IntelliJ IDEA Overview
IntelliJ IDEA is a Java integrated development environment (IDE) for developing computer software. It is developed by JetBrains and is available as an Apache 2 Licensed community edition and in a proprietary commercial edition.
Key Features
- Smart Code Completion: Context-aware code completion that suggests the most relevant symbols.
- Framework-Specific Assistance: First-class support for Spring, Jakarta EE, Micronaut, Quarkus, and more.
- Built-in Tools: Integrated version control, terminal, HTTP client, and database tools.
- Refactoring: Advanced refactoring capabilities for Java, Kotlin, and other languages.
- Debugger: Feature-rich debugger with breakpoints, watches, and expression evaluation.
- Code Analysis: On-the-fly code analysis with quick-fix suggestions.
- Plugin Ecosystem: Extensive plugin ecosystem with support for many languages and tools.
Installation & Setup
Installation Steps:
- Download the appropriate version from JetBrains website
- Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
- Choose your preferred theme and keymap during first launch
- Install necessary plugins for your projects
- Configure JDK and build tools
Recommended Plugins:
Lombok
Adds support for Lombok's annotations processing.
SonarLint
Detects and helps fix code quality issues.
Rainbow Brackets
Colors matching brackets for better readability.
Database Navigator
Database management and query tool.
Productivity Tips
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Ctrl+Shift+A: Find action
- Alt+Enter: Show context actions
- Ctrl+Alt+L: Reformat code
- Ctrl+Shift+T: Create test
Live Templates
Use predefined and custom live templates for code generation (e.g., "sout" for System.out.println()).
Structural Search/Replace
Find and replace code patterns matching a specific structure rather than text.
Multiple Carets
Use Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Click to add multiple carets for simultaneous editing.