A free, open-source Integrated Development Environment for software developers. You get all the tools you need to create professional desktop, enterprise, web, and mobile applications with the Java language, C/C++, and even dynamic languages such as PHP, JavaScript, Groovy, and Ruby. Apache NetBeans for Mac is easy to install and use straight out of the box and runs on many platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Solaris.
Java Shell is a new tool included in JDK9 defined in JEP 222 to introduce REPL (read-eval-print-loop) capabilities to Java. The program provides integrated console-like UI for the Java Shell, leveraging the tool editor capabilities. The app can support the tool with the user project configuration, so the Java Shell is set up to work with project classes and libraries, providing autocompletion out of the box in the editor.
Also, the app greatly extends the capabilities of the commandline tool. Apache NetBeans for Mac can execute the shell as an agent, similar to a debugging agent, on the debugged or run application (currently only J2SE applications are supported, both Ant and Maven-based). Snippets written in JShell can be redefined and tested, even against a running code. When the prototype is ready, it can be saved to a regular Java source file and integrated with the project.
Features and Highlights
Java
JDK 8 support: tools and editor enhancements for working with Profiles, Lambdas, and Streams. Java SE Embedded support to deploy, run, debug or profile Java SE applications on an embedded device, such as Raspberry PI, directly from the Net Beans IDE. Java ME Embedded 8 support.
Java EE
New PrimeFaces code generators, to generate complete PrimeFaces skeleton CRUD applications with connection to databases. Tomcat 8.0 and TomEE support, including out-of-box JPA, JSF and JAXRS configuration and data sources. More flexibility for JPA hints, which can be disabled, enabled, and warning level changed.
Maven
New Maven graph layout switcher. Navigator shows POM goals and improved Maven performance when re-running Web applications. Improved Maven performance of 'Apply Code Changes' while debugging.
JavaScript
AngularJS navigation via hyperlinking from view to controllers. Many enhancements for AngularJS in code completion between artifacts, such as code completion in the view to properties defined in controllers. Debugging of JavaScript code executed in Nashorn (JDK 8+) script engine is supported.
HTML5
Android 4.4 WebKit debugging supported for Cordova 3.3+. New Karma test runner support and New Grunt build support. Avatar.js is available in the Plugin Manager, via Tools | Plugins. After installation, you're able to create Avatar.js projects.
PHP
Support for PHP 5.5. Enhancements for Twig, Latte, and Neon. Composer supported by New Project Wizard.
C/C++
New Breadcrumbs feature for navigation in the editor. New GDB Console to enable usage of command line GDB mode. New hints and code completions. Improved remote performance.
Platform
Enhanced flexibility in the Window System, such as split of editor via drag and drop, and a new API to customize editor tabs. New design of user interface for managing Project Groups. Files in folders can be sorted by extension.
Miscellaneous
Profiler enhancements: Profile on embedded platforms, show thread owning monitor for lock contention, and improved Threads view. Versioning enhancements: Support for Subversion 1.8 working copies, various enhancements to Git and Mercurial support. Task Schedule and other new features in Tasks window for bug tracking.
Note: Also see the following YouTube clips: Get Started with NetBeans from a ZIP Archive and Get Started with NetBeans from a Mac OSX Installer.
Also Available: Download NetBeans IDE for Windows