Installing NetBeans

From inauspicious beginnings, the NetBeans IDE has grown to become one of the leading programming tools for Java developers. James Gosling, the creator of the Java language, gave it the ultimate vote of confidence in his Foreword to the book NetBeans Field Guide: “I use NetBeans for all my Java development.” I’ve become a convert as well.

NetBeans supports all facets of Java programming for the three editions of the language—Java Standard Edition (JSE), Java Enterprise Edition (JEE), and Java Mobile Edition (JME). It also supports web application development, web services, and JavaBeans.

You can download the software, available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, from www.netbeans.org. NetBeans is available for download bundled with the Java Development Kit, which is the option to choose if you don’t already have the kit on your computer.

If you’d like to ensure that you’re downloading the same version of NetBeans used in the preparation of this book, visit the book’s website at www.java24hours.com. Click the cover of this book to open the site for this edition, and then look for the Download JDK and Download NetBeans 7.0 links. You’ll be steered to the proper file.