What is the difference between Eclipse and Netbeans if I want to use only the Java in it?

Question

I recently got a Dell XPS 64-bit Vista for myself. Eclipse doesn't have their 64-bit version, but I've read on forums that they download Eclipse and work with Java 1.5 on the Vista with only some problems. I have Java 1.6 and Netbeans was easily downloadable.

What's the basic/big difference that I'll notice if I shift to Netbeans from Eclipse now?

Solution 1

What is the difference between Coke and Pepsi?

Ok, it's not really that similar, but a lot of the differences are in qualitative ways. Speaking of Netbeans 6.1 and 6.5:

• Netbeans has a very different UI and workflow. There are no perspectives, but toolbars and such will auto appear/hide as needed (i.e. debugging). Build process is different. Managing projects is different.

• Netbeans focuses on a smooth, integrated experience sometimes at the expense of features. The Profiler is fully integrated into the editor (context menu's let you quickly manipulate the profiler), but is lacking some featuers of Eclipse profilers.

• Netbeans has a tightly integrated JSP/Servlet/JSF development environment. The whole workflow connects together from development, debugging, deployment. This is more of a "feel" than anything else.

• Netbeans editor is missing several Eclipse features. Spell check being one prominent one. Quick complete (Ctrl-K, Ctrl-J) is an underused Netbeans feature. Snippets being another (though they have an auto-complete template which fills a different, but similar niche).

• Less choice. If you don't like one of the included tools, it's unlikely you will find a good alternative plug-in.

• Matisse. Eclipse GUI editors have started to catch up, but they are simply no comparison to Matisse. Superficially, they seem equivalent...

• <sarcasm>Your friends will make fun of you.</sarcasm>

Solution 2

Maybe when you work with several (many) projects at the same time I would prefer Eclipse (Workspace organization is great for that). Interface seems to respond better (at least vs old versions of NetBeans such as 5.0) in Eclipse too. This is related to SWT vs Swing performance issues, though the differences are no so big as on Java 1.4 days.

However I would say Netbeans is a better integrated IDE, you launch/debug applications the same way no matter you are developing a desktop application or a JSP/Servlet web application. Building relies entirely (since version 4 I think) on Ant, and Netbeans launches/adds ant target transparently. Ant in Eclipse has the same level of integration as a pair of bull horns sticked to the front of your car.

Eclipse is more extensible than Netbeans but the last is more uniform.

Solution 3

I think it will be mostly culture shock. Things in different places. Features named different things.

If you really want to give Netbeans a try force yourself to use it for a month. It will suck for the first day or so as none of the shortcuts will be the same, various idioms will be different etc.

At the end of the month you will be competent enough in it that these things should have gone away and you can objectively decide if you like it more. (I'm currently trying this with IntelliJ btw. Current state, confused ;-)

Solution 4

Why not use both ?

I like netbeans Profiling tools much better than eclipse's as they work straight out of the box on Linux.

Eclipse I use for normal editing, the mylin tools really help you work in a task oriented way.

Netbeans supports the import of eclipse projects so you can go along with both IDE's working on a single project if you need to.

Solution 5

Sad to say, you also quickly discover that Netbeans is far more unstable than Eclipse. I give a serious try (more than one month ;)) to 6.1 and that was the more noticeable "feature" for me. Sometimes, a simple mouvement of the mouse is enough to kill the application. They made huge progress since 5.x, but imho, Netbeans is still far behind Eclipse.

View more solutions

Comments

[GusDeCooL]

i use netbeans on mac for more than 3 years. But today i update to Netbeans v7.3. The UI or messed up + no fullscreen button. I think about stop using netbeans and more focused on eclipse now.

[James Schek]

Netbeans now have Project Groups which is similar to Workgroups. If you need completely different environments, you can launch Netbeans and point at a new ".netbeans" directory.

[James Schek]

Eclipse is not more extensible. The underlying platforms are roughly equivalent in capabilities. It's more accurate to say there are far more IDE Plug-Ins for Eclipse than Netbeans.

[cdmckay]

Really? I was converted the moment I tried NetBeans. I like how, by default, they use Ant for building (instead of Eclipses weird custom system).

[cdmckay]

I've never experienced the instability you speak of and I've been using NetBeans on a daily basis since version 6. In fact, if anything, I found Eclipse to be unstable and had the project files routinely corrupt for no reason (forcing me to remake the project).

[mmutilva]

Neither have I. I've used Netbeans 5.x (very little) and 6.x a lot.

[GusDeCooL]

agree, i feel netbeans more unstable than eclipse.