# IntelliJ IDEA Reviews **Vendor:** JetBrains **Category:** [Java Integrated Development Environments (IDE)](https://www.g2.com/categories/java-integrated-development-environments-ide) **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 2,362 ## About IntelliJ IDEA IntelliJ IDEA is a JetBrains IDE for professional development in Java and Kotlin, created to boost productivity with AI-powered features, built-in tools, and seamless integrations. IntelliJ IDEA helps you code faster and smarter from the start – no additional setup required. Designed for clean, high-quality code, the IDE offers powerful debugging, error detection, and diagnostic tools to minimize mistakes. It stays ahead of the curve, supporting the latest Java and Kotlin versions with early access to new technologies. Its intuitive UI, ergonomic design, and customizable environment ensure a smooth, uninterrupted workflow. Prioritizing security and privacy, IntelliJ IDEA lets you focus on development while keeping your code safe. IntelliJ IDEA's values: Code quality. Built-in inspections and code analysis tools help developers deliver clean, thoroughly checked, high-quality code. Real-world focus. Tailored to real-world challenges – streamlining problem-solving even for enterprise-scale projects. Cutting-edge technology support. Always ready for the latest technologies in the JVM ecosystem. AI workflows under control. Powerful tooling helps developers stay in control of AI-generated code and remain accountable for what they ship. Ultimate comfort. Designed for focused, uninterrupted work. Reliability. Works seamlessly in any setup, from large codebases to complex environments. IntelliJ IDEA includes all core Java and Kotlin development features for free. Advanced functionality can be unlocked through an Ultimate subscription, all within the same IDE. ## IntelliJ IDEA Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users find IntelliJ IDEA incredibly **easy to use** , with seamless integration and efficient project setup enhancing their experience. (69 reviews) - Users love the **intelligent features** of IntelliJ IDEA, enhancing efficiency and streamlining the development process significantly. (65 reviews) - Users value the **excellent debugging support** of IntelliJ IDEA, enhancing their productivity and error resolution efficiency. (49 reviews) - Users appreciate the **intuitive and user-friendly interface** of IntelliJ IDEA, making development tasks easier and more enjoyable. (36 reviews) - Users love the **smart code suggestions** in IntelliJ IDEA, making coding faster and enhancing overall productivity. (34 reviews) - Code Completion (32 reviews) - Users appreciate the **ease of Git integration** in IntelliJ IDEA, enabling seamless version control and streamlined workflows. (28 reviews) - Users appreciate the **extensive plugin options** of IntelliJ IDEA, enhancing functionality and boosting overall development efficiency. (27 reviews) - Java Support (25 reviews) - Error Handling (23 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience **high memory usage** with IntelliJ IDEA, leading to performance issues on larger projects and older machines. (44 reviews) - Users note that IntelliJ IDEA has **high system requirements** , leading to sluggish performance and heavy resource consumption. (26 reviews) - Users find IntelliJ IDEA **expensive** , especially considering its resource demands and limited features in the free version. (21 reviews) - Users note a **slow startup** time for large projects, which can hinder their overall productivity with IntelliJ IDEA. (21 reviews) - Users often find the **initial project indexing slow** , impacting performance, particularly on machines with limited resources. (18 reviews) - Users report **slow performance** with IntelliJ IDEA, especially when running alongside other applications on less powerful machines. (15 reviews) - Users often struggle with the **steep learning curve** of IntelliJ IDEA, finding it overwhelming due to numerous features. (13 reviews) - Users experience **high resource usage** with IntelliJ IDEA, leading to performance degradation, especially on older machines. (12 reviews) - Users often face **performance issues** with IntelliJ IDEA on older hardware, resulting in slow and resource-intensive experiences. (9 reviews) - Beginner Unfriendliness (7 reviews) ## IntelliJ IDEA Reviews ### 1. Reliable IDE for everyday Java backend development **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Puneet R. | Software Development Engineer, Financial Services, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 13, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** What I like most is the smart code completion and how well it understands the code. It suggests things very accurately, which saves a lot of time. Also, navigation is really smooth; I can jump between classes, methods, and files quickly, even in large projects. Debugging is another strong point; it’s very easy to track issues. Overall, it just makes day-to-day development faster and less frustrating. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** One thing is that it can be quite heavy on system resources, especially when multiple projects are open. Sometimes, the startup time is also a bit slow. Also, indexing can take time when you open a large project, which can be slightly frustrating. Apart from that, most things work pretty well for me. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** I like how well it integrates with tools like Git and Maven/Gradle, so I don’t have to switch between different apps. The UI is pretty clean once you get used to it. Another thing is the refactoring support—it’s very reliable, so making changes in large codebases feels safe. Overall, it just fits well into my daily workflow without much friction. ### 2. IntelliJ’s Intuitive UI, Smart Shortcuts, and Better Integration **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Harshit M. | Self employed, E-Learning, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 12, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** Intellij is really a best platform not only for beginners who are learning Java but for experts too, the best thing i loved was their UI and their pre defined functions and shortcut keys that you can customise through settings also their AI usedis quite accurate to give suggestions, if we talk about performance it genuinely runs even HSD laptops it may lags sometimes as i experienced, their integration with different tools and resources are quite smooth also i quite waver on their subscription their pricing is too high for me but they really supports the beginners and it is very friendly for brginners to practice Java on that as it is free for usage but if you want to use their functionalities you must have to subscribe IntelliJ **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** i