IntelliJ IDEA Buyer Guide
Ever wondered how IntelliJ IDEA’s users think it performs? Our detailed guide, synthesized from honest user experiences and feedback, can help you figure out what works well and what doesn’t. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of IntelliJ IDEA before making a purchase decision.
Highlight the Right Reviews
Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.
Table of Contents
Software Development Lifecycle
Java Development
Users generally praise IntelliJ IDEA’s capabilities for Java development. The IDE is highly regarded for its robust support for Java frameworks like Spring Boot, Maven, and Gradle, making it a preferred choice for enterprise-level Java application development. Users appreciate the intuitive code editor, excellent syntax highlighting, and the ease of running and debugging Java applications directly from the IDE. However, some users have noted concerns about the IDE’s heavy RAM consumption, occasional performance issues on low-spec machines, and limitations in handling version control compared to other tools. Despite these drawbacks, IntelliJ IDEA remains a popular choice for Java developers due to its comprehensive features tailored for Java development. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“IntelliJ IDEA is most well suited for enterprise-level Java application development due to its inbuilt IDE and code running, debugging features as well as plugin support. The most common Maven and Java commands needed to run an application are easily available, making it easy to focus on the actual development, than setup.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
“IntelliJ IDEA offers many ‘smart’ and helpful features at the same time improving user experience and coding knowledge. Additionally, the UI allows quick and easy navigation. IntelliJ IDEA lets you quickly and easily write and change the code, suggests appropriate names, finds the appropriate methods.” – Professional in Information Technology, Investment Management, 1001-5000 employees
“Handling large projects–In this area, IntelliJ IDEA has some downsides. When opening a large project in IntelliJ IDEA, often my laptop hangs. So to work with large projects, I would recommend Eclipse.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer Software, 51-200 employees
Application and Web Development
Users generally praise IntelliJ IDEA’s application and web development capabilities. The IDE is highly regarded for its robust support for Java programming and web frameworks like Angular and React. Users appreciate its advanced features for web development, including ultimate code assistance for various languages like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. However, some users have noted that IntelliJ IDEA may lead to longer build times and lacks support for certain languages like Python. Despite these minor drawbacks, IntelliJ IDEA remains a popular choice for developers working on web applications and Java projects. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
“It is great for Java programming (and the Java Environment) as well as for web development, especially with frameworks such as Angular and React. For large projects consisting of multiple modules, it shines in its organization and simplicity.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees
“IntelliJ IDEA offers advanced support for the most important web frameworks and standards. This includes ultimate code assistance for HTML5, CSS3, SASS, LESS, JavaScript, ActionScript, and other languages.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 5001-10,000 employees
“However, it does lead to some long build times. Also, not all languages (for example, Python) are good for IntelliJ.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees
Software Development Best Practices
Users generally praise IntelliJ IDEA for its robust software development capabilities. The IDE is highly regarded for its support in tracking code changes, compiling, and building code efficiently. Users appreciate the in-built terminal feature that streamlines the development process. Additionally, IntelliJ IDEA’s ability to integrate with various build systems and support multiple programming languages like Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Kotlin is well-received by developers. The IDE’s strong emphasis on software development best practices, such as maintaining OpenAPI and PlantUML documents, SCM integration with Git, and efficient testing suite integration, contributes to its positive reputation among software developers. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
“IntelliJ IDEA supports efficient development, packaging, and deployment of web services. For instance, IntelliJ is often used for creating RESTful web services used by other existing applications written in other languages.” – Professional in Information Technology, Investment Management, 1001-5000 employees
“My everyday software development is done in IntelliJ. Different types of testing suites can also be added to it. Before it used to be a problem to integrate cucumber testing suites to IDEE but IntelliJ has made life easier and more sophisticated.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees
“Forget the command line, just use IntelliJ’s excellent GUI.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees
Development Tools and Integration
Plugin Support and Integration
Users generally praise IntelliJ IDEA’s robust plugin support and integration capabilities, citing them as key strengths of the IDE. The majority of reviewers appreciate the wide range of plugins available, which enhance their development experience and streamline workflows. Integration with popular tools like Git and Maven is highlighted as a valuable feature that simplifies version control and project management tasks. While some users mention minor issues such as slow indexing or excessive default plugins, overall, the sentiment towards IntelliJ IDEA’s plugin support and integration remains positive. The ability to customize the IDE with plugins tailored to specific needs is seen as a significant advantage by many users, contributing to improved productivity and efficiency in their development processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“IntelliJ IDEA is most well suited for enterprise-level Java application development due to its inbuilt IDE and code running, debugging features as well as plugin support. The most common Maven and Java commands needed to run an application are easily available, making it easy to focus on the actual development, than setup.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
