NetBeans_Overview and Shortcuts

For those who haven’t seen NetBeans IDE before, here is a snapshot [click for a larger view]

You can download it at http://www.netbeans.org

Now let’s get straight to business.

Why use NetBeans?
If you ask me, this is what I’ve to say….

It’s the developer’s dream world, it comes with a GUI builder that lets you create graphical applications by dragging and dropping swing components on a frame or a panel and the likes. You don’t have to worry about UI [User Interface] codes, your job is to make it work plus it’s user friendly.

Creating JSP pages and servlets has never been this better, with NetBeans you’re miles ahead plus it comes with a web and application sever [mostly Tomcat and sun app server] to help deploy your applications and web archives, create database pools, etc….

And there are additional packs available if you want to add them to the IDE to enable you write codes in native languages like C/C++ or write a mobility software.

I cant exhaust it all here so if you want a full overview of this IDE click here

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Today I’ll be talking about basic shortcut keys to help you get around the IDE, using the mouse can be boring when hot keys are readily available at your door step.

Netbeans has a lot of them, using them surely does help…

Click Help on the menu bar and click on the Keyboard Shortcuts menu item,
you should see this

Click the select button to choose a pdf reader [Navigate to where it’s installed] of your choice to render the data.
Click Ok to continue

After a short while, the reader will open with a host of shortcuts and code templates at your disposal..

Click for a larger view

You can still open it even when you are not runnig the IDE at that moment.
Just go to your NetBeans Installed folder and navigate to \NetBeans 6.0M10\nb6.0\ that is if you’re using milestone edition. Either way it’s still the same with just a little difference.

Here are my favorites

CTRL+SHIFT+S	Save project
CTRL+E	Deletes current line
ALT+ENTER	Shows hint or suggestion
CTRL+SPACE BAR	Opens/closes code completion
ALT+SHIFT+F	Fixes all imports
ALT + INSERT	Pops up a code generator menu …. And a whole lot more but I’ve still got more to learn

Also included in the pdf is list of code templates to help you code faster.

If I want an if else statements all I’ve to do is type ifelse and press the Tab key and Voila

if (valid) {

} else {

} This is what you get.

Type Psf and I get public static final. You couldn’t ask for more.

Have fun, that’s what programming in java is all about and don’t forget you coffee.