genuinely do not like their high subscription amount, if someone want to use their feature its just ask for payment else i practice on IntelliJ everything find to be good **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** I think they’re working on improving performance and integration, and on bringing new features to it. It seems like it’s only available to subscribers ### 3. THE JVM POWER HOUSE WITH AI SUPPORT PLUGINS **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ayon S. | Software Engineer(JAVA BACKEND), Information Technology and Services, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** 1.The incremental compiler is very fast and only reveals rebuilds changed code Which obviously saves a lot of time during the work. 2.Real time error highlighting we can get along with that we have a lot of debugging options and a very helpful UI. 3.The compiler works smoothly with multiple jvm languages like Java Kotlin Etcetera Etcetera that makes it versatile for different projects **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** 1.The ID is very heavy a lot of memory especially for the lower end systems it will be hard to manage. 2.Build times can be can still become slow in very large projects despite of incremental compilation. 3.Also the frequent indexing and background processing interrupts workflow and slow down the performance **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** 1.It solves the problem of slow development by providing fast, incremental compilation, which helps you build and test code quickly, as long as the device is decent. 2.It also reduces coding errors through real-time analysis and suggestions with the advantage of debugging modes for situations that are hard to understand. 3.On top of that, it simplifies project and dependency management because it has built-in support tools like Marvin and Gradle. ### 4. IntelliJ IDEA: Smart Completion and Refactoring That Supercharge Productivity **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Bhavani K. | SDE1, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 10, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** What I like most about IntelliJ IDEA is its smart code completion and powerful refactoring, which make development faster and easier. It also has excellent support for frameworks like Spring and comes with useful built-in tools like Git and debugging. Overall, it’s a very productive and developer-friendly IDE from JetBrains. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** One downside of IntelliJ IDEA is that it can be quite resource-intensive, often consuming a lot of RAM and slowing down on lower-end systems. The startup time can also be a bit long, and some advanced features are locked behind the paid version. Additionally, it can feel overwhelming for beginners due to its wide range of features. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** IntelliJ IDEA solves common development challenges like inefficient coding, difficult debugging, and managing large codebases by providing smart code completion, real-time error detection, and powerful refactoring tools. It also simplifies working with frameworks and integrates essential tools like Git and testing within the IDE. This benefits me by saving time, reducing errors, and making development more efficient and organized. ### 5. All-in-One IDE with Outstanding Code Intelligence and Debugging **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Md Mizanur A. | Software Engineer, Computer Software, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 18, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** IntelliJ IDEA offers excellent code intelligence, smart auto-completion, and powerful debugging tools that significantly improve development productivity. Its clean interface, deep integration with frameworks, and built-in tools for version control, testing, and database management make it an all-in-one development environment. It also provides strong support for Java and many other languages, which is very helpful for full-stack development. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** IntelliJ IDEA can be resource-intensive, especially on lower-end systems, which may lead to slower performance. Some advanced features are only available in the paid Ultimate version, limiting access for free users. It can also feel overwhelming for beginners due to the large number of features and configuration options. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** IntelliJ IDEA helps solve common development challenges such as debugging complex code, managing large projects, and improving code quality. Its intelligent suggestions and error detection reduce development time and minimize bugs. This benefits me by increasing productivity, improving code efficiency, and making it easier to manage and scale applications. ### 6. IntelliJ IDEA: Smart Coding, Powerful Debugging, and SonarQube-Driven Code Quality **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** ROBIN R. | Software Engineer, Computer Software, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 28, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** I primarily use IntelliJ IDEA to develop Spring Boot microservices and REST APIs. The biggest advantage for me is its intelligent code completion and its deep understanding of the Spring framework. Features such as auto-wiring suggestions, the built-in HTTP client for testing APIs, and smooth navigation between classes save me a lot of development time. The debugger is also very capable and makes it easier to trace issues through complex flows. I also rely heavily on the refactoring tools, which remain reliable even in large codebases. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** One issue I frequently run into is high memory usage, especially when I’m running multiple microservices or working on larger projects. On systems with limited RAM, startup time and indexing can also feel slow. At times, the IDE becomes a bit sluggish during heavier background tasks, such as indexing or plugin updates, which can interrupt the overall workflow. