97 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know

Chapter 19. Don’t hIDE Your Tools

Gail Ollis

What is the one essential tool every Java programmer needs? Eclipse? IntelliJ IDEA? NetBeans? No. It’s javac. Without it, all you have is files of weird-looking text. It is possible to do the job without integrated development environments (IDEs)—ask people like me who programmed in the olden days. It is not possible to program without essential development tools.

Given that they are central to the task, it’s surprising how rarely people use tools like javac directly. While knowing how to make effective use of an IDE is important, understanding what it is doing, and how, is crucial.

Once upon a time, I worked on a project with two subsystems, one in C++ and the other in Java. C++ programmers worked with their editor of choice and the command line. Java programmers used an IDE. One day, the incantation to interact with the version control system changed. It was a simple command-line change for the C++ programmers, who went on their way without delay. The Java team spent the whole morning wrestling with their Eclipse configuration. They finally got back to productive work in the afternoon.

This unfortunate story doesn’t reflect well on the Java team’s mastery of their chosen tools. But it also illustrates how distanced they were in their day-to-day work from the essential tools of their trade by working exclusively in an IDE. Information ...