“Git integration; Ease of access to many useful features; Accessible layout; Free community edition” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees
“Integration with bitbucket.; Easier navigation in a big project.; Easy for debugging.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Information Technology & Services, 1001-5000 employees
Version Control Integration
While some users praise IntelliJ IDEA for its efficient Git integration and ease of creating pull requests, others express frustration with the complexity of version control tasks, such as staging and unstaging changes. The IDE’s support for version control systems like Git is acknowledged, but some users find it lacking in certain areas, leading to a varied perception of its version control integration capabilities. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
“Its version control integration is slightly complex compared to VS code, not allowing us to stage, unstage changes easily, meaning most developers are forced to use the terminal.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
“Find and Replace in all files at once feature is missing; Some eclipse shortcuts are not supported; Git is left unsynchronized at times.” – Professional in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
“Version control makes the day-to-day activity super easy, so increased efficiency.; It helps a developer to comfortably and easily write code.; IntelliSense increased the productivity and increased the speed of writing code.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer Software, 51-200 employees
IDE Features and Customization
Reviewers generally praise IntelliJ IDEA’s IDE features and customization options. Users appreciate the deep integration for most statically typed languages and the continuous improvement through frequent feature-packed releases. However, some users express concerns about the high memory consumption and lack of supporting documentation for customizing the IDE. Despite these drawbacks, IntelliJ IDEA remains a popular choice for backend developers working with JVM languages due to its robust features and productivity-enhancing tools. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“IntelliJ IDEA Enterprise edition is to die for. It is the best IDE out there in the market. It has got some out of world features like smart code completion, good suggestions for variables, finding the appropriate methods, [Source] column selection mode.” – Contributor in Information Technology, E-Learning, 10,001+ employees
“IntelliJ IDEA offers advanced support for the most important web frameworks and standards. This includes ultimate code assistance for HTML5, CSS3, SASS, LESS, JavaScript, ActionScript, and other languages.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 5001-10,000 employees
“CONS: Extremely costly premium subscription which contains some very essential features; Sometimes, code corrections are not helpful and annoying; Sometimes, error messages are not helpful.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees
Code Efficiency and Quality
Code Completion and Suggestions
Users generally praise IntelliJ IDEA for its efficient code completion and intelligent suggestions functionality. The consensus among reviewers is that IntelliJ IDEA excels in providing accurate and timely code suggestions, making coding tasks more streamlined and productive. Users appreciate the ease of navigating through code and the helpful auto-completion features that save time and enhance coding accuracy. While some users mention minor limitations in certain scenarios, overall, IntelliJ IDEA’s code completion and suggestions capabilities are highly regarded for their contribution to a smoother coding experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“It’s the best option for development in java with frameworks like spring boot. Code navigation is easier and more efficient. It has integration with git so that we can easily create pull requests and see code changes. Better handles Maven and Gradle build. Provides useful code completion suggestions which lead to better use of our time.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Information Technology & Services, 1001-5000 employees
“IntelliJ IDEA Enterprise edition is to die for. It is the best IDE out there in the market. It has got some out of world features like smart code completion, good suggestions for variables, finding the appropriate methods, [Source] column selection mode. All of our batch mates use this IDE only. It makes the work productive and is very easy to integrate.” – Contributor in Information Technology, E-Learning, 10,001+ employees
“Auto-complete. It can always help you find the APIs you need. Extension and plugins. There are many third-party plugins that can improve developer productivity. It’s also easy to develop your own plugins quickly. Debugging. IntelliJ offers a full set of features to support debugging your program.” – Manager in Engineering, Internet, 10,001+ employees
Debugging and Testing Tools
User consensus seems to be that IntelliJ IDEA’s debugging and testing tools are highly regarded for their efficiency and effectiveness. Reviewers appreciate the robust debugging capabilities that make it easier to identify and resolve issues in code. The testing tools are praised for streamlining the testing process and improving code quality. While there are some concerns about resource usage and occasional unhelpful error messages, overall, users find IntelliJ IDEA’s debugging and testing tools to be valuable assets in their development workflow. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
