How to Install and Set Up IntelliJ IDEA on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

IntelliJ IDEASetupInstallationWindowsMacLinuxProgrammingIDEJavaConfigurationBeginnersSoftware DevelopmentEnvironment Setup

Introduction

IntelliJ IDEA is one of the most popular integrated development environments (IDE) for Java and other programming languages. It is developed by JetBrains and offers lots of powerful features to make coding easier and more efficient. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, IntelliJ IDEA can greatly enhance your productivity and development experience. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing and setting up IntelliJ IDEA on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. By the end of this guide, you should be able to comfortably install the IDE on your operating system and start coding with ease.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, make sure that your system meets the following requirements:

• A computer running Windows, macOS, or a Linux-based operating system.
• Internet connection to download IntelliJ IDEA.
• The Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed on your system. IntelliJ IDEA requires the JDK to run Java programs.

Downloading IntelliJ IDEA

The first step is to download IntelliJ IDEA. Follow these steps to download it on your system:

1. Open your web browser and go to the official JetBrains website https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/.
2. When the page loads, you will find two main editions of IntelliJ IDEA: Ultimate Edition and Community Edition.
3. The Community edition is free and open-source, with all the basic features needed for Java development. If you are a beginner or working on personal projects, this edition will suffice.
4. The Ultimate edition is a paid version that includes additional features for business development and is highly recommended for enterprise use.
5. Choose the version that suits your needs and click the "Download" button under the version you want.

Installing IntelliJ IDEA on Windows

Let's start with the installation process on Windows. Follow these steps:

1. Once the download is complete, go to the directory where the installer was downloaded and double-click on the .exe file to run it.
2. The installation wizard will open. Click "Next" to begin the installation process.
3. You will be asked to choose the destination folder where IntelliJ IDEA should be installed. You can keep the default path or choose a different folder.
4. Click "Next" to continue. You will see some installation options such as creating a desktop shortcut or adding a launcher script to the PATH. Choose your preferred options and click "Next".
5. After reviewing your selections, click the "Install" button to begin the installation.
6. Wait for the installation to complete. Once it is done, click "Finish" to exit the installer.
7. After installing, you can launch IntelliJ IDEA from the Start Menu or the desktop shortcut you created earlier.

Installing IntelliJ IDEA on macOS

The installation process on macOS is relatively simple. Here's how you can install IntelliJ IDEA on your Mac:

1. After downloading the .dmg file, double-click on it to open the installer.
2. A window will appear with the IntelliJ IDEA icon. Drag and drop the IntelliJ IDEA icon into the "Applications" folder alias of the same window.
3. The IDE will now be copied to your "Applications" folder. Once this is done, go to "Applications" and double-click on IntelliJ IDEA to start it.
4. When you run the application for the first time, a security prompt will appear asking if you want to open it since it was downloaded from the Internet. Click "Open" to proceed.

Installing IntelliJ IDEA on Linux

On Linux, you can install IntelliJ IDEA using a package manager or by manually downloading the archive file. Here's how:

Using a package manager

1. Open the terminal on your Linux machine.
2. If you are using a Debian-based system (such as Ubuntu), you can use the following command to add the JetBrains repository and install IntelliJ IDEA:

sudo snap install intellij-idea-community --classic

3. For RPM-based systems, you may need to use other package management tools like dnf or yum.

Manual installation

1. Download the .tar.gz archive file from the JetBrains website.
2. Extract the archive to the directory where you want to keep IntelliJ IDEA. You can use the following command in the terminal:

tar -xzf ideaIC-<version>.tar.gz

3. Go to bin directory in the extracted folder:

cd idea-IC-<version>/bin

4. Run the idea.sh script to start IntelliJ IDEA:

./idea.sh

5. You can create a desktop entry or symbolic link to make it more convenient to start IntelliJ IDEA in the future.

Initial configuration and setup

After launching IntelliJ IDEA for the first time, you will be greeted with the Welcome screen. Follow these steps to set it up for the first time:

1. You may be prompted to import settings from a previous version if applicable. Choose whether or not to import.
2. You will then be asked to customize your IntelliJ IDEA UI by choosing a UI theme. You can choose "Darkula" for a dark theme or "IntelliJ" for a light theme.
3. IntelliJ IDEA will now ask you to download additional plugins. Select the plugins you need for your specific development needs.
4. You can also configure your keymap settings if you prefer alternative keyboard shortcuts.
5. Once these initial configurations are done, you will be brought to the main IntelliJ IDEA interface where you can create or open a project.

Creating your first project

Now that IntelliJ IDEA is installed and configured, let's create a simple Java project to test the setup.

1. On the welcome screen, click "New Project."
2. Select "Java" from the list of available project types. Make sure the proper JDK version is selected. Add the path to your JDK installation, if not already configured.
3. Enter a name for your project and choose the location where it is to be saved.
4. Click "Finish" to create the project.
5. IntelliJ IDEA will set up the project environment. Once done, you will see the project structure on the left side of the screen.
6. Expand your project in the Projects view, right-click the "src" folder, and go to New > Java Class.
7. Enter a name for your class, for example, "Main", and then click OK.
8. Enter the following code in the newly created java file:

public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println("Hello, World!"); } }

9. To run your program, right-click in the code editor and select "Run 'main'", or use the green play button in the upper-right corner of the window.
10. You'll see the "Hello, World!" output in the Run tool window at the bottom of the IDE.

Conclusion

With these steps, you have successfully installed and set up IntelliJ IDEA on your computer. You also created a Java project and ran a simple program, which means you are ready to start coding and take advantage of IntelliJ IDEA's powerful features. Explore the various tools and plugins that IntelliJ IDEA offers to further improve your development experience. Happy coding!

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