Installing IntelliJ IDEA

Download and set up IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition for Java development.

What You'll Learn

• What IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is and why we use it for Java and test automation. (JetBrains)
• How to download IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition from the official JetBrains website. (JetBrains)
• How to install IntelliJ on Windows 10/11 (64-bit) using the standard installer.
• How to launch IntelliJ for the first time and complete the basic setup.
• How to quickly verify that IntelliJ is working by running a small Java program.

Why This Lab Matters

IntelliJ IDEA is one of the most popular IDEs for Java and JVM-based development, and the Community Edition is free and powerful enough for most learning and automation projects.

Having a consistent IDE setup means:

• Your Java, Maven, and Selenium labs will behave the same way as in the course.
• You avoid common "IDE not configured" errors that slow beginners down.
• You can focus on writing tests, not fighting with tools.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

• A computer with Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
• A stable internet connection.
• JDK installed and working (e.g., JDK 25), with java -version working in a terminal.
• At least:
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended).
  • 2–3 GB free disk space for IntelliJ and project files.
• Permission to install software on your machine (local admin access).

Core Concepts

IDE (Integrated Development Environment)

A tool that provides code editing, build tools, debugging, version control integration, and more—everything in one place.

IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition vs. Ultimate

• Community Edition: Free and open-source (Apache 2.0). Great for Java, Kotlin, and basic JVM development.
• Ultimate Edition: Paid/commercial. Includes extra tools for enterprise frameworks, databases, and web frameworks.

(JetBrains)

Official Download Source

You should always download IntelliJ from the official JetBrains website to ensure it's safe and up to date. (JetBrains)

Installer file (.exe)

Windows installer, typically named something like ideaIC-2025.2.5.exe. (The version numbers may change over time.)

Step 1 – Open the Official Download Page

1. Open your web browser (Chrome, Edge, etc.).
2. Go to the official IntelliJ IDEA download page:
   https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/
3. Make sure Windows is selected as the operating system.

Step 2 – Choose the Community Edition

On the download page:

1. You will see two main sections: Ultimate (paid) and Community (free).
2. In the Community section:
   • Confirm it's labeled Free or Community Edition.
   • Click Download under the Community column.
3. The browser will start downloading an .exe file, e.g.:
   ideaIC-2025.2.5.exe (version may be different on your machine).

Step 3 – Run the Installer

1. When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder.
2. Double-click the IntelliJ installer file (e.g., ideaIC-2025.2.5.exe).
3. If Windows shows a "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?" popup:
   • Click Yes.
4. The IntelliJ Setup Wizard will open.
5. Click Next on the welcome screen.

Step 4 – Choose the Installation Folder

1. The wizard will show an Installation Folder (e.g.,
   C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition).
2. For beginners, keep the default location.
3. Click Next to continue.

Step 5 – Select Installation Options

You'll see a screen with several checkboxes such as:

• Create Desktop Shortcut
• Add "Open Folder as Project"
• Add launchers directory to the PATH
• .java file associations

For beginners, the following combination works well:

• ✅ Create Desktop Shortcut – easy access.
• ✅ Add "Open Folder as Project" – helpful when right-clicking folders in Explorer.
• (Optional) ✅ Add launchers directory to the PATH – lets you run idea from terminal.
• (Optional) ✅ .java file associations – double-clicking .java files will open in IntelliJ.

Then:

1. Click Next.
2. Click Install.
3. Wait for the progress bar to complete.

Step 6 – Finish Installation

1. When installation finishes, make sure the box "Run IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition" is checked.
2. Click Finish.
3. IntelliJ will now start for the first time.

Step 7 – First Launch & Initial Setup

When IntelliJ opens for the first time:

1. Import Settings
   • Choose "Do not import settings" (for a clean setup).
   • Click OK.
2. UI Theme
   • Choose Light or Dark (pick whichever is more comfortable for your eyes).
3. Plugins
   • For now, keep the defaults and click Skip Remaining and Set Defaults (or similar).
4. You should now see the "Welcome to IntelliJ IDEA" screen with options like:
   • New Project
   • Open
   • Get from VCS

Step 8 – Quick Verification (Create a Test Project)

Let's just confirm everything works before we move on to more advanced labs.

1. On the Welcome screen, click New Project.
2. Choose Java (or New Project | Java depending on the UI).
3. Make sure your JDK is detected (e.g., JDK 25).
4. Give the project a name, e.g., intellij-setup-check.
5. Click Create.
6. When the project opens:
   • Create a new Java class named Main.
   • Paste the code from the Code Example section below.
   • Click the Run (green triangle) icon next to main.

If the program runs and prints text to the console, your IntelliJ setup is successful.

Code Example

Below is a minimal Java program you can use to verify IntelliJ IDEA is installed and working correctly.

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is ready!");
    }
}

Pro Tips (From Real Projects)

• Keep IntelliJ updated
  JetBrains frequently releases updates with bug fixes and new language features. Use Help → Check for Updates from time to time.
• Use keyboard shortcuts early
  Learning basics like Ctrl+Space (code completion) and Ctrl+/ (comment/uncomment) will dramatically speed up your work.
• Don't install too many plugins at once
  Start with the defaults. Extra plugins can slow down IntelliJ or introduce conflicts if you don't really need them.
• Use the built-in version control integration
  IntelliJ has excellent Git support built in—no need to switch tools when committing code.
• Enable autosave-style behavior
  IntelliJ generally saves files automatically, but getting used to trusting the IDE (and still using Git!) helps avoid "I forgot to save" issues.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Downloading from unofficial websites
  Always download from jetbrains.com to avoid outdated or modified installers.
• Installing the wrong edition
  Many beginners accidentally install the Ultimate trial and later lose features when the trial expires. Make sure you choose Community Edition.
• Skipping the verification step
  Not running a simple program after installation can hide configuration issues until later labs.
• Changing default install paths without a reason
  Moving IntelliJ into unusual folders can cause permission or path issues.
• Adding too many options to PATH without understanding them
  If you're a beginner, only enable options you recognize (like the launcher) to avoid conflicts with other tools.