“Good debugging support.; Good UI.; Easy navigation. Integration with bitbucket.; Easier navigation in a big project.; Easy for debugging.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Information Technology & Services, 1001-5000 employees
“IntelliJ IDEA has been a great tool to develop Javascript and Java services for myself. Debugging/Running code is effortless and requires minimal configuration by the user.” – Engineer in Engineering, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 51-200 employees
“Only the memory is a concern, as IntelliJ takes up much of the available memory, especially while debugging.” – Engineer in Marketing, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
Code Quality and Error Handling
Users generally appreciate IntelliJ IDEA’s strong code quality and error handling features, citing its efficient code analysis and error detection capabilities as key strengths. The tool’s intuitive code editor with syntax highlighting, code completion, and error correction functionalities contribute to a smoother development experience. While some users have noted occasional issues with error messages and resource consumption, overall, IntelliJ IDEA is recognized for its ability to enhance code quality and streamline error handling processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“IntelliJ has very good code analyzer used for evaluating code execution and error detection.” – Professional in Information Technology, Investment Management, 1001-5000 employees
“Sometimes, code corrections are not helpful and annoying; Sometimes, error messages are not helpful.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees
“IntelliJ helps us understand the code better by giving type annotations, alerting on syntax errors, and linking the code together so that variables and functions are ‘clickable’, meaning you can go to their definition.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 201-500 employees
Support and Resources
Developer Productivity and Tools
Users generally believe that IntelliJ IDEA excels in enhancing developer productivity through its comprehensive set of developer tools. The fast syntax highlighting, smart code completion, and advanced refactoring features have been particularly highlighted as key factors contributing to increased efficiency and faster code writing. While some users have mentioned a slight learning curve and performance issues, the overall consensus leans towards IntelliJ IDEA being a valuable tool for improving developer productivity and streamlining coding processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
“It makes your development easy. Smart code completion can make you write code faster than ever.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 5001-10,000 employees
“IntelliJ IDEA offers an amazing set of integrated developer tools that make development more productive.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 5001-10,000 employees
“Positive: IntelliJ has significantly improved developer productivity once it is properly set up.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 201-500 employees
Programming Languages Support
Reviewers across various testimonials consistently praise IntelliJ IDEA for its robust support of programming languages. Users highlight the IDE’s strong capabilities in Java, Scala, Kotlin, and other languages, emphasizing its efficiency in code completion, debugging, and project management. The extensive plugin ecosystem further enhances the development experience, allowing for seamless integration with various tools and frameworks. While some users mention limitations in supporting certain languages like Python, the overall consensus leans towards IntelliJ IDEA being a reliable choice for multi-language development projects. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“IntelliJ IDEA offers advanced support for the most important web frameworks and standards. This includes ultimate code assistance for HTML5, CSS3, SASS, LESS, JavaScript, ActionScript, and other languages.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 5001-10,000 employees
“IntelliJ supports various views for programming, debugging, and testing. Debug mode is supported and is easy to use. Can be used for Java, Spring Boot, and Scala projects as well.” – Professional in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees
“Not all languages (for example, Python) are good for IntelliJ.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees
Learning Resources and Community Support
Users generally appreciate IntelliJ IDEA’s robust functionality and features, but opinions are divided when it comes to its learning resources and community support. Some users find the learning curve manageable and praise the availability of a free community edition, while others express concerns about the lack of framework support and high pricing. Community support is seen as a positive aspect by some, but others feel that more developer-friendly tools and improved performance on low-end machines are needed. In terms of learning resources, users highlight the ease of access to features but note that navigating the software can be challenging for newcomers. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
“For students and teachers, the ultimate edition is free which is ideal.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees
“Handling large projects–In this area, IntelliJ IDEA has some downsides. When opening a large project in IntelliJ IDEA, often my laptop hangs.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer Software, 51-200 employees
“Good IDE with a lot of tools that make development easier, but it has a rather high learning curve, no problem if you already have contact with other JetBrains IDEs.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology and Services, 1001-5000 employees
