IntelliJ IDEA Tutorial: Migrating from Eclipse, Configuration Steps, and Productivity Tips

The author, originally an Eclipse user, shares a detailed guide on switching to IntelliJ IDEA, highlighting its intelligent features, extensive plugin support, and superior Git, Maven, and JavaScript assistance.

Download links for IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate are provided, along with the activation method via the license URL http://intellij.mandroid.cn.

1. IDEA vs Eclipse Core Concepts – IDEA eliminates the traditional workspace concept; each Project acts as its own workspace, and Projects contain independent Modules that can have separate JDK and Maven settings, offering flexibility absent in Eclipse.

2. Current Project Configuration vs Default Configuration – Since IDEA lacks a workspace, each new project requires its own JDK and Maven settings. Default settings can be accessed via

File → Other Settings → Default Settings / Project Structure

, while project‑specific settings are under File → Settings / Project Structure.

3. Global JDK (Default Configuration) – Set the global JDK via

File → Other Settings → Default Project Structure → SDKs → JDK

and apply the desired JDK directory.

4. Global Maven (Default Configuration) – Configure Maven through

File → Other Settings → Default Settings → Build & Tools → Maven

, preferably pointing to a local repository such as D:\mvnrepository.

5. Version Control (Git/SVN) – Enable Git/SVN support via

File → Other Settings → Default Settings → Version Control → Git

, setting the executable path and testing the configuration.

6. Auto‑Import and Smart Removal – Optimize imports by configuring File → Other Settings → Default Settings → Auto Import, which improves code completion and reduces manual import management.

7. Tomcat Server Configuration – Add and configure Tomcat (or Jetty) under

File → Settings → Deployment → Application Servers → Tomcat Server

for easy deployment.

8‑15. Productivity Tips – Includes enabling automatic compilation, runtime compilation via registry compiler.automake.allow.when.app.running, disabling case‑sensitive completion, adjusting font type and size, matching Eclipse keymaps, showing the toolbar, using the Maven tool window, and defining useful shortcuts (mouse middle‑click for intention actions, F2 for rename, F3 for reveal in explorer, Ctrl+mouse‑right for implementation navigation).

16. FAQ – Answers common questions such as opening existing projects, deleting projects, handling multiple Maven modules, adding new modules, and other practical concerns.

The article concludes with a friendly invitation to like and share the guide.