14 Common development tools in Java and their features

1 , JDK (Java Development Kit) Java Development Toolset

Sun's Java not only provides a rich language and runtime environment, but also a free Java Development toolset (JDK). Developers and end users can use this tool to develop Java programs.

The JDK is easy to learn, and you can write Java source files from any text editor such as Windows Notepad, Ultredit, EditPlus, FrontPage, and Dreamweaver. Then in the DOS situation, through the Javac command to compile Java source program into bytecode, through Java command to execute the compiled Java file, this can bring to the DOS ERA programmer good memories. This development tool is commonly used by Java beginners.
From a beginner's point of view, using a JDK to develop a Java program can quickly understand the relationship between parts of the program, which facilitates understanding of Java object-oriented design ideas. Another notable feature of the JDK is the upgrade with Java (EE, J2SE, and J2ME) versions. However, its shortcomings are also very obvious is that it is very difficult to engage in large-scale enterprise Java application Development, can not carry out complex Java software development, is not conducive to group co-development.

2 , Java Workshop

Sun Microsystems launched the Java WorkShop 1.0, the industry's first multi-platform development tool for Internet use, to meet the needs of companies to develop Internet and intranet application software. Java workshop is fully written in the Java language and is the first full Java development environment to be sold on the market today, and the Java Workshop version is now 3.0. The characteristics of Java workshop are as follows:

1) structure is easy to create: Java workshop is more convenient than any other Java development tool in creating a platform-neutral grid structure.

2) Visual Programming: The visual programming features of Java Workshop are very basic. Java Workshop allows programmers to rearrange these operations and even determine which filters trigger action behavior. Java Workshop generated templates with a lot of comments, which is very helpful to programmers.

In addition, Java Workshop supports JDK and JavaBeans component models, and API and language features increase the flexibility of compiling Java applications. The Java Workshop Development environment is very portable because it is fully written in Java, so it can be supported by multiple platforms, and currently Java workshop supports the Solaris operating environment SPARC and Intel Editions), Windows95, WindowsNT, and Hp/ux and other platforms. Suitable for beginners to do some simple Java programming. The disadvantage of Java workshop is that every visual object in Java Workshop will sooner or later use a grid layout, a design method that many people are not accustomed to, and the Java Workdshop palette is poor enough to satisfy only the basic requirements of most applications.

3 , NetBeans with the Sun Java Studio 5

is an open source Java integrated development environment (IDE) for a variety of client and Web applications. Sun Java Studio is the latest commercially available full-featured Java IDE from Sun, supporting Solaris, Linux and Windows platforms for enterprise developers who create and deploy 2-tier Java Web applications and N-tier EE applications.
NetBeans is the industry's first open-source IDE to support innovative Java development. Developers can leverage the industry's powerful development tools to build desktop, web, or mobile applications. At the same time, through the modular architecture of NetBeans and the Open API, third parties can easily extend or integrate the NetBeans platform.
NetBeans is primarily for developers of Java software in general, while Java one Studio5 is primarily for developers of applications such as Web services. Sun will soon launch Project Rave, whose goal is to help enterprise developers with software development.

NetBeans

The most significant difference between the NetBeans version and other development tools is that it is not only possible to develop applications on a variety of desktops, but also to develop applications for Web services, to develop applications on J2ME-based mobile devices. On the basis of NetBeans 3.5.1, Sun has developed Java one STUDIO5, which provides users with a more advanced enterprise programming environment. There is an application framework in the new Java one Studio5 that developers can use to quickly develop their own applications for Web services.

4 , Borland's JBuilder

JBuilder has entered the kingdom of the Java Integrated development environment, which satisfies many applications, especially for server parties and EJB developers. The following is a brief introduction to the characteristics of JBuilder:

1) JBuilder supports the latest Java technologies, including applets, Jsp/servlets, JavaBean, and EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans) applications.

