Question

Hey all, my Computational Science course this semester is entirely in Java. I was wondering if there was a good/preferred set of tools to use in ubuntu. Currently I use gedit with a terminal running in the bottom, but I’d like an API browser.

I’ve considered Eclipse, but it seems to bloated and unfriendly for quick programs.

Answer 1

Java editing tends to go one of two ways; people either stick with a simple editor and use a terminal to compile/run their programs, or they use a big IDE with a zillion features.

I usually go the simple route and just use a plain text editor and terminal, but there’s still a lot to be said for IDEs. This is especially true when learning the language, since hitting ‘spam.’ brings up a dropdown with all of the fields and methods of the spam object. And this is not just useful to a beginner; it remains useful later on when using unfamiliar libraries and third party modules.

IDEs also have useful tools such as GUI builders which become invaluable when doing professional Java work. So although I typically prefer a simple editor/terminal combo, I highly recommend trying out an IDE such as Eclipse or Netbeans to see how you like it and so that you’ll know how to use one later on.