Introduction to IDEs

Integrated Development Environments

Author: Pau López Núñez

Table of Contents

• Visual Studio Code
• Eclipse
• IntelliJ IDEA
• Comparison of IDEs

Visual Studio Code

IDE Installation

1. Download VS Code from the official Visual Studio Code page.
2. Select your operating system and follow the installation instructions.

Recommended Extensions

• Java Extension Pack: Includes support for Java.
• Debugger for Java: Enables Java code debugging.
• Prettier: Helps with automatic code formatting.

Basic Configuration

• Indentation: Go to File > Preferences > Settings, search for "Tab Size," and adjust according to your preferences.
• Project Folder: Use File > Open Folder to select the project folder.

Run Code

1. Open the .java file.
2. Click on the play icon in the top-right corner or use the Run > Run Without Debugging menu.

Create Executable .jar

1. Install the "Java Extensions" extension.
2. Use commands like jar cfm FileName.jar MANIFEST.MF -C bin or create the JAR directly from the extension.

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Eclipse

IDE Installation

1. Download Eclipse from the official Eclipse page.
2. Follow the installer instructions.

Recommended Plugins

• Maven Integration: Integration for projects with Maven.
• Eclipse Git Team Provider: Supports Git integration.

Basic Configuration

• Indentation: Go to Window > Preferences > Java > Code Style > Formatter.
• Project Folder: Select File > New > Java Project and choose the directory.

Run Code

1. Right-click on the .java file.
2. Select Run As > Java Application.

Create Executable .jar

1. Select the project from File > Export.
2. Choose Java > Runnable JAR file and save the .jar file.

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IntelliJ IDEA

IDE Installation

1. Download IntelliJ IDEA from its official page.
2. Select either the Community or Ultimate version and follow the installation instructions.

Recommended Plugins

• Kotlin: Adds support for Kotlin projects.
• Git: Facilitates Git integration for version control.

Basic Configuration

• Indentation: Configure it from File > Settings > Code Style.
• Project Folder: Use File > New > Project to create or import an existing project.

Run Code

1. Right-click on the .java file.
2. Select the Run option.

Create Executable .jar

1. Go to File > Project Structure > Artifacts.
2. Add a .jar, select the main class, and use Build > Build Artifacts.

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Comparison of IDEs

Installation Experience

• Visual Studio Code: Quick and easy installation; useful for lightweight projects with easy configuration through extensions.
• Eclipse: Robust but with a less intuitive interface. Ideal for large projects with advanced support like Maven.
• IntelliJ IDEA: Easy to install and configure, with advanced autocompletion and efficient Java project management.

Cloud IDE: Codenvy

Codenvy is an online IDE for Java with Git integration and deployment options. It does not require installation and is accessible from any browser, facilitating remote work and collaboration.

Comparison between Local and Cloud IDEs

• Advantages of Local IDEs: Allows for advanced customization, better performance offline, and plugin support.
• Advantages of Cloud IDEs: No installation needed, accessible from multiple devices, ideal for team collaboration.

Conclusion

Using an IDE optimizes the workflow in software development, with integrated features that streamline development, debugging, and dependency management, significantly increasing productivity.

Full Research (in spanish)