2) users can automatically generate EJB Java classes based on back-end database tables, and JBuilder also simplifies the automatic deployment of EJBS. In addition, it supports CORBA, and the corresponding wizards help users to fully manage IDL ( Distributes the interface definition language required by the application Interface definition Language) and controls the remote object.

3) JBuilder supports various application servers. JBuilder is tightly integrated with Inprise application server, supports WebLogic server, supports EJB 1.1 and EJB 2.0, and can quickly develop e-commerce applications for Java EE.

4) JBuilder can develop and debug dynamic Web applications with Servlets and JSPs.

5) Use JBuilder to create pure JAVA2 applications (without proprietary code and tags). Because JBuilder is written in a plain Java language, its code does not contain any proprietary code and tags, and it supports the latest Java standards.

6) JBuilder has a professional graphics debugging interface, supports remote debugging and multi-threaded debugging, the debugger supports a variety of JDK versions, including J2ME/J2SE/J2EE.

JBuilder Environment Development Program is convenient, it is a pure Java development environment, suitable for enterprise development; The disadvantage is that it is often difficult to grasp the relationship between the various parts of the whole program, the hardware requirements of the machine is higher, compared to eat memory, then the running speed appears relatively slow.

5, Oracle's JDeveloper

Oracle9i JDeveloper (set at 9.0, up to 10g) provides a fully integrated development environment for building complex, multi-tiered Java applications with EE functions, XML and Web services. It provides special functionality and enhanced performance for developers who use the Oracle9i database and application server, and in addition, qualifies as a powerful tool for Java development for multiple purposes.

The main features of Oracle9i JDeveloper are as follows:

① has UML (Unified Modeling Language, Integrated Modeling language) modeling capabilities. You can model business objects and e-business applications.

② is equipped with a high-speed Java Debugger (Debuger), a built-in profiling tool, a tool for improving code quality "Codecoach" and so on.

③ support for SOAP (Simple Object access Protocol), "Basic Objects Access Protocol", UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and integration) "Unified description, Discovery, and Integration Protocol" , WSDL (Web Services Description Language) Web service standards such as Web Service Description language.

JDeveloper is not just a good Java programming tool, it is an extension of Oracle Web services, supports Apache SOAP, and 9iAS, and the extensible environment is closely related to XML and the WSDL language. Oracle9i JDeveloper is fully written in Java and can be compatible with previous Oracle Server software and other vendor-supported application server products, and is designed with a focus on oracle9i for seamless application development across platforms. Provides the industry's first complete development environment that integrates Java EE and XML, allowing developers to quickly develop Web services and transactional applications that can be accessed through the Web, wireless devices, and voice interfaces, The fact that the Java Application Development lifecycle management has been fundamentally changed can only be achieved by combining the traditional programming techniques with the latest modular approach in a single, integrated development environment. The disadvantage is that it is more complicated and difficult for beginners.

6, IBM's Visual age for Java

Visual age for Java is a very mature development tool, and its features are very useful for it developers and amateur Java programmers. It provides extensive support for visual programming, supports the use of CICS-connected genetic mainframe applications, supports EJB development applications, supports integrated development with WebSphere, facilitates bean creation, and good rapid application development (RAD) support and file-not-file processing.

The WebSphere Studio Advanced Edition and the VisualAge for Java Professional Edition software that IBM has launched for the construction of the Web site have been fully shifted to Java-centric so that Java developers may feel a lot better about WebSphere full tools. The tools provided by Studio are: Web site management, rapid development of the JDBC Page Wizard, HTML Editor, HTML Syntax checker, and more. This is really a good HTML site page editing environment. Studio and VisualAge are highly integrated, and the menu provides the option to quickly move code between the two packages. This lets web page designers using studio and Java programmers using VisualAge Exchange files and work together.

