Java Development
While Java can be written using any text or code editor like notepad++, most developers prefer to use an Integrated Development Environment, or an IDE, to develop their applications. An IDE is a software suite that consolidates the basic tools developers need to write and test software. Typically, an IDE contains three essential components:
- Code Editor
- Compiler or Interpreter
- Debugger
These components are accessed through a single graphical user interface (GUI). An IDE may be a standalone application, or it may be included as part of one or more existing and compatible applications.
There are a number of IDE’s available, one of the most popular is the NetBeans IDE. NetBeans is a free IDE available for developing, but not limited to, Java programs. NetBeans is available for both Windows, Linux and Max OS making it a good option for this course.
To download NetBeans, go to https://netbeans.org/ and download the version compatible with your device. Then follow the instruction to install.
In the next lesson we will step through the NetBeans interface to get up up and running with NetBeans.