understand the integrated development environment (IDE) and Compare Eclipse and Spring Tool Suite (STS) for Spring Boot Application Development

understand the integrated development environment (IDE) and Compare Eclipse and Spring Tool Suite (STS) for Spring Boot Application Development

An integrated development environment (IDE) is a software application that helps programmers develop software code efficiently. It increases developer productivity by combining capabilities such as software editing, building, testing, and packaging in an easy-to-use application. Just as writers use text editors and accountants use spreadsheets, software developers use IDEs to make their job easier.

Examples of IDEs include NetBeans, Eclipse, IntelliJ, and Visual Studio.

How should I choose an IDE?

You can find many modern integrated development environments (IDEs) on the market with a range of features and different price points. Many IDEs are open source, or free to use and configure. The following are some criteria to consider when choosing an IDE:

The programming language

The programming language you want to code in often dictates the choice of an IDE. Dedicated IDEs have automation features that particularly suit the syntax of specific languages. On the other hand, multi-language IDEs support multiple languages.

The operating system

While most IDEs have multiple versions for different operating systems, they might work better on specific platforms. For example, some IDEs can perform optimally on the Linux platform but might be slow or difficult to use on other platforms.

Automation features

The three common features in most IDES are the source code editor, build automation, and debugger. Additional features may vary and can include the following:

  • Code editor UI enhancements

  • Automated testing features

  • Code deployment support via plugin integration

  • Code refactoring support

  • Application packaging support

IDE customization

Some IDEs include the ability to customize workflows to match a developer's needs and preferences. You can download and use plugins, extensions, and add-ons to customize your programming experience.

Compare Eclipse and Spring Tool Suite (STS)

Eclipse and Spring Tool Suite (STS) are both integrated development environments (IDEs) for Java developers, but they have some key differences.

Eclipse is a general-purpose IDE that can be used for a wide variety of programming languages and projects. It provides a basic set of features such as code editing, debugging, and version control integration. It also has a large ecosystem of plugins and extensions that can be used to add additional functionality.

STS, on the other hand, is a distribution of Eclipse that is specifically tailored for developing applications with the Spring Framework. It includes all the features of Eclipse and adds a number of additional tools and features that are specific to Spring development. Some of the key features of STS include:

  • Spring-specific code generation and refactoring tools

  • A Spring Boot Dashboard for managing Spring Boot projects

  • Integration with the Spring Initializer for quickly creating new Spring projects

  • Support for Spring Cloud, which allows developers to easily build and deploy microservices

  • A set of wizards for creating and configuring Spring projects, beans, and services

  • Built-in support for debugging and testing Spring applications

In summary, Eclipse is a general-purpose IDE that can be used for a wide variety of programming languages and projects, while STS is a specialized version of Eclipse that is geared specifically towards developing applications with the Spring Framework. It has additional features that make it easier to develop, test and debug Spring based applications.