JavaTM IDE Shootout

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JavaTM IDE Shootout
Eclipse, Emacs, IDEA, JDeveloper, NetBeansTM
Software

• Don Coleman
• Joel Confino
• Peter Koletzke

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Goal of This Session
You know your text editor is great, but do you
really know what youre missing?
Discover the best and the worst of five of the
most popular JavaTM technology IDEs
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Agenda

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeansTM software
• Discussion and Q A

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Overview of the Playing Field
Eclipse

• Open Source License
• Free
• Java technology IDE uses the JDT plugin set
• Runs on any platform with both a JVMTM software
  and SWT implementation (Windows, Linux, SolarisTM
  OS, AIX, HP-UX, Mac OS X)
• Graphical Interface
• http//www.eclipse.org/

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Overview of the Playing Field
Emacs

• Open Source License
• Free
• Use the JDEE ECB Plug-ins
• Runs on Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, most UNIX
  platforms
• Both text-based and graphical interfaces
• http//www.gnu.org/software/emacs/emacs.html
• http//jdee.sunsite.dk/
• http//ecb.sourceforge.net/

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Overview of the Playing Field
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA 4.0

• Commercial License
• Price
• Personal License - 249
• Standard License - 499
• Runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
• Graphical Interface
• http//www.intellij.com/

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Overview of the Playing Field
Oracle JDeveloper 10g

• Commercial License
• Price
• Full version 995
• Free download with no time limit for evaluation
• Runs on Windows, Linux, Solaris OS, HP-UX, Mac OS
  X
• Graphical Interface
• http//otn.oracle.com/products/jdev

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Overview of the Playing Field
NetBeans Software

• Open Source License
• Free
• Runs on any platform with a Java virtual machine
• Graphical interface
• http//www.netbeans.org/

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Common Features
Dont leave home without them

• Code completion
• Structure view (fields/methods/properties)
• CVS Integration
• Ant Integration
• Plug-ins (though API varies)
• Easy access to JavaDocTM tool
• Some J2EETM platform features
• Debugger support
• Error highlighting

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeans Software
• Discussion and Q A

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(No Transcript)
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Eclipse
The good

• Open source / Free
• Trivial install
• Starts fast
• SWT UI looks good and is very responsive
• Can save screen layouts called perspectives (e.g.
  one for coding, another for debugging, another
  for profiling)
• Refactoring support (rename, move, pull up, push
  down, extract interface, use supertype where
  possible)

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Eclipse
The good

• Java source code scrapbook editor (select a code
  snippet, evaluate it, and display the result as a
  string, save snippets)
• Excellent plug-in support
• Many commerical plug-ins available, including
  OptimizeIt, JasperAssistant, profiling,
  Hibernate, regular expression testers, etc.
• Includes templates and text shortcuts (generate
  getters/setters, delegate methods, system output,
  method declarations, loops) and template
  generation with a syntax like the JSPTM
  architecture

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Eclipse
The good

• Good CVS/ANT integration
• Local version control
• Shows javadoc for a class or method as a tooltip
  (mouse hover), and when using code completion
• Good navigation (declaration, type hierarchy,
  call hierarchy, supertype, filename)
• Multiple projects in same window, the build for
  one project can depend on another project
• Includes error-highlighting, spell check
• Large, active developer community

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Eclipse
The bad

• The platform is not Java language-specific, thus
  some terms and procedures are too generic
• Potentially higher learning curve (for example,
  the menus are not intuitive)
• Version 3.0M8 (which is beta) had some
  performance issues, 3.0RC6 looks better 3.0
  Final out June 30th
• No out-of-the-box JSP technology support

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Eclipse
The ugly

• Too generic hard for new developers to get a
  handle on

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Eclipse
Summary

• Open source
• Free
• Very strong plugin support (some free some
  commercial)
• Large feature set, higher learning curve

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeans Software
• Discussion and Q A

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(No Transcript)
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Emacs
The good

• Lightweight, compared to many IDEs
• Split buffer to simultaneously edit multiple
  files
• Auto indentation (hit TAB and code goes to the
  right position)
• Key bindings for commands (We don't need no
  stinkin' mice)
• Completely customizable (If you don't like
  something, change it)
• Many custom packages are available (plug-ins)

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Emacs
The good

• Code completion (most people don't realize this
  is available)
• Wizards for common features (imports, implement
  interface, getters/setters, delegate methods,
  etc.)
• Ant integration
• Excellent CVS integration
• J2EE Technology Wizards (new Session/Entity
  beans)
• JavaDoc tool skeletons for easy documentation

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Emacs
The good

• Keyword and template expansion
• Regular expression search and replace
• Embedded BeanShell scripting environment
• Supports languages other than the Java language
• Supports XML and DocBook
• Free
• Highest version number, darn it!
• Not vi

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Emacs
The bad

• Code navigation not as good as other IDEs
• Learning curve for key bindings
• Cut and paste with problems with some other
  applications (UNIX)
• Installation and configuration is a bit complex
• JSP technology support limited
• Refactoring
• LISP
• Old school UI

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Emacs
The ugly
Need we say more?
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Emacs
Summary

• Java Technology Development Environment for Emacs
  (JDEE) is essential
• Emacs Code Browser ECB is a nice addition
• Powerful tool, but not as slick as "modern" IDEs
• Not for everyone it needs to fit the way you work

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeans Software
• Discussion and Q A

27
(No Transcript)
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IntelliJ IDEA
The good

