Is it me, or is Eclipse horribly unpredictable?

Question

I recently started using Eclipse at work for my Java servlet projects. I've been using jEdit for years, which is a uber-powerful text editor. It has syntax highlighting, but it doesn't have any language-specific features like code completion and intelligent refactoring. I'm finding that's hindering my productivity. I desperately want to like Eclipse. I really do. But I keep running into problem after problem.

1. Now that Eclipse can use an ant script to build, instead of just creating its own build environment from an ant script then ignoring any changes to it, I found some online guides and set it up. It doesn't seem ready for prime time, though. My ant script builds fine from the command line, but I get all these build errors because I need to tell Eclipse all this stuff the build.xml already has in it, like the CLASSPATH, and where external jars are.
2. When I leave Eclipse running for too long, or sometimes after my laptop wakes up from hibernate, the UI starts breaking. For instance, the tabs on the editor pane disappear, so I can only edit one file at a time, and it doesn't say which one it is.
3. We have faced several instances where classes weren't rebuilt that should have been, leading to inaccurate line numbers in debugging walkthroughs and other unpredictable behavior (this isn't just me; the two other developers trying it out with me are seeing the same thing).
4. I find it a huge hassle that the workspace is in a different place than my source code. I have other files I need to edit (xml files, etc), and for each directory I want to edit files in, I need to set up a special entry, and it doesn't even default to where my source code is when setting that up.

Do others face these same issues?

Are there better alternatives?

Answer 1

Eclipse works best if you leave the project folder structure to its management. We are working with 15 developers on a project of several thousand classes and even more XML and .properties files.

I agree there are problems with ANT integration, so for production and nightly builds I recommend an external build system based on ANT scripts started from a shell.

However while working in Eclipse make sure you have the automatic build feature on (it should be by default, but checking does not hurt). This should free you from any concerns regarding what to build and when. Sometimes (very rarely for me) there are problems when I have to switch of the automatic build, clean all projects and trigger a manual build via the menu. From time to time I have to trigger the build multiple times (not the cleaning!), but once everything has been built again, turning the auto-build on works great again.

As for long running instances: My machine keeps logged in basically all the time (day and night) and there are at least two Eclipse instances running at all times. I have not seen any problems with these sessions, even when they remain open for literally weeks.

Most of the problems I have seen in the 5 years I have been using Eclipse originated from people installing too many plugins - the only stuff I have added is Checkstyle, the "implementors plugin" and some proprietary stuff for the application framework we are using.

Maybe you can try using a rather clean Eclipse installation the "usual way" for a while (i. e. with the sources imported to the workspace folder).

Regarding NetBeans: I use it from time to time as well, but I think it is a matter of taste and I like Eclipse better. This may be different for you.

Answer 2

Try NetBeans

A free, open-source Integrated Development Environment for software developers. You get all the tools you need to create professional desktop, enterprise, web, and mobile applications with the Java language, C/C++, and Ruby.

Answer 3

I love IntelliJ, but it's commercial. Eclipse feels like a buggy, half-hearted knockoff compared to it. To the point that IntelliJ's worth the cost.