NetBeans

NetBeans is an open source Integrated Development Environment written in Java and is one of IDR Solutions favourite IDE’s for Java Coding.

The NetBeans IDE supports development of all Java application types (Java SE, JavaFX, Java ME, web, EJB and mobile applications) standard out of the box. NetBeans is modular in design meaning it can be extended by third party developers who can create plugins for NetBeans to enhance functionality.

The NetBeans IDE is can be used to develop in Java, but also supports other languages, in particular PHP, C/C++, and HTML5.

NetBeans features are an Ant-based project system, support for Maven, refactoring, version control (supporting CVS, Subversion, Git, Mercurial and Clearcase) and is also released under a dual license consisting of the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) v1.0 and the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2.

NetBeans is cross-platform and runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and other platforms supporting a compatible JVM.

NetBeans can also be used for working with Cloud applications, this useful guide covers how to use the NetBeans IDE with the Google App Engine.

NetBeans Platform

The NetBeans Platform is a framework for simplifying the development of Java Swing desktop applications. The NetBeans IDE bundle for Java SE contains what is needed to start developing NetBeans plugins and NetBeans Platform based applications; no additional SDK is required.

Applications can install modules dynamically. Any application can include the Update Center module to allow users of the application to download digitally signed upgrades and new features directly into the running application. Reinstalling an upgrade or a new release does not force users to download the entire application again.

The platform offers reusable services common to desktop applications, allowing developers to focus on the logic specific to their application. Among the features of the platform are:

• User interface management (e.g. menus and toolbars)
• User settings management
• Storage management (saving and loading any kind of data)
• Window management
• Wizard framework (supports step-by-step dialogs)
• NetBeans Visual Library
• Integrated development tools
• NetBeans IDE is a free, open-source, cross-platform IDE with built-in-support for Java Programming Language.