In our previous topics, we covered creating projects and writing programs in IntelliJ IDEA. Now, let's take our skills further by learning how to run, debug, and customize the IDE. Debugging is a crucial skill for developers, especially in Java development. IntelliJ IDEA offers a robust set of debugging tools that can significantly boost your productivity and streamline issue resolution in your code. With these tools, you can efficiently identify and fix bugs, comprehend complex code, test and verify behavior, collaborate with teammates, and optimize your application's performance. So, let's continue our journey with IntelliJ IDEA and explore these features.
Run and debug your application
Let's continue working with the program from the previous topic.
Once your program is ready, you can run it. Then, you can use the debugger to look for potential issues. Let's explore how these tools work.
Run:
1. Click on the green triangle Run button (
2. You'll see the result in the Run window that pops up.
Debug:
1. To test your program using the debugger, first, you need to set a breakpoint. Click on the gutter at the executable line of code where you want the breakpoint. Alternatively, you can place the caret on the line and hit ⌘F8 (macOS) or Ctrl+F8 (Windows, Linux).
2. To activate the debugger, click on the Bug button next to the Run button. The Debugger window will consequently appear with the result.
Customize IntelliJ IDEA
There are many settings that you can configure based on what you want or need.
1. To configure your IDE, select IntelliJ IDEA | Preferences (macOS) or File | Settings (Windows and Linux). For example, go to Appearance & Behavior | Appearance and choose different themes. In this topic, we use Darcula.
2. If you want to find something specific in the settings, use the search box as shown below.
Study more features in IntelliJ IDEA
You can continue exploring the IDE with helpful interactive courses right inside IntelliJ IDEA.
1. Select the Learn section on the Welcome screen and click on Start learning. The IDE will open a demo project with step-by-step instructions to guide you through all the most prominent features and tools that IntelliJ IDEA offers.
Conclusion
Understanding how to run and debug your application in IntelliJ IDEA is crucial for spotting and repairing code problems. The Run and Debug features make program execution and problem identification straightforward. You can examine code execution and find errors by setting breakpoints and using the debugger. In addition, IntelliJ IDEA lets you adapt the IDE to fit your likes, including its appearance and themes. The Learn section has interactive tutorials to deepen your understanding of IntelliJ IDEA's features and tools. Using these resources, you can boost your skills and make full use of IntelliJ IDEA.