Java™ Application Development on Linux - Dator

258Chapter 10Integrated <strong>Development</strong> Environments• You can do a lot of what you need to get started on a project by rightclickingin the Package Explorer. For example, you can create a packageby right-clicking and selecting New>Package. When you type a newpackage name into the resulting dialog box, all required folders are createdunder the project.• You can create new classes and interfaces in the same way. If you rightclickon a package in the Package Explorer and select New>Class orNew>Interface, an appropriate dialog box comes up, and a skeletal file iscreated in the appropriate place.You can compile, run, and debug programs by hitting buttons on thetoolbar, by selecting from the menu, by right-clicking almost anywhere, andby keyboard shortcuts. To put it plainly: Eclipse is a modern, rich IDE thatworks like other IDEs you have seen.Eclipse’s real advantages lie in some of the dynamism it offers. As youknow, the authors of this book like text mode and command line, but we mustadmit that Eclipse’s refactoring features are a great timesaver. For example,when you use the refactoring tools to change a method, you can be certain thatevery call to that method, everywhere in the project, is updated. Sure, westaunch CLI guys will tell you that you can use pipes and sed to similar effect,but even we must admit that you can miss some. We stand by what we havesaid: Know all the tools, and you can then choose the right one. But if all youhave is a hammer, you’ll end up using it to repair a china cup.10.5REVIEWWe’ve given you the choice of two great development environments. Withthem you can do so much more than just edit and compile. Both are expandableto include other tools, like CVS and JUnit. Each has a slightly differentparadigm for how they manage files and projects. It seems the longer we workwith one (either one), the more we like it. They kind of grow on you and youget used to some of the shortcuts that they offer. And yet, there are still thosetimes when it’s handy to be back at the simple command line.