Developed by the Visual age for Java support Team, the built-in code base can automatically modify the program code based on user changes, making it easy to compare the current code with the earlier version. WebSphere Studio, which is tightly coupled with visual age, does not natively provide support for source code and versioning, it simply contains a built-in file locking system that prevents others from modifying the files when editing the project, and it also supports Microsoft Third-party source code control systems such as Visual SourceSafe. Visual age for Java fully object-oriented program design ideas make the development process very fast and efficient. You can design a typical application framework without writing any code. Visual age for Java, one of the products of IBM e-commerce solutions, seamlessly integrates with other IBM products, such as WebSphere, DB2, to quickly complete the process from design, development to deployment.

Visual age for Java has a unique way of managing files that makes it difficult to integrate with external tools, and you can't let visual age for Java develop your app together with other tools.

7, BEA's WebLogic Workshop

Bea WebLogic Workshop is a unified, simplified, and extensible development environment that enables all developers to build standards-based enterprise applications on the BEA WebLogic Enterprise platform, thus increasing the productivity level of the development department Accelerate the realization of value.

In addition to providing convenient Web services, WebLogic Workshop can be used to create more kinds of applications. As a development environment for the entire BEA WebLogic platform. Whether you're creating a portal app, writing a workflow, or creating a web app, Workshop 8.1 helps developers do it faster and better.

The main features of WebLogic workshop are as follows:

① make the development of the Java EE feasible and improve the development efficiency

BEA WebLogic Workshop allows developers to stay away from the complexities inherent in Java EE and focus on business logic without worrying about tedious infrastructure code. This innovation means that the powerful capabilities of the enterprise-proven Java EE are ultimately mastered by most of the developers of applications that are not familiar with it, and thus increase the efficiency of the IT department by an order of magnitude.

Visual designers and intuitive concepts, such as events, properties, and controls, enable event-based development. Workshop Simplified Program Design model, so that developers do not have to master the complex Java EE API and object-oriented programming principles. All developers, including the EE experts and application developers with visual and procedural language skills, can work together on BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform. Workshop's visual development environment, creating standard Java files with code annotations to illustrate enterprise-level requirements implemented by the runtime framework. Java EE and other advanced developers, with powerful code-editing capabilities, have access to the source code to make up for the lack of visual designers.

② Building Enterprise-class applications

The BEA WebLogic Workshop greatly reduces development risk by implementing a wide range of applications on a scalable, secure and reliable enterprise-class architecture. Furthermore, all applications are created using standard Java EE components that protect your technology investment while maintaining maximum flexibility.
The BEA WebLogic Workshop operating framework is the aggregation layer that unifies the entire architecture, allowing a single, simplified program design model to be extended to all BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform application types. By interpreting the comment code created at design time, the runtime framework can implement the necessary Java EE components and extract all the underlying details related to the development of the Java EE application.

③ Reduce IT complexity

BEA WebLogic Workshop offers a variety of Java controls that make IT easy to connect to IT resources. In addition, Java controls are extensible and identical in the construction of any BEA WebLogic Platform application. This powerful and effective approach can: reduce the complexity of IT technology, optimize the availability of information, and drive the development of reusable services that include "best practices", enabling developers to achieve greater output at lower cost and in less time.

With BEA WebLogic Workshop, any developer can build a wide range of Web services, Web applications, portals, and integration projects with maximum productivity. Bea WebLogic Workshop is the core of BEA's product strategy, which helps customers access and leverage the power of service-oriented architecture (SOA). The BEA Weblogic Workshop 8.1 greatly simplifies the building of enterprise applications and services in today's real enterprise integration environment and is a natural choice for fully supporting critical enterprise applications such as asynchronous, true loose-coupling, and coarse-grained messaging. Its disadvantage is that it is too complex, and for beginners, it is more difficult to understand.

