Things possible in IntelliJ that aren't possible in Eclipse?

Answer 1

Data flow analysis : inter-procedural backward flow analysis and forward flow analysis, as described here. My experiences are based on Community Edition, which does data flow analysis fairly well. It has failed (refused to do anything) in few cases when code is very complex.

Answer 2

One thing I use regularly is setting a breakpoint, but then controlling what it does. (At my last job, most everyone else used Eclipse... I remember being surprised that no one could find how to do this in Eclipse.)

For example, can have the breakpoint not actually stop, but just log a message to the console. Which means, I don't have to litter my code with "System.out.println(...)" and then recompile.

Answer 3

One of the good points in my opinion is the Dependency Structure Matrix: http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/dependency_analysis.html#link0

There's a good introduction to DSM usage and benefits in Lattix' website (a standalone product): http://www.lattix.com/files/dl/slides/s.php?directory=4tour

Answer 4

VIM Emulator. This plugin provides nearly complete vi/vim/gvim emulation while editing files in IDEA. The following functionality is supported:

• Motion keys
• Deletion/Changing
• Insert mode commands
• Marks
• Registers
• VIM undo/redo
• Visual mode commands
• Some Ex commands
• Some :set options
• Full VIM regular expressions for search and search/replace
• Macros
• Diagraphs
• Command line history
• Search history
• Jumplists
• VIM help

some comments about this plugin from http://plugins.jetbrains.net/plugin/?id=164

I can't see ever going back to any other ide because of this plugin.. Best of both worlds... Awesome!. that's what i was lacking in all IDEs.

Answer 5

Structural search and replace.

For example, search for something like:

  System.out.println($string$ + $expr$);

Where $string$ is a literal, and $expr$ is an expression of type my.package.and.Class, and then replace with:

  $expr$.inspect($string$);

Answer 6

Something which I use in IntelliJ all the time is refactoring as I type. I have re-written classes from a printout (originally written in eclipse) using both IDEs and I used about 40% less key strokes/mouse clicks to write the same classes in IntelliJ than eclipse.

I wouldn't want to use Eclipse until they support as much refactoring with incomplete pieces of code.

Here is a longer list of features in IntelliJ 8.0/8.1 [http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/index.html]