What Java IDE ?

[KingTermite]

What Java IDE do you use? What, in your opinion, is the best Java environment/IDE ?

[Captain Nuss]

Well, I've tried JBuilder and Forte for Java. They're both quite nice, but I've switched to jEdit as my code editor and Ant as a build tool. In my opinion, you get better control over your projects with these.

[bayard]

I use vi a lot. But also use Intellij's IDEA. If not for having a copy of IDEA, I would look at Eclipse next. [eclipse.org]. I used to use Ant a lot, but am now looking at Jakarta's Maven more often. jEdit's not a bad tool either. Nice and easy to write plugins for.

[tlindema]

Problem with Netbeans and Forte is the slowness of both applications. Both IDE's are really really slow to use.
Try Eclipse or JEdit, those provide basic functionalities and are faster. (and free)

JBuilder is nice too but eat's lot's of memory too.

Tommi

[AJAlfajardo]

I use JCreator u can download the free version in www.jcreator.com....It is the fastest IDE existing since it was created using Visual C++ 6(A compiled programming language unlike other IDE w/c uses JAVA which has to be compiled and then interpreted(Eats up a lot of time))...If your up to source code interoperability w/other languages and much more advanced features like Drag and drop GUI design i recommend you to use NetBeans 3.5.1(u can get it free at www.java.sun.com or at www.netbeans.org)...But if you want deployable applications with *.exe files generation(U can still do these by changing the classpath using JDK) use JBuilder but ofcourse JBuilder is a bit slower compared with NETBEANS....I Use these 3 IDE's Jcreator for raw hard coding...Netbeans for Rapid application Development....JBuilder for exe generation and much more advanced features..

[tpgettys]

FWIW, I use jGRASP, available at:
http://www.eng.auburn.edu/grasp/index.html

and a nice learning tool/IDE is BlueJ, available at:
http://www.bluej.org/

I looked a jCreator, but couldn't find any documentation on it so I abandoned it.

[stephen_wee]

Eclipse is also a good IDE - but tends to be slow if you have just have 256 MB RAM (Recommended is 512MB) and running on PIII.
JBuilder 8 is especially user friendly if using tools like struts, a bit faster than Eclipse and could configure for the different web server(Weblogic 6,7, websphere..).

[Ishaibin]

yes and JBuilder 9 is very good as well

but if your a beginner ,the net beans ide that comes with J2SE is more then enough for you and has everything you need .
unless your gonna download it for p2p or soemthign

[mikedershowitz]

I'm partial to eclipse. It is true about the performance issues, but that is really the only bad part about it. The interface is really nicd, I think, and you really can't beat the plug-in model. Give eclipse enough time and people will be using it no only for Java but also for other languages.

Other thing to mention is that you might want to consider combining your IDE with some static analysis tools. Static analysis tools parse your code and extract information about it from the source code itself. Most tools look for certain situations that lead to poor quality or have been shown to lead to bugs. Other tools have taken static analyis to the next level and actual create visual models from the source code that can then also be used to change the source code. Our firm has such a tool, and we and our clients find it significantly reduced development time while increasing quality, all becuase static analysis provides a robust source of informaiton. Definately something to check out, and I think a lot of firms will be adding it to their toolset in the coming years.