8 , Webgain visual Cafe for Java

is a debugger that works only on Symantec's Java virtual machines, Netscape Company's Java virtual machines, and Microsoft virtual machines. This is an important feature for developers, because many software bugs in user-developed Java code can potentially work on a specific virtual machine.
When the compilation base continues to debug after a modification, visual Cafe automatically disks the files, and native apps created with Visual Cafe have many features. In addition to the apparent increase in speed, Symantec makes the class library binary in a way that automatically generates or updates the necessary Java code for the specified relationship than the normal JDK small visual cafe. With visual Cafe, users can assemble complete Java applications and applets from a standard object database without having to write source code. Visual Cafe also provides an expanded set of source code development tools.
Visual Cafe synthesizes the Visual source program development tools for Java software, which allows developers to effectively convert between visual and source views. Changes made in the visual view are immediately reflected in the source code. Changes to the source code automatically update the visual view.
Visual Cafe has many source-file-related features, such as global retrieval and substitution. The problem with the vast majority of the documentation for Java development Tools is simply to introduce each component of the development tool in one place, but users need a task-oriented manual when they open the application, which allows you to start creating your own apps without having to know the specific features of each part of the tool. Visual Cafe provides a very comprehensive user guide that provides comprehensive assistance for the initial installation to the creation of the first Java application and applets, and Visual Cafe will automatically generate the necessary Java code for the indicated relationship. Visual Cafe can run under Windows 95 and Windows NT platforms, and Symantec provides a RAD tool that can run on the Macintosh operating system for Java development work. The Visual Cafe compiler is fast and stands out in terms of internationalization support, and the disadvantage is that it is more complex and difficult for beginners.

Visual Cafe

9 , Macromedia JRun  

          Macromedia Company's JRun is a Java engine with the widest applicability for developing and implementing Java Server-side Java applications written by Servlets and JavaServer pages. JRun is the first commercially available product to fully support JSP 1.0 specifications, with more than 80,000 developers worldwide using JRun to add server-side Java functionality to their existing Web servers. Where the Web server includes Microsoft Iis,netscape Enterprise Server,apache, and so on. The

JRun is an advanced engine for developing Java implementations on the server side. If we want to add server-side Java functionality to our Web applications, then JRun will be the right choice for us.  

JRun currently has 3 versions, which is the first commercially available product that supports Java Server Pages (JSP) Specification 1.0. JSP is a powerful server-side technology that is a complete set of rapid application development systems for creating complex web applications. JRun allows us to start developing and testing Java applications. It accepts up to 5 concurrent connections and includes all Java Servlet APIs, supports JavaServer Pages (JSP), and supports all major Web servers and computer platforms. JRun Pro can withstand heavy traffic loads in production environments, helping us implement applications, services, or Web sites, including the intranet. JRun Pro enables unlimited concurrent connections to run multiple Java virtual machines, including multiple concurrent Java virtual machines (JVMS). Provides a remote management applet and a remote, reusable management applet. JRun Pro Unlimited includes all JRun Pro features, and can run an unlimited number of concurrent JVMs, in addition to the Times. The

JRun relies on its built-in JRun Web server to run independently. With server-side Java, users can develop complex business applications. Most importantly, it is a great alternative to CGI (Common Gateway Interface) or Perl scripts due to Servlets's platform independence and simpler development, faster implementation, and cost-efficient maintenance. The disadvantage is that it is more complicated and difficult for beginners.

Ten , JCreator

is a Java program development tool and is also a Java integrated development environment (IDE). Whether you're developing a Java application or an applet component on a Web page, it's hard to fail. It is easier to function with text-mode development tools such as the JDK published by Sun, and allows users to customize the interface of the user-defined operation window and the infinite Undo/redo functions.

JCreator provides users with quite powerful features, such as project management features, project template features, customizable syntax highlighting attributes, line numbers, class browser, label documents, multi-function Yi, wizard functions, and fully customizable user interfaces. With JCreator, we do not need to activate the main document and Yi or run our Java program.

JCreator can automatically find the file containing the main function or the HTML file containing the applet, and then it will run the appropriate tool. In JCreator, we can yi multiple projects at the same time through a batch process. JCreator's design is close to the Windows interface style, and the user is familiar with its interface. Its greatest feature is the perfect combination of the JDK installed in our machines, unmatched by any other IDE. It is a beginner's easy to use Java development tools, the disadvantage is that only simple program development, can not carry out Enterprise Java EE Development and application.

