How to Use Eclipse IDE Shortcuts to Boost Productivity

Edited 3 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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The Eclipse IDE is a powerful tool in the programming world, known for its versatility and extensive capabilities. However, navigating through its myriad features can sometimes be time-consuming for developers. This is where mastering keyboard shortcuts can make a significant difference. By using shortcuts in Eclipse, you can save precious time and boost your productivity to a great extent. This article will delve deep into the various shortcuts available in the Eclipse IDE, explaining how each can make your workflow more efficient.

Why use keyboard shortcuts?

The main reason developers use keyboard shortcuts is speed. Every time you take your hands off the keyboard to reach for the mouse, you lose a few seconds. While this may not seem like much, these seconds add up over long coding sessions. Keyboard shortcuts allow you to perform tasks without taking your attention away from your current task. This efficiency also helps reduce distractions and improve focus, which can be important when you're writing complex logic or debugging.

Common Eclipse shortcuts

Let's start with some common shortcuts that can be used in Eclipse, regardless of the development language.

• CTRL + 3: This shortcut opens the “Quick Access” box. You can type anything from commands to settings here and access it quickly, bypassing the need to navigate menus.
• CTRL + F6: Use this to switch between open editors. This is especially useful when you are working on multiple files.
• CTRL + F7: Same as F6, but it switches between different views.
• CTRL + F8: This switches between different perspectives. For example, you can switch from the Java perspective to the Debug perspective.
• ALT + SHIFT + S: This opens the Source menu, where you get options for generating getters and setters or refactoring the code.

Java development shortcuts

Eclipse is a favorite among Java developers, so knowing some Java-specific shortcuts is a must.

• CTRL + SPACE: Code completion. Eclipse suggests methods, variables, and class names as you type.
• CTRL + SHIFT + O: Organize Imports. This automatically adds or removes Java import statements.
• F3: GoTo. Fast forward to the declaration of a variable, method, or class.
• CTRL + 1: Quick solution. Eclipse suggests solutions for compilation errors.
• CTRL + SHIFT + T: OpenType. Useful for quickly finding and opening classes.
• CTRL + SHIFT + R: Open Resource. Allows you to open any file in the project, regardless of its type.

Debugging shortcuts

Debugging is an important part of development, and knowing these shortcuts can speed up the process significantly.

• F5: Step Into. Moves the debugger into a method call to enable examination of the method's internal processes.
• F6: Step Over. Processes the next line of code, skipping the method call.
• F7: Step Return. Completes execution of the current method and returns to the caller.
• CTRL + SHIFT + B: Toggle breakpoints. Quickly set or remove breakpoints on lines of code.
• CTRL+SHIFT+D: Display. Typically used to display the result of evaluating an expression on selected text during debugging.

Navigation shortcuts

Effective navigation through your code and workspace can greatly increase your productivity.

• CTRL + E: Show editor list. Presents a list of open editors, allowing you to switch between them effectively.
• CTRL + L: Go to line. A dialog box opens where you can type the line number and jump to it.
• CTRL + H: Open the find dialog. Enables code search in the workspace or project.
• CTRL + Q: Takes you back to the last editing location.
• CTRL + . (period) / CTRL + , (comma): Navigate through annotations. This is useful when you're troubleshooting issues in your code.

Editing shortcuts

Editing is a fundamental part of coding, and these shortcuts can help you manage and improve your code more efficiently.

• CTRL + D: Delete line. Instantly deletes a line from your code.
• CTRL + ALT + DOWN / UP ARROW: Copy line. Duplicates the current line up or down, reducing the need for repeated copy-paste.
• ALT + Shift + Up / Down Arrow: Move line. Reorders the code by moving the selected line or block of code up or down.
• CTRL + I: Correct indentation. Perfect for organizing your code layout.
• CTRL + SHIFT + F: Format. Automatically formats selected code segments or the entire file, depending on the context.

Customizing shortcuts

Eclipse allows you to customize and create your own shortcuts to further streamline your workflow. To customize shortcuts:

1. Go to Window > Preferences.
2. In the Preferences dialog, go to General > Keys.
3. In the Keys tab, you can search for commands by name or filter them by context.
4. To modify the shortcut of a command, select the command and set the key combination you want in the Binding field.
5. Make sure there are no conflicts, otherwise the new combination will override the existing combination.

Conclusion

Learning these keyboard shortcuts is the step towards becoming a more efficient and productive developer in Eclipse IDE. Although it may seem like a daunting task initially, memorizing these shortcuts can significantly reduce development time and improve code quality. Gradually incorporating shortcuts into your daily routine will help you master them over time. Remember, the key to using shortcuts effectively lies in practice and repetition, so don't hesitate to integrate them into your workflow.

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