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Windows · Development

IntelliJ IDEA for Windows

JetBrains' flagship Java and Kotlin IDE, available as a free open-source Community edition and a paid Ultimate edition for full-stack work.

Updated August 9, 2026 · Reviewed by SoftNexi Editorial Team, Software research and documentation

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Overview

IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains' primary IDE, built around deep static analysis of your code to power accurate autocomplete, refactoring, and inspections for Java and Kotlin especially. It comes in two editions with a genuinely important distinction: the Community edition is free and open source, covering core Java/Kotlin development, while the Ultimate edition is a paid, closed-source product adding support for web technologies, frameworks (Spring, and others), database tools, and additional languages.

Its refactoring tools are a major reason developers pay for or stick with IntelliJ: renaming a method, extracting an interface, or restructuring a class hierarchy across a large codebase tends to be more reliable than doing the same by hand or with a general-purpose editor's simpler find-and-replace. Deep integration with build tools (Maven, Gradle) and application servers rounds out the IDE experience for JVM projects specifically.

It differs from VS Code in that its language intelligence for Java/Kotlin is built-in and IDE-native rather than assembled from separate extensions, which tends to make refactoring and code analysis noticeably more capable for those languages — at the cost of a heavier install and higher memory use than a lightweight editor.

It suits Java and Kotlin developers, particularly on larger codebases, or teams already invested in JetBrains' ecosystem (which also includes PyCharm, WebStorm, and other language-specific IDEs sharing a similar interface and plugin system).

Key features

  • Deep, IDE-native code analysis for Java and Kotlin (Community and Ultimate)
  • Reliable large-scale refactoring: rename, extract method/interface, safe delete, and more
  • Built-in Maven and Gradle integration for JVM build tooling
  • Version control integration for Git and other systems out of the box
  • Integrated debugger, profiler, and test runner for JVM languages
  • Ultimate edition adds Spring, web technology, and database tooling support
  • Shared plugin ecosystem and UI conventions across other JetBrains IDEs

System requirements

Operating system
Windows 11 and Windows 10 (64-bit and ARM64)
Runtime
Ships with a bundled JetBrains Runtime, so a separate JDK install isn't required to run the IDE itself
Install options
Standalone installer, Toolbox App, or winget

How to install IntelliJ IDEA

  1. 1. Choose an edition

    Decide between the free Community edition (Java/Kotlin core) and the paid Ultimate edition (adds web/framework/database tooling) based on your project's needs.

  2. 2. Download or use Toolbox

    Get the standalone installer from jetbrains.com/idea/download, or install the JetBrains Toolbox App to manage IntelliJ IDEA and other JetBrains IDE installs and updates centrally.

  3. 3. Run setup

    Complete installation with default options; the bundled JetBrains Runtime means you don't need a separate JDK just to launch the IDE.

  4. 4. Open or create a project

    Import an existing Maven or Gradle project, or create a new one from IntelliJ IDEA's project wizard, to confirm the IDE indexes and builds it correctly.

How to use it

  1. 1. Use safe refactoring tools

    Right-click a symbol and use Refactor > Rename (or Extract Method/Interface) instead of manual find-and-replace, so references across the project update correctly.

  2. 2. Run and debug with breakpoints

    Set breakpoints in the gutter and use the built-in debugger's variable inspection and expression evaluation while running your app.

  3. 3. Manage build tooling

    Use the Maven or Gradle tool window to run specific build tasks and inspect your project's dependency tree without leaving the IDE.

  4. 4. Search everywhere

    Press Shift twice (Search Everywhere) to quickly jump to any file, class, symbol, or action by name across the whole project.

Safety and privacy

  • Download only from jetbrains.com/idea/download or via the official JetBrains Toolbox App, which manages installs and updates for JetBrains' IDEs.
  • The Community edition is open source under Apache 2.0; the Ultimate edition is proprietary and requires an active JetBrains license/subscription.
Bundled software
The official installer bundles a JetBrains Runtime for running the IDE itself; no unrelated third-party software is included.
Privacy
IntelliJ IDEA can send anonymized usage statistics if you opt in during first run, and it checks for updates and plugin availability online; review JetBrains' privacy policy for specifics, especially if evaluating AI-assisted features.

Known risks

  • Third-party plugins from the JetBrains Marketplace vary in maintenance quality; check ratings and last-updated dates before installing.
  • Using Ultimate edition features without an active subscription beyond an evaluation period is a licensing compliance issue, not a security one, but worth tracking for teams.

What's new

  • Annual release series

    JetBrains releases major IntelliJ IDEA versions on a yearly cadence with periodic feature updates in between, generally focused on Java/Kotlin language support, performance, and AI-assisted coding features. Check the in-app updater or jetbrains.com for the current release's notes.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Best-in-class refactoring and code analysis for Java and Kotlin
  • Free, genuinely capable Community edition for core JVM development
  • Deep Maven/Gradle and version control integration built in
  • Consistent interface and plugin system across other JetBrains IDEs
  • Strong debugging and profiling tools

Cons

  • Ultimate edition is a paid subscription for web/framework/database features
  • Heavier resource use and slower startup than a lightweight editor
  • Community edition lacks the web-development and database tooling some projects need
  • Learning the full feature set takes longer than a simpler editor

Verdict

IntelliJ IDEA is a top choice for Java and Kotlin development, and its free Community edition is genuinely capable rather than a crippled trial. Full-stack developers needing web frameworks and database tools will likely need the paid Ultimate edition to get the complete experience.

Frequently asked questions

Is IntelliJ IDEA free?

The Community edition is free and open source, covering core Java and Kotlin development. The Ultimate edition, which adds web, framework, and database tooling, is a paid subscription.

What's the difference between Community and Ultimate editions?

Community focuses on core Java/Kotlin/JVM development and is open source. Ultimate adds support for web technologies, popular frameworks like Spring, database tools, and more languages, and requires a paid JetBrains subscription.

Does IntelliJ IDEA support Windows 11?

Yes, current IntelliJ IDEA releases support Windows 11 and Windows 10 on x64 and ARM64 hardware.

Do I need to install Java separately to run IntelliJ IDEA?

No, the IDE bundles its own JetBrains Runtime to run itself; you'll still need a project JDK configured for the specific Java version your project targets.