IntelliJ IDEA is an built-in growth atmosphere (IDE) from JetBrains. Whereas used primarily for Java growth, IntelliJ IDEA additionally helps many different programming languages and has a full set of options that improve developer productiveness, akin to static code evaluation, code completion, and extra. By dealing with repetitive duties and saving time, it lets builders spend extra vitality on the artistic facet of software program growth.
Does this imply that IntelliJ IDEA is the best developer instrument for you? We’ll assist reply that query by breaking down the IDE’s options, pricing, execs, and cons. And, in case you discover it not the correct match, we can even reveal a number of the prime IntelliJ IDEA alternate options so you might have loads of choices when purchasing round.
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Overview of IntelliJ IDEA
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JetBrains first launched IntelliJ IDEA to the market in 2000 as a programmer instrument meant to spice up productiveness and remedy points confronted by Java builders. As a substitute of merely providing commonplace coding assist, IntelliJ IDEA’s creators aimed to take issues one step additional and supply superior capabilities for refactoring, code evaluation, and integrations with a number of the most widely-used frameworks.
Due to a user-friendly interface, progressive 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 extra programming languages like Scala, Groovy, Kotlin, and so forth., plus plugin and net growth, database integration, and extra. At the moment, IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains’ prime providing and one of the common IDEs within the business utilized by particular person builders of all ability ranges and software program growth groups seeking to streamline their processes whereas rising productiveness.
Options of IntelliJ IDEA
What makes IntelliJ IDEA such a preferred developer instrument? Options like these:
- New Challenge wizard
- Customizations
- Extensibility by plugins
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Sensible coding help
- On-the-fly code inspections
- Stay 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 growth help
- Collaboration options
IDE newbies can get new initiatives began shortly in IntelliJ IDEA with the New Challenge wizard. Merely choose the language, construct system, and JDK model, and the remainder of the settings will probably 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 may 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 it’s essential to get your required degree of performance, and extra.
Keyboard shortcuts play a major position in saving time and offering comfort in IntelliJ IDEA. Double Shift triggers the Search All over the place perform to search out gadgets inside or outdoors of initiatives, and you will see many different shortcuts for important features like debugging, viewing latest information, and so forth.
Whereas IntelliJ IDEA was designed with Java and Kotlin growth in thoughts, the developer instrument can decipher different programming languages, akin 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 enhance confidence and guarantee your code meets the very best requirements, whereas additionally rising your coding velocity. Talking of coding velocity, IntelliJ IDEA’s reside templates, which can be personalized, will enable you 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. Automated 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 in search of quick, starting with the aforementioned Search All over the place instrument. Hit the Shift key twice and kind the title of what you might be in search of, and Search All over the place will scour your codebase to search out it shortly. An analogous function is Discover in Recordsdata, which might pinpoint textual content strings in initiatives. IntelliJ IDEA additionally provides you the Fast Definition popup to see the place and the way symbols are outlined in initiatives, plus SSR (Structural search and substitute) and Discover Usages.
The IntelliJ IDEA options don’t cease there, because it additionally has strong instruments for setting run and construct parameters, debugging code, and making use of/creating Junit exams. It comes with a number of built-in instruments (terminal, database instruments, profiler, HTTP consumer, decompiler), plus integrates with common construct instruments like Maven, Ant, and Gradle and container orchestration programs like Docker and Kubernetes. IntelliJ IDEA additionally helps net growth, 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, akin 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 buy a Industrial license, which provides entry to a single individual inside the group. Non-public people should buy 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 person for the primary yr. $479 for the second yr. $359 per yr onwards.
- All Merchandise Pack: $779 per person 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 embrace:
- 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 provides for choose forms of shoppers. College students, academics, coding bootcamps, and open-source initiatives can benefit from the IDE for free of charge. Startups, universities, and academic organizations can take pleasure in it at a 50 % low cost.
IntelliJ IDEA Execs
IntelliJ IDEA has the next execs for builders:
- Clever code help
- Constructed-in coding instruments
- Loads of integrations
- Refactoring options
IntelliJ IDEA has a number of execs, starting with its clever code help that provides code completion and different capabilities to extend builders’ coding effectivity and velocity. The built-in instruments (terminal, profiler, and so forth.) supply loads of performance out of the field, which could be prolonged much more by 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 present code.
IntelliJ IDEA Cons
IntelliJ IDEA does have a number of cons for programmers:
- Studying curve
- Cluttered interface
- Costly
IntelliJ IDEA’s wide selection of instruments is a plus, however it can be an obstacle since it will probably take some time to be taught the place all the pieces is and the way it works. Some have complained that the person interface can appear cluttered or overwhelming too. And if you wish to unlock the entire developer instrument’s options, you have to to get a higher-price premium plan, which can not match all budgets.
Alternate options to IntelliJ IDEA
If IntelliJ IDEA is simply too expensive, complicated, or cluttered, chances are you’ll need to strive one among these growth atmosphere or code enhancing alternate options:
Visible Studio Code (VS Code)
VS Code is a stable code enhancing choice if you’re looking for one thing strong but light-weight and, most significantly, free. It options together with:
- Assist for hottest languages
- Syntax highlighting
- Constructed-in debugging
- Code refactoring instruments
- Loads of sources and integrations
Be taught extra about VS Code.
Eclipse IDE
A versatile, extensible, and customizable IntelliJ IDEA different is Eclipse. It helps Java growth, is open-source, and free. Its options embrace:
- Developer collaboration instruments
- Knowledge modeling
- Deployment options
- Code debugging
- Non-public code repository
Be taught extra about Eclipse IDE.
NetBeans IDE
NetBeans is one other open-source and free IntelliJ IDEA different that helps Java growth and comes loaded with loads of options for code completion, debugging, and extra. Different options embrace:
- Assist for cellular growth
- Code refactoring toolset
- Debugging choices
- Improvement cycle instruments
- Assist for net growth
Be taught extra about NetBeans IDE.
Ultimate Ideas on IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA is a developer instrument that packs a powerful function set, integrations, and extra, however at a value. For those who can afford it, IntelliJ IDEA can take your productiveness as a developer to a different degree. However in case you want one thing simpler on the pockets, strive one of many free IntelliJ IDEA alternate options listed above.
