IntelliJ IDEA vs Eclipse IDE

IntelliJ IDEA9.4Visit Eclipse IDE9.2Visit

Higher score IntelliJ IDEA #1 in Java IDEs 9.4/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit IntelliJ IDEA

vs

Eclipse IDE #2 in Java IDEs 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Eclipse IDE

• IntelliJ IDEA fits best

  Professional Java and JVM development

• Eclipse IDE fits best

  Free, general-purpose Java development

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	IntelliJ IDEA 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Eclipse IDE 9.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.2
Ranking	#1 in Java IDEs	#2 in Java IDEs
Best for	Professional Java and JVM development	Free, general-purpose Java development
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	Free plan · 30-day trial	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features IntelliJ IDEA 0/5 · Eclipse IDE 4/5
Spring support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Jakarta EE support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
JavaFX support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Remote development	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Database tools	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Supported operating systems	windows, macos, linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Our review
Pros	Integrated debugging, testing, coverage, inspections, and refactoring Maven, Gradle, Ant, Gant, Git, Docker, and Kubernetes integrations Supports remote development, Dev Containers, databases, and HTTP workflows	Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux Includes Git, Maven, Gradle, Spring Boot, and JavaFX tooling Covers database work, web tooling, and SSH or Telnet connections
Cons	Advanced Spring, web, database, and profiling tools require Ultimate The breadth of tooling may exceed the needs of simple Java projects Professional teams must evaluate the paid Ultimate feature set separately	Some Spring and JavaFX capabilities require additional projects or plug-ins The broad package and plug-in model can add setup decisions Desktop-focused tooling may not suit teams seeking a narrower IDE
Our verdict	IntelliJ IDEA is a desktop integrated development environment for Java and Kotlin development. It is aimed at professional developers who need one workspace for writing, navigating, refactoring, debugging, testing, building, and managing… Read the review →	Eclipse IDE is a free, open-source desktop development environment for Java developers working across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its Java package includes Java Development Tools, Git integration, Maven integration, and Gradle project… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• IntelliJ IDEA — where it wins

  • Integrated debugging, testing, coverage, inspections, and refactoring
  • Maven, Gradle, Ant, Gant, Git, Docker, and Kubernetes integrations
  • Supports remote development, Dev Containers, databases, and HTTP workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • Advanced Spring, web, database, and profiling tools require Ultimate
  • The breadth of tooling may exceed the needs of simple Java projects
  • Professional teams must evaluate the paid Ultimate feature set separately

• Eclipse IDE — where it wins

  • Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Includes Git, Maven, Gradle, Spring Boot, and JavaFX tooling
  • Covers database work, web tooling, and SSH or Telnet connections

  Where it doesn't

  • Some Spring and JavaFX capabilities require additional projects or plug-ins
  • The broad package and plug-in model can add setup decisions
  • Desktop-focused tooling may not suit teams seeking a narrower IDE

• IntelliJ IDEA9.4/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A broad Java and JVM workspace with strong debugging, testing, and build-tool support.

  Visit IntelliJ IDEAFull verdict →
• Eclipse IDE9.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, broad Java IDE with strong build, framework, database, and remote-development tooling.

  Visit Eclipse IDEFull verdict →