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IntelliJ IDEA vs Vim: What are the differences?
Introduction
IntelliJ IDEA and Vim are both popular code editors used by developers for software development. While IntelliJ IDEA provides a comprehensive IDE experience with features like code completion, refactoring tools, and debugging capabilities, Vim emphasizes lightweight simplicity and customizability. Let's explore the key differences between the two:
User Interface and Interaction: IntelliJ IDEA provides a modern and intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) with functionalities like panels, menus, and toolbars, making it easy to navigate and manage code. On the other hand, Vim operates primarily in the command-line interface (CLI), offering a more minimalist approach focused on keyboard shortcuts and commands for text editing and manipulation.
Learning Curve: Due to its vast feature set and extensive capabilities, IntelliJ IDEA can have a steeper learning curve, especially for beginners. It requires understanding of various IDE concepts, project management, and navigation techniques. In contrast, Vim has a reputation for having a steep learning curve due to its powerful and intricate command-driven text editing model, which requires memorizing a vast array of commands and keybindings.
Extensibility and Customization: IntelliJ IDEA provides a rich ecosystem of plugins and extensions that allow users to extend its functionality and integrate with various frameworks and libraries. It also offers a robust set of customization options for the user interface and editor behavior. On the other hand, Vim is highly regarded for its extensibility and ability to be tailored to individual workflows through the use of configuration files and scripting, allowing users to have fine-grained control over their editing environment.
Automation and IDE Features: IntelliJ IDEA excels at automating common development tasks and provides features like code generation, smart code completion, refactoring tools, and integrated debuggers. It offers powerful integrated development capabilities, making it suitable for complex projects and large codebases. Vim, on the other hand, while lacking some of the integrated features of IntelliJ IDEA, provides efficient text editing for various programming languages and allows for quick and precise navigation and editing, making it a favorite among power users who prioritize speed and minimal distractions.
Platform and Language Support: IntelliJ IDEA is a fully-fledged IDE that supports a wide range of programming languages, frameworks, and technologies out of the box. It offers sophisticated features tailored to specific languages, including syntax highlighting, code analysis, and project-specific workflows. Vim, while having a strong foundation in text editing, can also be extended to support a wide variety of programming languages and plugins, providing adequate language-specific features and highlighting.
Collaboration and Teamwork: IntelliJ IDEA offers built-in tools and features for collaborative development, such as integration with version control systems like Git, shared code inspections, and peer code review capabilities. It provides an ecosystem for real-time collaboration and teamwork, allowing multiple developers to work on the same codebase efficiently. Vim, although not specifically designed for collaboration like IntelliJ IDEA, can still be used in conjunction with collaborative tools and workflows.
Summary
In summary, IntelliJ IDEA provides a feature-rich, user-friendly IDE experience with extensive language support and powerful automated functionalities, making it suitable for complex projects. Vim, on the other hand, emphasizes lightweight simplicity, customizability, and speed, making it an ideal choice for experienced users who prefer a more minimalist and keyboard-centric approach to text editing.
UPDATE: Thanks for the great response. I am going to start with VSCode based on the open source and free version that will allow me to grow into other languages, but not cost me a license ..yet.
I have been working with software development for 12 years, but I am just beginning my journey to learn to code. I am starting with Python following the suggestion of some of my coworkers. They are split between Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA for IDEs that they use and PyCharm is new to me. Which IDE would you suggest for a beginner that will allow expansion to Java, JavaScript, and eventually AngularJS and possibly mobile applications?
Pycharm is great for python development, but can feel sometimes slow and community version has Somme very annoying restrictions (like they disabled jupyter notebooks plugin and made it premium feature). I personally started looking into VS Code as an alternative, and it has some very good potential. I suggest you take it into account.
The Community version of PyCharm is free and should give you what you need to get started with Python. Both PyCharm and IntelliJ are made by JetBrains. IntelliJ is initially focused on Java but you can get plugins for lots of other things. I subscribe to JetBrains' Toolbox: https://www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/ and have access to all of their great tools.
I couldn't imagine using a development tool other than the IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate All Products Pack. A single license allows me to work directly on my server running Ubuntu and/or my workstation running Windows 10 Pro simultaneously. My current project uses HTML, W3CSS, JavaScript, Java, Groovy, Grails, C, GO, Python, Flask, and Rust. For me it's worth every penny of the $150 license fee. And you can try it for free.
Hi, I will give my opinion based on my experience. I have used PyCharm, both community and Professional version. The community has limited functions, like you can't use a Jupyter notebook whereas it's available in the Professional version. PyCharm is slower compared to Visual Studio Code. Also Visual Studio Code is an editor which supports various languages. I myself have used both Visual Studio Code and PyCharm. I feel Visual Studio Code would be better choice. You may as well decide based upon your requirements.
Visual Studio code is easy to use, has a good UI, and a large community. Python works great with it, but unlike some other editors, it works with most languages either by default or by downloading a plugin. VS Code has built in linting, syntax coloring, autocompletes (IntelliSense), and an api for plugins to do there own tooling.