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** IntelliJ IDEA helps me manage complex backend projects more efficiently by streamlining my day-to-day workflow. It reduces development time with features such as smart code suggestions, quick fixes, and integrated debugging. For example, when I’m working across multiple Spring Boot services, I can navigate the codebase quickly, debug effectively, and test APIs without constantly switching between different tools. This keeps me focused, improves overall productivity, and helps me spot and resolve issues faster during both development and testing. ### 7. Powerful Code Assistance That Boosts Developer Productivity **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jayanth Sai E. | Software Engineer , Information Technology and Services, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 12, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** What I like most about IntelliJ IDEA is its powerful code assistance and overall developer productivity features. Intelligent code completion, real-time error detection, and strong refactoring support make development faster and more efficient. It also offers excellent debugging and navigation capabilities, which help me quickly understand the code and troubleshoot issues. Integration with tools like Git and Maven, as well as frameworks such as Spring Boot, is smooth. Overall, it provides a stable and efficient development environment that helps developers write clean code and stay productive. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** One thing I dislike about IntelliJ IDEA is that it can be a bit heavy on system resources, especially when working on large projects. Sometimes it uses more memory and can feel slow during indexing or while opening multiple modules. Another point is that some advanced features are available only in the Ultimate edition, so in certain cases the Community edition feels a little limited for enterprise development needs. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** IntelliJ IDEA helps solve many common problems developers face when writing and managing code. It offers smart code completion, real-time error detection, and automatic refactoring, which helps reduce coding mistakes and improve overall code quality. It also makes debugging and code navigation much easier. Developers can quickly move between classes, find usages, and debug applications step by step, which saves a lot of time during development. For me, this is especially beneficial because it boosts productivity and makes development faster and more organized. Instead of spending time on small issues or searching through files, IntelliJ IDEA helps me focus more on implementing the actual business logic. ### 8. Smooth, Lag-Free IntelliJ IDEA with Helpful Guidance and a Solid AI Code Assistant **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Shrijit S. | Journalist, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 14, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** The one standout feature I feel that IntelliJ IDEA possesses is how smooth and nice the day-to-day feel has been since I've been using it since last year for backend development and API and Docker integration. Unlike Visual Studio, I have never had the software lag so the performance has also been exceptional. I did not require any Onboarding/Support as such, apart from some issues that I had created myself which the crisp instructions helped me resolve faster. I've been using AI code assistant for some time and that has been a good respite from repetitive coding. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** The very high resource usage that slows down large projects and the prohibitive costs for small teams come to my mind. The extensions in Visual Studio are also better, in my experience. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** Earlier, I was using Visual Studio, like I had been doing in college but I was encouraged by my manager to switch to IntelliJ. IntelliJ’s code intelligence, framework awareness, and navigation tools felt much faster and more accurate for Java and Spring Boot development. Tasks like tracing service dependencies, refactoring large codebases, or identifying implementation usage became significantly easier and reduced manual effort considerably. ### 9. Intuitive Interface, Effortless Project Setup **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Abhishek G. | Software Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 14, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** I absolutely love the interface of IntelliJ IDEA because it's so intuitive and easy to use. It sets the gold standard, particularly for Spring Boot projects. It saves me a lot of time when it comes to the project setup, as I don't really have to open up a terminal or configure my project to run itself. Everything I can do is from the interface itself. It makes coding fun because the interface is very visually appealing. The initial setup was very easy for me—I was able to do it within the first ten to fifteen minutes, which was really cool. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** One thing I feel like IntelliJ IDEA is not doing well is that it's not able to keep up with new IDEs, like Cursors, and the extensions supported by VS Code. It could transform itself to become more AI-friendly. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** IntelliJ IDEA helps me run group projects with an easy-to-use interface, saving time on environment setup and letting me focus on programming. It simplifies handling environment variables and package downloads, eliminating the need for manual configuration. ### 10. Boosts Java Development Efficiency **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Imran B. | Full-stack Developer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 14, 2026 **What do you like best about IntelliJ IDEA?** I really appreciate how IntelliJ IDEA helps me write, debug, and manage code more efficiently with its smart suggestions and built-in tools. The smart code suggestions save me time by reducing manual coding errors. I find the debugging tools very helpful in quickly locating and fixing issues. I also really like the clean interface, as it keeps everything organized and easy to navigate. The initial setup was fairly easy with clear installation steps and useful default configurations, allowing me to start coding quickly. Its powerful and reliable nature makes it especially great for Java development. **What do you dislike about IntelliJ IDEA?** Sometimes it feels heavy on system resources, especially on lower-end PCs, and startup speed could be improved. **What problems is IntelliJ IDEA solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use IntelliJ IDEA to write, debug, and manage code efficiently with smart suggestions and built-in tools, saving time and reducing errors. Its debugging tools quickly find issues, and the clean interface keeps everything organized. ## IntelliJ IDEA Discussions - [What is IntelliJ IDEA used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-intellij-idea-used-for) - 4 comments, 2 upvotes - [There is a Linux version planned?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/there-is-a-linux-version-planned) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [How to speed up compiling time?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-to-speed-up-compiling-time) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [Have you used the remote pair programming tool from Jetbrains (Code With Me)? 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