Having the correct tools is essential for every developer that seeks to not only program for the sake of it, but create high-quality projects every single time! For developers, it is common knowledge that most of our professional lives are spent coding Java ─ well why not, Java is simply that all purpose programming language you can’t escape or do without. Either way, we all need Java.
As essential as the Java programming language is, there are still those who have their different opinions about Java; while some say that it is the more comprehensive, flexible and yet simpler programming language, there are others who say that it is a language that is quite extensive, intricate, and therefore difficult to use.
Well, whichever opinion you support, there is absolutely no need to stress the fact that you totally must get your Java coding right if you are to succeed in the world of coding. That being said, it is only note-worthy to say also, that there is a common mistake that Java developers make rather too often; simply put, it is the mistake of making use of the right tools for the wrong tasks ── As earlier stated, the only way to ensure that you write high-quality and bug-free Java codes is by ensuring that you effectively make use of all the tools at your disposal because although they seem to appear a lot like each other and can do most of the tasks each other does, a closer and more professional look will help you understand that each of these tools address different areas of concern for different kinds of projects ─ therefore making the right choices when it comes to choosing the tools to work with, and continuous practice, is key.
Going on, we will now discuss the 10 best Tools, Plugins, and Libraries for high-quality professional Java Development; these tools have ultimately been tested and proven by top ranking experts and generally have the best user reviews and feedback from all over the world.
Before we go into details, we first have to download the Java latest version offline installer for your device. This very important tool will create the required Java-friendly environment for all the other tools which you will use to build high-quality, bug free, superior Java programs. Hence, it is imperative that you download the Java latest version offline installer.
10 Best Tools, Plugins, and Libraries for Java Development
Eclipse
Most knowledgeable Java developers will easily chose Eclipse as their favorite Java Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Eclipse makes things much easier as it provides the much-needed code completion assistance which every programmer loves to work with. The eclipse IDE is also really smart with refactoring, and syntax inspection-and-correction. Also, Eclipse offers developers a special intuitive feature called the Java Development Tools (JDT); this tool equips you with a range of tool plugins that come in very handy in developing all various kinds of Java programs.
Keeping all these in mind, the real benefit of using Eclipse IDE, however, is that it lets you combine language support; for instance, Eclipse offers support for C, C++, and PHP IDE all-in-one, making this Java development software a smarter option.
NetBeans
NetBeans is one other IDE that offers a comprehensive collection of features such as code analyzers, editors, converters, etc. it also has an array of other useful tools that can help you develop superior high quality applications that implement the latest Java technologies.
Because of the vast range of tools available on NetBeans, the possibilities are innumerable, and the company is always making nonstop improvements with every new edition. Also, you get the advantage of static analysis tools which are essential for writing richer, and more superior bug-free code.
Mockito
Known for its simplicity, Mockito is a mocking framework that comes off as really simple and one that does the job. This software will allow you to write simple tests using clean and simple API. Mockito is pretty sharp and straightforward in usage because the tests are very readable and it produces clean verification error reports; so if you’re looking for a tool with which you can write tests with a clean and simple API, which can also deliver clean verification errors, then Mockito will be a very recommendable choice for you.
jRAT (Java Runtime Analysis Toolkit)
It is one thing to build a wonderful application; but you can only know how wonderful your program is if only you can test and measure its performance with the right tools ─ this is exactly where jRAT (the Java Runtime Analysis Toolkit) comes in.
Simply said, as far as the job is concerned, as a developer, if you want to measure/profile your application’s performance to find out whether it is really living up to the expectations of the original idea locked up in your head, after you must have successfully built it thus far, jRAT is very much the profiler/analysis toolkit you must use, or at least try out. This simple yet sophisticated tool is able to not only spot problematic areas in your program, but also identify potential areas of concern within your program that can negatively impact the performance of your application for the future. jRAT is very well braced with the necessary features and tools to monitor your application’s execution and performance measurements appropriately and also give you results and feedback that can help you instantly know what adjustments to make on your program.
Maven
Maven is very much an excellent software project management tool. Similar to Apache’s ANT™ project management software, Maven pretty much helps you do the same thing; but most developers deem Maven to be a superior alternative compared to ANT™ because of its much more enhanced features and functionalities.
Compared to most other options out there, Maven thrives better in dependency management, build actions, debugging, collaboration, and a good number of other areas when you compare it to other top rated project management tools. Putting it simply, for example, if you use other project managers like ANT™ for instance, you will need to tell the software exactly what to do; you must mention the exact location of your source, assign the storage location of the resultant bytecode and how you want everything to be packaged in the JAR file, and so on ─ Maven, in contrast, simplifies every single one of these things for you, making coding a whole lot easier and fun for you.
Spark
Spark is a full-bodied Java-based framework that can be used for developing top-notch, professional web-based applications. Spark allows Java developers to create web applications without the need of writing complex codes.
Key Features:
- Ability to support multiple languages.
- It comes with tools for interactive/declarative queries, streaming data, machine learning.
- Spark code can be reused for batch-processing.
- Spark streaming can handle real-time stream processing.
- It has a provision for real-time stream processing.
- Active, progressive and most expanding community.
IntelliJ Idea
Intellij Idea is a versatile and flexible Integrated Development Environment (IDE) which focuses on Java development. This software provides advanced support for web, mobile, and hybrid application development.
Key Features:
- It analyses source code between all project files and languages.
- It gives a list of the most relevant symbols applicable in the current context.
- It allows cross-language refactoring.
- Finds duplicate code fragments on the fly.
- Inspections and quick-fixes.
- Editor-centric environment.
- It allows user to use static methods or constants easily.
JMeter
In simple terms, JMeter is an open source load testing tool. It is developed for the sole purpose of loading functional test behavior and also to measure the overall performance of websites. This tool is very handy for monitoring the stability of web based supplications.
Key Features:
- JMeter allows performing load and performance test for various server types.
- This load testing tool store its test plans in XML format which allows users to generate the test plan using a text editor.
- The tool can also be used for automated and functional testing of the applications.
- Data analysis and visualization plugins allow extensibility as well as personalization.
- Functions should provide dynamic input to test data manipulation.
The “Java Decompiler project” is a useful productivity tool that helps developers to decompile and analyze Java 5 byte code and other later versions of Java. This application is spoken well of and rated highly among top professionals. Livecoding.tv engineers find this software a very handy tool that increases productivity during Java app development.
Java Development Kit (JDK)
The entire list will not be complete without the Java Development Kit (JDK). It is imperative that you have a Java Development kit in the first place in order to get started with Java. The most noteworthy characteristic of this software is that it incorporates all the necessary components of Java including: Java Runtime Environment (JRE), Java Compiler, and all the Java API’s.
Key Features:
- String in Switch Expression.
- Underscores between Digits in Numeric Literals.
- Integral Types as Binary Literals.
- Provide support to handle multiple exceptions in a single catch block.
- Try-with-resources Statement.
- Automatic Type Inference in Generic object instantiation.