• Assists you "on the fly" (adds imports, completes
  quotes and braces, prompts to handle exceptions)
• Can avoid mouse almost entirely hot keys
  include
• Surround with try/catch with appropriate
  exceptions
• Surround with other blocks (synchronized,
  if/while, etc.)
• Implement/override methods
• Create getters/setters/constructors
• Create equals and hashcode methods
• Most dialogs are easy to navigate by keyboard
• Great templates (iterate array/collection, main,
  stdout)
• Smart about choosing types and variables for
  templates

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IntelliJ IDEA
The good

• Excellent navigation, no need to wade through
  packages or structure trees
• Excellent refactoring (extract variables,
  methods, interfaces, push, pull, etc.)
• Code folding (hides imports by default, lets you
  collapse large methods, comments or arbitrary
  blocks of code)
• Outstanding CVS integration
• Check one box and it works no need to configure
  anything or check out the project again
• Auto adds/removes files in CVS when moved or
  renamed
• Slick graphical diffs
• Editor highlights diffs in the gutter/margin

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IntelliJ IDEA
The good

• Ant integration (Ant task bar, code/property
  completion within Ant build files even without
  DTD)
• JUnit Integration (right-click to run test/all
  tests)
• Excellent XML support / code completion
• For EJB beans, generates warnings or errors for
  mismatched interface/impl methods, use of
  inappropriate APIs (File, etc.)
• For JSP pages, import handling, error display,
  and code completion for custom tags and
  scriptlets
• Local version control
• Plug-in API, lots of plug-ins available

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IntelliJ IDEA
The bad

• Popup advice doesnt interrupt typing, but
  sometimes obscures code
• Multiple projects multiple windows
• Limited J2EE platform-based server integration
• Great for the seasoned developer, not
  point-and-clickers
• Not open source

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IntelliJ IDEA
The ugly

• Modules
• Project setup was simple and intuitive in v3
• v4 wants you to arrange your project in modules
  to support Web and EJB architecture features
• Overall, project setup is more of a pain
• Okay once you get used to it, but could
  definitely use improvement!

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IntelliJ IDEA
Summary

• Really understands Java technology
• Accelerates your way of coding instead of
  interrupting the flow with wizards or mouse
  clicks
• Error highlighting and helper functions are so
  good youll never need to compile
• Not free, but well worth the price

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeans Software
• Discussion and Q A

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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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Oracle JDeveloper
The good

• Every step of the life cycle in one tool
• UML, coding, debugging, profiling, deployment
• Choice of development styles
• Coder/Visual Declarative/Everything in between
• Visual Editor for JSP spec./HTML, JFC/Swing API
  AWT
• Visual Struts Page Flow modeler
• Visual Design of Java language, EJB architecture
• Code-View/Design-View Synchronization
• No separate generation stepalways synchronized
• Underlying code always accessible

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Oracle JDeveloper
The good

• Choice of Application Servers, DBs
• Deployment wizards for Oracle AS, BEA, JBoss,
  Tomcat
• Choice of Persistence Architecture
• EJB, TopLink, JavaBeansTM, ADF Business
  Components
• Built in J2EE platform-based container
• Ant, CVS, JUnit integrated into the IDE
• Extensive Web Services and XML support
• Database development features
• Extension SDK and many plug-ins

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Oracle JDeveloper
The good

• End-to-End J2EE Development Framework
• Based on Model-View-Controller Architecture
• Built in Design-Patterns
• Visual and Declarative development
• Technology choice for each layer
• Complete version with no time restriction
  downloadable from http//otn.oracle.com
• Only 995 for the full version

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Oracle JDeveloper
The bad

• Only one packaging with all the features
• Limited refactoring support
• Only 3 of the UML diagrams
• Excellent support for the Oracle DB but not
  perfect for other databases
• Not many books about it out there
• Requires a strong PC (512mb)
• Doesnt integrate with PVCS and MS VSS

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Oracle JDeveloper
The ugly

• JDeveloper's interface looks a little outdated
  compared to modern UIs.

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Oracle JDeveloper
Summary

• Complete and Integrated
• Full development lifecycle
• One tool for Java, Web Services, XML, PL/SQL
• Easy to Use and Productive
• Improved coding productivity
• Visual and declarative development
• Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle
  ADF)
• Standard, Open, and Extensible
• Support for latest J2EE standards
• Open source framework integration
• Open Extension API

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• JDeveloper
• NetBeans
• Discussion and Q A

44
(No Transcript)
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NetBeans Software
The good

• Stores project settings in an Ant build file
• Can use existing Ant file for fast project setup
• Doesnt default to being too helpful
• Not the NetBeans software you remember
• No longer need to mount filesystems
• CVS integration very smooth
• Open Source
• Can use as application framework/platform as well
  as IDE

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NetBeans Software
The bad

• Limited refactoring
• Too many configuration options
• Latest versions dont have great documentation
• Release cycle too fast for presentations where we
  submit slides in advance!

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NetBeans Software
The ugly

• Often a generation behind commercial offerings
  (hopefully v4 will be stable when you read this)

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NetBeans Software
Summary

• Easy to install and run on any platform that has
  a Java virtual machine
• Competitive features
• Great architecture

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Agenda Progress

• Overview of the playing field
• Common features
• The best and the worst of
• Oracle JDeveloper
• Eclipse
• Emacs
• IntelliJ Idea
• NetBeans Software
• Discussion and Q A

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Summary
An IDE for every twisted personality

• JDeveloper Productivity, thankfully with no
  vendor/technology lock-in
• Eclipse A free IDE for experienced developers
• Emacs Use it if you love it
• IntelliJ When you want an IDE that thinks like
  you do
• NetBeans Software Why would you want to use
  anything else?

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Your turn
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JavaTM IDE Shootout
Eclipse, Emacs, IDEA, NetBeans Software,
JDeveloper

• Don Coleman
• Joel Confino
• Peter Koletzke