Best Open Source IDEs for Java Programming Languages

Whether you are an experienced Java programmer or developer or you are just getting into the game, you will definitely use an IDE (Integrated Development Environment). A Java IDE is a software that provides all the necessary tools, libraries and other resources for Java  programming.

Best Open Source Java IDEs

Some of the resources that you are likely to find in a Java IDE includes code editor, debugging tool and automation tool. IDEs have the source code compilation features. If you are a Java programmer or developer then here is the best open source IDEs that you can use for Java Programming.

       1.       Netbeans

Netbeans is an open source IDE that is written in Java and it is used for Java Programming. It is a versatile software that can meet the needs of any Java programmer or a developer regardless of their experience. Netbeans as an open source software it allows third-party developers to improve its functionalities.

For the purpose of bringing more people, Netbeans moved to Apache sever. Apart from Java, Netbeans supports other programming languages such as C, C++, PHP, and HTML 5.

Features:

·        It is a cross-platform software that can run on any OS.

·        It can work with cloud applications.

·        Fully integrated with all the development tools.

·         Netbeans has an Ant-based project system.

2.    Eclipse

Eclipse is another free open source IDE for Java developers. It is an ideal integrated development environment (IDE) for Java programming. Using Eclipse, you can create any Java application that can run on any platform. Either on the web, mobile and desktop applications. Apart from Java, Eclipse supports other languages such as C, PHP, Perl, Python, and Ruby.

Features:

·        Eclipse supports the latest Java technologies.

·        Provides the best tooling options for JEE (Java Enterprise Edition) projects.

·        IDE has productivity-boosting tools.

·        Allows Git integration.

3.    Intelli J IDEA Community Edition

IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is a free IDE for Java programming. Some of the programming languages are supported by this IDE includes Android programming, Scala, Java SE (Java Standard Edition), Java, and Groovy.

IntelliJ is a lightweight IDE. This means that you don’t need to have a high-end computer.

Features:

     ·        Has a JUnit testing tools.

     ·        It has testind, debugging and code inspection tools.

     ·        Code completion feature.

     ·        Supports multiple refactoring.

     ·        XML and Java code editor.

It is an important to note that IntelliJ comes in different editions. The community edition is the one that is free and open source.