I'd personally recommend Visual Studio Code as it gives you the flexibility of working in any language, so long as there are extensions to support it. It gives you the flexibility to learn Python, venture into Java, Javascript, and eventually AngularJS, and potentially mobile applications. It's also free and you can install it on your personal computer. I think Visual Studio Code would serve your intended use case best.
IntelliJ really is the best for Java, I switched from eclipse years ago and never looked back. As for javascript, python and angular either using the standalone products from jetbrains (pycharm for python, webstorm for js) or installing the relevant plugins for InteliJ will be your best bet. Pycharm etc. are really just InteliJ with some additional plugins installed.
If you starting with Python then PyCharm is better. For Java I would suggest to go with IntelliJ IDEA but people also prefer eclipse so I would say try both and then decide. For JS/Angular/React I would suggest go with VSCode. I personally use it and prefer as its light weight and have good integration with chrome for frontend development.
PyCharm, IntelliJ IDEA are both products of JetBrains. They have a free (limited feature) and paid edition. Eclipse is free. VSCode is also free.
This is a very easy to use tool and gives you the opportunity to start coding right after the installation with almost everything setup automatically by the tool.
Pycharm is all you need to get start coding in python or any of its framework. Its an awesome tool you should give it a try :)
Easy to learn and everything you need
All three are great, however, I believe that IntelliJ IDEA's multiple IDE's are slightly more straight-forward and more up-to date than Eclipse. If I had to choose one specifically for Python projects I would go with PyCharm.
I originally chose IntelliJ over Eclipse, as it was close enough to the look and feel of Visual Studio and we do go back and forth between the two. We really begin to love IntelliJ and their suite of IDEs so we are now using AppCode for the IOS development because the workflow is identical with the IntelliJ. IntelliJ is super complex and intimidating at first but it does afford a lot of nice utilities to get us produce clean code.
Pros of IntelliJ IDEA
- Fantastically intelligent301
- Best-in-class ide242
- Many languages support190
- Java158
- Fast121
- Code analysis82
- Reliable79
- Out of the box integration with maven, git, svn76
- Plugin architecture64
- Integrated version control61
- Code refactoring support12
- Best java IDE11
- Local history7
- Code Completion6
- Kotlin6
- Integrated Database Navigator6
- Built-in terminal/run tools6
- All5
- Free for open-source development, students and teacher5
- Base for Android Studio5
- Free If you're a Student5
- ERD Diagrams4
- Free4
- Cross platform4
- IDE4
- Database/Code integration4
- Out Of The Box features3
- Column Selection Mode3
- Server and client-side debugger3
- More than enough languages for any developer3
- Typescript support3
- Multicursor support3
- Reformating Code3
- Intuitive3
- Command-line tools3
- Android Integration3
- Vim support3
- Special icons for most filetypes in project list3
- Supports many frameworks3
- Built-in web server3
- Live Templates3
- Scala support3
- Works fine with mac os catalina2
- A lot of plugin2
- Just works2
- Integrated Ssh/Ftp Managers2
- Full support2
- Task managers2
- Diff tools2
- File Watchers2
- Support for various package managers2
- Integrated Code Linting2
- Clean UI2
- Open source2
- So modernised2
- Efficient, one Stop solution2
Pros of Vim
- Comes by default in most unix systems (remote editing)347
- Fast328
- Highly configurable312
- Less mouse dependence297
- Lightweight247
- Speed145
- Plugins100
- Hardcore97
- It's for pros82
- Vertically split windows65
- Open-source30
- Modal editing25
- No remembering shortcuts, instead "talks" to the editor22
- It stood the Test of Time21
- Unicode16
- VimPlugins13
- Everything is on the keyboard13
- Stick with terminal13
- Dotfiles12
- Flexible Indenting11
- Hands stay on the keyboard10
- Efficient and powerful10
- Programmable10
- Everywhere9
- Large number of Shortcuts9
- A chainsaw for text editing8
- Unmatched productivity8
- Developer speed7
- Super fast7
- Makes you a true bearded developer7
- Because its not Emacs7
- Modal editing changes everything7
- You cannot exit6
- Themes6
- EasyMotion5
- Most and most powerful plugins of any editor5
- Shell escapes and shell imports :!<command> and !!cmd5
- Intergrated into most editors5
- Shortcuts5
- Great on large text files5
- Habit5
- Plugin manager options. Vim-plug, Pathogen, etc5
- Intuitive, once mastered4
- Perfect command line editor4
- Not MicroSoft1
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Cons of IntelliJ IDEA
- Large footprint required to really enjoy (mem/disc)20
- Very slow16
- Bad for beginners8
- UI is not intuitive7
- Not nearly as many tools to integrate as vs code5
- Constant reindexing5
- Needs a lot of CPU and RAM power4
- Built in terminal is slow3
- Doesn't work that well with windows 10 edu3
- Ruby is a plug in1
- Pesky warnings increase with every release1
- AAD0
Cons of Vim
- Ugly UI8
- Hard to learn5