30 Essential IntelliJ IDEA Tips to Supercharge Your Coding Efficiency

1. View Code History

Right‑click a Java class and select Local History >> Show History to see recent changes and restore previous versions.

2. Adjust IDE Memory

Use Change Memory Settings → Edit Custom VM Options to modify the .vmoptions file and increase the heap size.

3. Eclipse Keymap

Switch IntelliJ’s keymap to Eclipse to reuse familiar shortcuts.

4. Case‑Insensitive Completion

Disable case sensitivity in code completion (choose “none” in some versions) so typing string or String yields the same suggestions.

5. Disable Code Inspection

Turn off unnecessary inspections to reduce resource usage, but keep essential checks enabled.

6. Documentation Comment Template

Configure Javadoc comment templates for quick insertion.

7. Show Method Separators

Enable visual separators between methods to improve readability in poorly formatted code.

8. Multi‑Line Tabs

Disable single‑line tab display to show multi‑line tabs, useful when many tabs are open.

9. Jump to Braces

Use Ctrl+[ and Ctrl+] to quickly navigate to the opening and closing braces of a method.

10. Auto‑Complete Code End

Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to automatically insert missing semicolons or braces.

11. Fuzzy Method Search

Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N and type a partial method name (e.g., Peo.te) to locate it, or use Ctrl+Shift+R with the “Symbols” scope.

12. Preview Class Code

Use Ctrl+Alt+B to open a new tab for a class, or Ctrl+Shift+I for an inline preview without opening a tab.

13. Find Usages

Press Ctrl+Alt+H to see where a method is called; previously you would use Ctrl+H or Ctrl+Shift+F to search manually.

14. Code Templates

Customize shortcuts like sout or syso in the “Postfix Completion” settings.

15. Auto‑Import and Unused Imports

Enable automatic import of missing classes and removal of unused imports.

16. Tabnine AI Completion

Install the Tabnine plugin for AI‑driven code suggestions based on millions of Java programs.

17. Quick Documentation

Press F2 to view the Javadoc of a class or field instantly.

18. Rainbow Brackets

Install the “Rainbow Brackets” plugin to color‑match paired parentheses.

19. Add Multiple Services to One Window

In the Services tool window, use View → Tool Windows → Services → Add Services to group micro‑service projects.

20. Global IDE Settings

Adjust global settings (e.g., Maven configuration) to apply when opening a new window.

21. Mapper ↔ XML Navigation

Use the “Free MyBatis” plugin to jump between Java mapper files and their XML counterparts.

22. Background Image Plus

Install the “Background Image Plus” plugin to set a custom or random background image for the IDE.

23. Maven Dependency Tree

Click the “Show Dependencies” button in the top‑right of the Maven tool window to visualize the dependency graph.

24. Switch to Previous Tab

Press Alt+← (or Alt+→) to cycle back to the previously focused tab.

25. Built‑in SSH Tool

Configure host credentials and open an SSH session directly from the IDE.

26. Sequence Diagram Plugin

Use the “SequenceDiagram” plugin to generate a visual call‑graph of Java methods.

27. Capture Thread Dump

During debugging, click the camera icon to capture the current thread dump for analysis.

28. Run Same Project on Different Ports

Add a VM option such as -Dserver.port=8993 to launch another instance on a different port.

29. Parallel Run Configuration

Enable “Allow parallel run” (name varies by IDEA version) to start multiple instances simultaneously.

30. Miscellaneous Tips

Various small tweaks like increasing the editor tab limit, customizing the settings UI, and using shortcuts for quick navigation.