Master IntelliJ IDEA: 33 Essential Tips to Boost Your Productivity

1. Set Maven

File → Settings → search "Maven".

Set Maven home directory to the bin folder of the Maven installation.

Specify User settings file location.

Configure Local repository path.

2. Configure Code Line Width

File → Settings → Editor → Code Style.

Enable "Wrap when typing reaches right margin" under Right margin (columns) to auto‑wrap code.

Alternatively, in Settings → Code Style → Java, enable "Ensure right margin is not exceeded" under Wrapping and Braces.

3. Case‑Insensitive Completion

File → Settings → search "sensitive".

Set "Case sensitive completion" to NONE.

4. Force Maven Dependency Update

Delete Libraries under Project Settings.

In Maven Projects view, clean compiled files.

Right‑click project → Maven → Reimport.

5. Default Location of IDEA Configuration

Typically C:\Users\ username \.IntelliJIdea14.

Backup this directory to restore settings.

Modify path via %IDEA_HOME%/bin/idea.properties.

6. Hide Unwanted Files/Folders

File → Settings → Search "File Type".

Configure ignored files/folders.

7. Use Eclipse Keymap

File → Settings → Keymap → change to Eclipse copy.

8. Modify Default Settings

Adjust default settings as needed.

9. Change Completion Shortcut

File → Settings → Keymap → Main menu → Code → Completion → Basic → set to Ctrl+Alt+Enter.

Remove conflicts on save.

Set Editor Actions → Complete Current Statement shortcut.

10. Resolve Find/Replace Shortcut Conflicts

File → Settings → Keymap → Main menu → Edit → Find → set Find... to Ctrl+F and Replace... to Ctrl+R.

11. Show Line Numbers

File → Settings → Editor → General → Appearance → enable "Show line numbers".

12. Case‑Insensitive Code Completion

File → Settings → Editor → Code Completion → set "Case sensitive completion" to None.

13. Mark Modified Files with *

Editor → General → Editor Tabs → enable "Mark modified tabs with asterisk".

14. Disable Automatic Code Completion Popup

Preferences → IDE Settings → Editor → Code Completion → uncheck "Autopopup documentation in (ms)".

15. Common Shortcuts

Ctrl+Tab – Switch tabs.

Ctrl+W – Extend selection.

Template/Postfix + Tab – Generate code.

Ctrl+Shift+A – Find actions.

Shift+Shift – Search everywhere.

Ctrl+Shift+Enter – Complete statement.

Alt+Insert – Generate code (e.g., getters/setters).

Ctrl+Shift+Space – Smart completion.

Alt+Enter – Show intention actions.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T – Refactor menu.

16. Fix SVN Sync Issues

File → Settings → Subversion → General → enable "Use command line client".

Specify path to svn.exe (avoid spaces in path).

Install full TortoiseSVN components.

17. Exclude *.iml from SVN

Editor → File Types → Ignore files and folders → add *.iml.

Add ".idea" (with trailing semicolon) to ignore list.

18. Change Editor Font Size

File → Settings → Editor → Colors & Fonts → Font → adjust size.

19. Configure IDE Encodings

File → Settings → File Encodings → set IDE, Project, and Properties file encodings.

Enable transparent native‑to‑ASCII conversion if needed.

20. Live Templates

Use shortcuts like "sout" → System.out.println("...").

For loops: type "list.for" to expand.

21. Tomcat VM Options

Set VM options: -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:PermSize=128m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m.

22. Install Plugins

Online: File → Settings → Plugins → Browse repositories, search, install, restart.

Offline: Download plugin zip, then File → Settings → Plugins → Install plugin from disk.

23. Adjust IDEA Startup Memory

Edit %IDEA_HOME%/bin/idea.exe.vmoptions.

24. Import Eclipse Web Project to Tomcat

Add Web facet in project configuration.

Include module in Artifacts for deployment.

25. Reduce CPU Usage When Opening New JSP/Java Files

File → Settings → Editor → Inspection → disable unnecessary inspections.

26. Add Spring/Struts Support

Project Settings → Modules → right‑click project → add support.

27. Auto‑Compile After Class Changes

File → Settings → Build, Execution, Deployment → Compiler → enable "Make project automatically".

28. Generate serialVersionUID

Preferences → Editor → Inspections → Serialization issues → enable.

Place cursor on class name, press Alt+Enter to generate.

29. Presentation Mode

Alt+V → View → Enter Presentation Mode to focus on a single file.

Use Ctrl+E, Ctrl+N, or Ctrl+Shift+N to navigate.

Exit via Alt+V → Exit Presentation Mode.

30. Inject Language for JSON Strings

Place cursor inside quotes, press Alt+Enter, select "Inject language or reference".

Choose JSON to get automatic escaping and editing view.

31. Powerful Symbol Search

Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N to search for symbols by partial name.

32. Resolve Shortcut Conflicts with Windows

Right‑click desktop → Graphic Options → Shortcut → disable conflicting shortcuts.

33. Prevent Javadoc Formatting of Comments

Disable "Enable Javadoc formatting" in code style settings.