Java 17 Recipes

Figure 1-8. Eclipse installation details
 How It Works
Although it’s possible to build web applications by compiling Java modules from the 
command line, it’s more efficient to use an IDE. This way, you can concentrate on the 
more creative part of developing software rather than fix inconsistency and fiddle with 
folder hierarchies.
An IDE integrates all the applications that you need to develop software—from 
a source editor and a compiler to tools to automate the application building process 
and a debugger—into a single application. When developing in Java or another object- 
oriented language, an IDE also includes tools to visualize class and object structure and 
inheritance and containment. Another advantage of using an IDE is that it propagates 
changes you make to individual modules. For example, if you rename a class, the IDE 
can automatically update its occurrences throughout your project files.
ChApteR 1 GettInG StARted wIth JAvA 17

---

12
As the applications you develop become more complex, it makes more and more 
sense to use an IDE. That’s why, before continuing to the next project, let’s discuss how 
to install and configure Eclipse.
Eclipse is an extremely powerful and extensible IDE, well suited for web application 
development. The Eclipse Foundation makes a new release four times a year (in March, 
June, September, and December) due to continuous integration and delivery in the 
software industry (called the rolling release). Once you’ve installed Eclipse to develop 
your applications, you can also use it for any other software development task, such as 
developing and debugging applications written in Java, C++, Python through a plug-in, 
or Fortran, which is widely used in the scientific community.
Furthermore, whatever task related to software development you need to perform, 
it’s likely that somebody has already developed an Eclipse plug-in for it. The Eclipse 
Marketplace website (
http://marketplace.eclipse.org
) lists about 2,000 plug-ins 
organized in dozens of categories. Eclipse consists of a core platform that executes 
plug-ins, plus a series of plug-ins that implement most of its functionality. Therefore, the 
standard packages available for download from the Eclipse website include dozens of 
plug-ins.