Java tutorial: How to install Java and IntelliJ IDEA on Windows

The third part of a series of tutorials on installing the Java IDE. In the first two we covered the installation of Java and Apache Netbeans IDE and also the installation of Java and Eclipse IDE. Today we will show you how to install Java and IntelliJ IDEA on a Windows machine, step by step.

IntelliJ IDEA for Java

IntelliJ IDEA is an integrated development environment (IDE) developed by JetBrains and written in Java for software development projects. It is known for its advanced features and tools that make a developer’s life easier. IntelliJ comes with a robust set of tools and plugins (more than 750 already), including frameworks such as Spring and Hibernate

Users praise the advanced code editor with smart code completion, real-time code analysis, and refactoring capabilities. It provides better support for JVM-based languages such as Java, Kotlin, Groovy and Scala.

Other benefits include an intuitive user interface and the fact that it integrates with popular version control systems such as Git, Mercurial, and Subversion, allowing developers to make changes quickly and commit them to the repository.

However, it is important to note that the choice of IDE is subjective and depends on personal preferences and project requirements. Some developers may prefer Eclipse or Apache NetBeans over IntelliJ IDEA for a variety of reasons. It’s always a good idea to try out different IDEs and see which one suits you best.

Before we start, it is important to mention that Java is always installed before IntelliJ IDEA, because it depends on it and will save you unnecessary problems later.

Java installation:

Step 1: Download the latest version of Java from the official website:

Windows, Linux and macOS versions are available.

Choose the Windows version.

Step 2: Once the download is complete, double-click on the downloaded file to start the installation.

Step 3: Click Next and choose the path where Java will be installed (we recommend leaving the default path), click Next again to start the installation.

Step 4: After the installation is complete, you can still view the documentation on the Oracle website by clicking the Next Steps button.

Click Close to complete the installation process.

Step 5: Verify proper installation of Java by opening a command prompt (cmd command) and typing the command java -version. If Java is installed correctly, you should see the version number displayed.

Installing IntelliJ IDEA

Now that we have our preferred version of Java installed, we will install IntelliJ IDEA.

Step 1: Go to the official website, download IntelliJ IDEA and click on the download button.

Step 2: IntelliJ IDEA is offered in versions for Windows, macOS, Linux and even ARM64. Two versions are available: the paid IntelliJ Ultimate (with a 30-day free trial) and the open-source IntelliJ Community Edition. Choose one of them, press the appropriate download button and download the installation file.

Step 3: Once the download is complete, double-click on the installation file to launch the installation wizard.

Step 4: The first screen is the introductory screen, so click Next to continue.

Step 5: In the following wizard window, the installer will ask you to select the folder where IntelliJ IDEA will be installed. The default folder is usually fine, but you can choose a different folder (depending on your preferences). Click Next.

Step 6: The following screen offers several installation options. We choose to create a desktop icon, update the context menu, and associate the .java extension with IntelliJ IDEA. To continue, click Next, then Install on the next window to start the installation process.

Step 7: After the installation is complete, you have the option to check the option to run IntelliJ IDEA. Press the Finish button to close the installer.

Step 8: Before running the software for the first time, a window will appear with the license terms that you must agree to in order to make the Continue button available. Accept the terms and conditions by checking the checkbox and pressing this button, then you will be taken to IntelliJ IDEA.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Java and IntelliJ IDEA on your Windows computer. Now you’re ready to start programming in Java.

About the author

Jozef Wagner

Java Developer Senior

Viac ako 10 rokov programujem v Jave, momentálne pracujem v msg life Slovakia ako Java programátor senior a pomáham zákazníkom implementovať ich požiadavky do poistného softvéru Life Factory. Vo voľnom čase si rád oddýchnem v lese, prípadne si zahrám nejakú dobrú počítačovú hru.