JCreator

One , Microsoft vj++

Visual J + + is a Visual Java language integrated development Environment (IDE) introduced by Microsoft Corporation, providing a new development environment for Java programmers and a very good development tool. Whether it's integration, speed, debugging, or ease of use, it's all about Microsoft's style. Visual J + + has the following characteristics:

1) Visual J + + puts the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) into Windows as a standalone operating system component, making it stand-alone from the browser.

2) Microsoft's application base Class library (Afc,application Foundation class libraries) extends the Sun Company's JDK to make applying the base class library more suitable for use in Windows.

3) The debugger for Visual J + + supports dynamic debugging, including stepping, setting breakpoints, observing variable values, and more.

4) Visual J + + provides a number of program wizards (Wizards) and generators (Builders) that can easily help users quickly build Java programs to help you create and modify files in your own project.

5) Visual J + + interface-friendly, its code editor with IntelliSense, online compilation and other functions, so that the program is very convenient to write. Visual J + + builds Java's WFC, a new application framework that provides direct access to the Windows Application Interface (API), enabling you to write fully-meaningful Windows applications in the Java language.

6) Quick application development features of Form Designer in Visual J + + It is easy and easy to use WFC to create form-based applications. The WFC makes it easy to use an ActiveX data object, Ado,activex data Objects, to retrieve and execute the binding of simple data. By using ActiveX Data Objects in the form designer, you can quickly access and display data in a form.

Visual J + + can be combined with Microsoft's consistent programming style, it is convenient for Java application development, but its portability is poor, not a pure Java development environment.

A , Eclipse

Eclipse is an extensible open-source IDE. In November 2001, IBM donated $40 million worth of source code to form the Eclipse Alliance, which is responsible for the follow-up development of this tool. The integrated development environment (IDE) often limits its application to "development, build, and debug" cycles. To help the integrated development environment (IDE) overcome current limitations, industry vendors have partnered to create the Eclipse platform. Eclipse allows the integration of tools from different vendors in the same IDE and interoperability between tools, dramatically altering project workflows and enabling developers to focus on actual embedded goals.

This flexibility of the eclipse framework stems from its extensibility points. They are well-known interfaces defined in XML and act as a coupling point for plug-ins. Extension points range from simple strings that are used in general expression filters to descriptions of a Java class. Any extension points defined by the Eclipse plug-in can be used by other plug-ins, whereas any Eclipse plug-in May follow the extension points defined by other plug-ins. In addition to understanding the interfaces defined by the extension points, the plug-in does not know how the services they provide through the extension point will be used.

With Eclipse, we can combine high-level design (perhaps with UML) with low-level development tools such as application debuggers. If these complementary standalone tools are connected to each other using the eclipse extension points, the UML dialog box can highlight the device we are looking at when we use the debugger to examine the app one at a time. In fact, since Eclipse does not understand the development language, it is valid regardless of the Java language debugger, the C + + debugger, or the assembler debugger, and can target different processes or nodes simultaneously within the same framework.
The biggest feature of Eclipse is its ability to accept open source plugins written by Java developers, similar to the NetBeans platform of Microsoft's Visual Studio and Sun Microsystems. Eclipse provides tool developers with greater flexibility to gain greater control over their software technologies. The Eclipse Alliance has announced it will release its version 3.0 software in mid-2004. This is a very popular Java development tool, this domestic users more and more, in fact, it is the most Java developers. Disadvantage is more complex, for beginners, it is more difficult to understand.

- , Ant

Another Neat tool (ANT) is a Java-based build utility. Theoretically, it is somewhat similar to make in (Unix) C, but without the bug of make. The limitations and inconveniences of these tools cannot be tolerated because Ant's original authors develop software on multiple (hardware) platforms. Tools like make are inherently shell-based: They compute dependencies and then execute commands (these commands are not much different from the commands you hit on the command line). This means that you can easily extend the tool by using OS-specific or writing new (command) programs; however, it also means that you are restricting yourself to a specific OS, or specific OS type, such as UNIX. Ant is different. Unlike extended mode based on shell commands, Ant is extended with Java classes. (users) Do not have to write shell commands, the configuration file is XML-based, by invoking the target tree, you can execute various tasks. Each task is run by implementing an object that implements a specific task interface.

