Java Basics: Your Guide to AI in Java IDEs

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is revolutionizing many aspects of technology, and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for Java are no exception. By integrating AI capabilities, modern Java IDEs are transforming the way developers write and debug their code, enhancing productivity, and improving code quality.  

Read on to discover how AI is being leveraged in Java IDEs to streamline development processes and elevate the overall coding experience. We’ll also cover AI assistants integrated in Java IDEs, including IntelliJ IDEA and Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VSCode).  

How Does Generative AI Write Java Code?

Generative AI writes Java code based on user input and Natural Language Learning models. The user completes a prompt about what they want the code to do in plain language, and the generative AI tool will return Java code that addresses the requirements set forth in the prompt.  

Why Use AI to Write Java?

Like a lot of other applications of AI, AI code generators can accelerate simple-but-time-consuming tasks. Most Java developers can write boilerplate code in their sleep—but it still takes precious time.  

By using AI to assist with basic but time-consuming tasks, developers can put their brain power toward more complex tasks like debugging and coming up with new features.  

Downsides to Using AI Code Generators

AI code generators create code based on learning models from other code samples. That means errors or intricacies may be inadvertently copied, too. There may also be concerns around intellectual property and sensitive information.  

Use Cases for AI in Java Code

AI might not be able to write an entire Java application from start to finish (yet), but it can help automate some of the more tedious processes or augment tasks that are prone to error. Read on to learn more about use cases where AI is lending a productivity advantage, including intelligent code completion, debugging, and code refactoring.  

🧰 Further Reading: Learn more about prompt engineering for AI 

Intelligent Code Completion

Intelligent code completion is an autocomplete feature that suggests lines of code based AI suggestions based on compiled libraries. 

One of the most notable applications of AI in Java IDEs is intelligent code completion. Traditional IDEs have offered basic autocomplete features for years, but AI-powered IDEs take this a step further. These tools analyze the context of the code, understand the developer's intent, and provide accurate and relevant contextual code suggestions.  

AI algorithms can predict the next lines of code, complete statements, and even suggest entire blocks of code based on the patterns and structures detected in the existing codebase. 

Error Detection and Bug Fixing