IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains' flagship IDE, used by about 27.1% of developers, and it's the tool most Java and Kotlin developers reach for by default. It's known for extremely deep static analysis — it understands your code well enough to catch bugs, suggest fixes, and perform safe large-scale refactors before you even run the program.
📌 Quick facts
Type: Full IDE
Made by: JetBrains
License: Free Community edition (open-source); paid Ultimate edition adds framework/enterprise support
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Primary use case: Java and Kotlin application development, including Android and Spring backend work
Key features
- Deep static analysis — flags bugs, dead code, and style issues as you type
- Powerful refactoring — rename, extract method, and restructure code safely across an entire project
- Built-in build tool integration — first-class support for Maven and Gradle projects
- Smart code completion — context-aware suggestions that go beyond simple autocomplete
- Rich plugin ecosystem — the same JetBrains platform underlies PyCharm, WebStorm, and Android Studio
- Integrated version control, database tools, and test runners
Getting started
Download the free Community edition from jetbrains.com/idea, or install via the command line:
# Windows (winget)
winget install JetBrains.IntelliJIDEA.Community
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask intellij-idea-ce
Open a folder containing a Maven or Gradle project and IntelliJ will auto-detect the build file and index the project for you.
🎯 Best for: Java or Kotlin coursework and professional backend/Android development — anywhere the project is big enough that IntelliJ's refactoring and static analysis start paying off over a plain text editor.