Ant supports some optional tasks, and an optional task typically requires additional libraries to work. Optional task is separated from Ant's built-in task and packaged separately. This optional package can be downloaded from the same place you downloaded ant. Ant itself is such a process scripting engine that automates the invocation of programs to complete project compilation, packaging, testing, and so on. In addition to being platform-agnostic based on Java, the script is XML-based, and is better maintained than the make script. Ant is the build tool that Apache provides to Java developers, which can run under Windows OS and UNIX OS, which is not only open source but also a very useful tool. Ant is a very useful Java development tool in Apache Jakarta, the ant configuration file is written in XML, so Java programmers are familiar with its syntax, Ant is dedicated to the Java Project platform and can be developed in pure Java. It can run on a Java-installed platform, which embodies its cross-platform capabilities. Its disadvantage shows that the execution result can only be the DOS character interface, not the complicated Java program development.

　

- , IntelliJ

Intellij idea is a comprehensive Java programming environment that has been hailed by many developers and industry experts as the best IDE on the market. It offers a range of the most useful combinations of tools: Intelligent coding assistance and automatic control, support for J2ee,ant,junit and CVS integration, non-parallel code checking and innovative GUI designers. Idea frees Java developers from time-consuming routine work, significantly improving development efficiency. With faster running, better code generation, continuous redesign and daily coding make it easier to integrate with other tools, high price/performance ratio. Generics,bea WebLogic integration, improved CVS integration, and GUI designer are supported in version 4.0.

IntelliJ idea can promote programmer's programming speed as much as possible. It includes a number of ancillary functions and is quite well-integrated with Java. Different tool windows around the main programming window, when the mouse point to open, useless can also be easily closed, so that users get the maximum effective screen range. Technology-oriented idea integrates the debugger to support local and remote debugging, even if we need to modify something on the settings to make our work go smoothly. In addition, it also provides the usual monitoring, step-up debugging, and the ability to manually set breakpoints, in which we can automatically set the field access outside the breakpoint, and even browse the values of different variables. The IDE supports multiple JVM settings, several compilers and ant build systems, and it makes it easy to set up multiple, custom class paths.

IntelliJ idea is a relatively new Java IDE. It is the most useful one in the Java development environment. The highly optimized Intellej idea makes common tasks quite easy, and idea supports many of the integration features and, more importantly, the ease with which they are designed. Idea supports code implementations in XML, and idea also corrects the structure of the Xml,idea support JSP. The many functions that act on common Java code also apply to JSPs, such as the integration function, while supporting JSP debugging, and EJB support, although it does not include special support for individual application servers. Idea supports ant build tool, not only running target it also supports running targets before and after compiling and running the program, and also supports binding keyboard shortcuts. When editing an ant build XML file, Idea also provides support for the XML part that makes up the ant project. IntelliJ idea is known as the best Java IDE Development platform, and the software is deeply loved by its clever instant analysis and convenient refactoring features. The disadvantage is more complex, for beginners, it is difficult to understand.
Summary

Common Java Project development environments are: JBuilder, VisualAge for Java, Forte for Java, Visual Cafe, Eclipse, NetBeans IDE, JCreator +j2sdk, jdk+ Notepad, Editplus+ j2sdk and so on. When developing a Java EE project, it is necessary to install the application Server (middleware) and the corresponding development tools of each company, before using these development tools, we should be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of these software, in order to choose the application according to the actual situation. Programming tools are just tools, developed for the convenience of people's work, and each has its own characteristics, so the choice of tools is based mainly on what they are going to do, rather than blindly thinking that the tools are good and that tools are bad. Finally, I hope that everyone can find their own appropriate Java development tools.

14 Common development tools in Java and their features