to want one thing simpler on the pockets, attempt one of many free IntelliJ IDEA alternate options listed above.
