Master IntelliJ IDEA: Customize Toolbar, Themes, and Code Templates for Faster Development

Show Toolbar

(1) Screenshot of the toolbar.

(2) Settings: View → Toolbar and View → Tool Buttons .

Set Mouse‑Hover Documentation

(1) Screenshot of the quick documentation tooltip.

(2) Settings: File → Settings → Editor → General → Show quick documentation… .

Show Method Separator

(1) Screenshot of the method separator line.

(2) Settings: File → Settings → Editor → Appearance → (check the option) .

Case‑Insensitive Completion Hints

IDEA defaults to case‑sensitive suggestions (e.g., typing string won’t suggest String), which can be inconvenient.

(1) Screenshot of the case‑sensitive behavior.

(2) Settings: File → Settings → Editor → General → Code Completion .

Theme Settings

(1) Screenshots of the light and dark themes.

(2) Settings: File → Settings → Appearance & Behavior → Appearance .

Eye‑Protection Theme

(1) Screenshot of an eye‑friendly theme.

(2) To change the editor background color, adjust it in the settings.

Automatic Import of Packages

By default, packages must be imported manually; enabling auto‑import adds and removes imports automatically.

(2) Settings: File → Settings → Editor → General → Auto Import .

Show Multiple Tabs in One Row

Default shows a single row of tabs; you can enable multiple tabs per row.

Settings: File → Settings → Editor → General → Editor Tabs → uncheck the single‑row option .

Font Settings

Adjust the editor font size and family to improve readability.

Settings: File → Settings → Editor → Font .

Configure Class and Method Documentation Templates

Useful for team development to track responsibility and documentation.

Class template and method template screenshots are provided.

Settings: File → Settings → Editor → File and Code Templates → Files (define placeholders such as {NAME}, {USER}, {DATE}, {TIME}, {PROJECT_NAME}).

Method comment shortcut: type /** then press Enter.

Create a Live Template for Comments

1. Create a new group named userDefine under File → Settings → Editor → Live Templates .

2. Add a new template named * (the asterisk is the trigger).

3. Assign a shortcut key for the template.

4. Template content (example):

/**
 * @Author 小思
 * @Description //TODO 
 * @Date $time$ $date$
 * @Param $param$
 * @return $return$
 */

5. Apply the template to Java files (Everywhere → Java).

6. Set parameter placeholders using the appropriate variables.

Horizontal or Vertical Code Comparison

In Eclipse you can drag tabs to compare code; in IDEA enable this via right‑click on the tabs.

Change Shortcut Keys

Adjust IDEA shortcuts to match Eclipse for better productivity (e.g., Ctrl+D to delete a line).

Methods include editing the keymap directly or using templates.

Remove Italic Formatting from Comments

Settings: File → Settings → Editor → (relevant option) .

Code Inspection Warning Levels

Keep inspections enabled; they help improve code quality.

Project Directory – Collapse Empty Packages

Screenshot showing how to collapse empty packages in the project view.

Window Layout Reset

Use the restore function to reset a messed‑up window layout.

View Local Code History

Screenshot of the local history feature.

Quick Semicolon Completion

Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to insert a semicolon at the end of the current line.

Find Controller Methods Quickly

Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N and type part of the URL (e.g., /bill) to locate controller methods.

Brace Matching

Use Ctrl + ] or Ctrl + [ to jump between matching braces.

Configuration Files Location

The configuration files are stored in the system drive under the config and system directories, useful for backup and migration.