Download and install IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition

1. Download IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition

1. Go to the official JetBrains website:
   👉 https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/
2. Under the Community edition (free version), click Download.
3. Once the download is complete, proceed to installation.

2. Install IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition

For Windows

1. Locate the downloaded .exe file and double-click to run the installer.
2. Click Next and choose an installation folder.
3. Select additional components:
   • 64-bit launcher (for easier access)
   • Add “Open Folder as Project” (optional, for Windows Explorer)
   • Update PATH variable (to use idea command in the terminal)
4. Click Install, then wait for the installation to complete.
5. Once installed, click Finish and launch IntelliJ IDEA.

For macOS

1. Locate the downloaded .dmg file and double-click to open it.
2. Drag and drop the IntelliJ IDEA icon into the Applications folder.
3. Open the Applications folder and double-click IntelliJ IDEA to launch it.

For Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

1. Open the terminal and navigate to the downloaded .tar.gz file.
2. Extract the archive: bashCopyEdittar -xzf ideaIC-*.tar.gz -C /opt
3. Navigate to the bin folder inside the extracted directory: bashCopyEditcd /opt/idea-IC-*/bin
4. Run IntelliJ IDEA: bashCopyEdit./idea.sh

3. Activate IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition

The Community Edition is free and does not require activation.
When you first open IntelliJ IDEA:

1. Accept the User Agreement.
2. Select whether you want to share data with JetBrains (optional).
3. Click Continue to start using the IDE.

4. Set Up IntelliJ IDEA for First Use

Configure the UI

1. Choose a UI theme (Light/Dark).
2. Set up the keymap (default, Eclipse, or VS Code shortcuts).
3. Customize the font size and appearance if needed.

Install Plugins (Optional)

1. Go to File → Settings → Plugins.
2. Search for plugins like Python, JavaScript, GitHub, Docker, etc.
3. Click Install, then restart IntelliJ IDEA.

5. Create Your First Project

For Java

1. Click New Project.
2. Select Java as the project type.
3. Choose a JDK (Java Development Kit):
   • If you don’t have one, click Download JDK.
4. Click Next, then Finish to create the project.
5. In the src folder, right-click → New → Java Class.
6. Write a simple Java program: javaCopyEditpublic class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println("Hello, IntelliJ!"); } }
7. Click Run (Green play button) to execute.

6. Using IntelliJ IDEA: Essential Features

Run & Debug

• Click the Run button (▶) to execute your code.
• Use the Debugger (🐞) to step through code.

Version Control (Git)

• Go to VCS → Enable Version Control.
• Choose Git, then commit & push changes.

Code Formatting & Shortcuts

• Format code: Ctrl + Alt + L (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Option + L (Mac).
• Auto-complete: Ctrl + Space (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Space (Mac).

Terminal & Database Tools

• Open terminal: Alt + F12 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Option + T (Mac).
• Use built-in database tools for connecting to databases.

7. Updating IntelliJ IDEA

1. Go to Help → Check for Updates.
2. If an update is available, click Download and Restart.