Apache NetBeans vs DrJava

Apache NetBeans is a development environment, tooling platform, and application framework for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its editor highlights code by syntax and meaning and supports refactoring. Editors, wizards, and templates cover Java, PHP, and other languages, with plugins and linked support for JavaFX and JavaScript. The NetBeans Platform is a modular framework for Swing applications, with state saving, menus, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and window management. The IDE and Platform are free for commercial and non-commercial use under the Apache License; the listed plan is free. Apache NetBeans 31, dated August 10, 2026, supports running on JDK 26, 25, or 21, with initial support for JDK 27. Downloads include platform-independent binary and source ZIPs, plus linked installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Those installers are provided by committers for convenience, not as Apache Software Foundation releases. The release page provides SHA-512 hashes and PGP signatures. Windows/ARM is not fully supported, and older releases are no longer supported.

DrJava is a free, open-source development environment for writing Java programs, designed primarily for students. Its intelligent editor supports coding, while the Interactions pane lets users evaluate Java code interactively. The environment includes JUnit testing, a source-level debugger and Javadoc generation for source files. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux under a standard BSD open-source license. The current beta is compatible with Java 8, identified by the project page as the only supported version of traditional Java. That beta is distributed only as a JAR, which the page says is intended to reduce cross-platform compatibility issues. The Eclipse plugin is described as very old and compatible only with Eclipse versions from the same era. The Linux FAQ reports an incompatibility with the Compiz window manager and recommends disabling Compiz if it occurs. Bug reports and feature requests require a SourceForge account login. The Free plan costs nothing, with no free trial listed.