Best open source IDE for Java
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We use NetBeans as the primary development tool for most of the Java projects. Being open source, it is highly cost effective and extremely simple to configure on a new workspace. It has got multiple plugins to integrate various tools and software into the development environment. All the Java based technologies are seamlessly integrated into the workshop making it simpler to develop and deploy.
Pros
- Ability to maintain Project Groups to differentiate applications
- Ease of adding and configuring external libraries
- Ability to switch seamlessly between run, debug and profile mode
- Inbuilt integration with Git, Mercurial and Subversion
Cons
- Inability to add WebLogic server due to Licensing issues after Apache takeover. WebLogic plugin was available up until version 8.2. However, the plugin has been removed from version 9 due to a conflicting licensing issue.
- Limited support for JavaScript projects, there is a huge scope for improvement in this area.
- Packaging as .exe and .msi for desktop based applications (Swing and JavaFX) needs improvement.
Most Important Features
- Ability to organize different projects by creating project groups
- Ease of creating server instances and domains from within the workspace
- Ability to import projects created using other IDEs
Return on Investment
- Being an open sourced product, NetBeans is one of the best tools available in the marketplace with the best value of return on investment.
- NetBeans doesn't have some of the features that other paid competitors provide, but it is still good enough and completely cost effective.
- Project configuration duration with NetBeans is much less compared to other Eclipse based workshops, saving hours for development teams.
Alternatives Considered
Eclipse, IBM Rational ALM and IntelliJ IDEA
Other Software Used
Oracle WebLogic Suite, Oracle Database, Toad Database Developer Tools
