Leverage powerful generative-AI capabilities for Java development in the Eclipse IDE public preview

Today marks an exciting milestone for Eclipse developers everywhere: we’re thrilled to announce the public preview of Amazon Q Developer in the Eclipse IDE. This integration brings the power of AI-driven development directly into one of the most popular development environments. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of its game-changing features, and show you how this fusion of traditional IDE and cutting-edge AI can supercharge your development tasks across the software development lifecycle.

Background

As I sit down to write this announcement, I can’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia mixed with excitement. This is one of the most requested IDEs for Amazon Q Developer and I can see why. Like many developers of my generation, Eclipse was where I cut my teeth in Java programming. I remember downloading that bulky IDE, waiting for what felt like an eternity as it installed, and then staring at the workspace, both intimidated and thrilled by the possibilities it presented.

Eclipse has been a stalwart in the world of software development for over two decades now. It’s been there through the evolution of Java, from the early days of J2SE to the modern Java Platform. For countless developers, it’s been more than just an IDE – it’s been a trusty companion on our coding journeys.

But times have changed. The landscape of software development is evolving at a rapid pace, and at the heart of this revolution is Generative AI. We’re witnessing a paradigm shift in how we approach coding, testing, and deploying applications. And today, I’m thrilled to announce a game-changing integration that brings together the familiar comfort of Eclipse with the cutting-edge capabilities of Amazon Q Developer.

Introducing Amazon Q Developer plugin for Eclipse IDE

Amazon Q Developer is the most capable AI-powered assistant for software development that reimagines the experience across the entire software development lifecycle, making it easier and faster to build, secure, manage, and optimize applications on AWS. By bringing this powerhouse directly into Eclipse, we’re not just adding a feature – we’re opening up a new world of possibilities for Java developers. Whether you’re a seasoned Java veteran or just starting your development journey, Amazon Q Developer in Eclipse is set to become your indispensable generative AI-assistant that accelerates tasks across the software development lifecycle, including coding.

During the public preview, Eclipse developers will be able to chat with Amazon Q Developer about their project and code faster with inline code suggestions. By leveraging Amazon Q Developer customizations they’ll be able to receive tailored responses that conform to their team’s internal tools and services, helping developers build faster while enhancing productivity across the entire software development lifecycle. Let’s take a look at some of the features that will be available to you during public preview.

Inline suggestions

Inline code suggestions is an excellent starting point for experiencing Amazon Q Developer AI-powered capabilities. As you type, Amazon Q Developer analyzes your code, comments, and naming conventions to provide context-aware suggestions. Note, that the more comprehensive and well-organized your code documentation is, the more accurate and helpful Amazon Q Developer’s suggestions will be.

Chat

The Amazon Q Developer chat interface serves as a versatile tool for various development needs. You can request code snippet suggestions, ask questions about your project, or seek guidance on implementing specific functionalities. For example, you could ask for sample code to calculate a Fast Fourier Transform in Java or seek assistance in enhancing a database class with additional fields using UUID.

You can also seamlessly integrate code snippets into your chat interactions with Amazon Q Developer. By selecting a code fragment and sending it to the chat window (by right-clicking in the editor and selecting Amazon Q > Send To Prompt), you can ask specific questions about the code or request modifications, enabling a more interactive and context-aware coding experience.

You can also use the right-click menu to ask Amazon Q Developer to explain, refactor, fix, or optimize a selected fragment of code.

Customization

With customizations, Amazon Q Developer can assist with software development in ways that conform to your team’s internal libraries, proprietary algorithmic techniques, and enterprise code style. Customizations must first be configured by an administrator; they can then be selected in the IDE using the menu in the Amazon Q Developer panel. For more information, please refer to the user guide.

Conclusion

The Amazon Q Developer plugin for Eclipse IDE preview represents a significant step forward in enhancing the development experience within this trusted platform. By integrating AI-powered tools such as inline suggestions and chat, Amazon Q Developer empowers developers to work more efficiently across different programming tasks. Whether you’re maintaining legacy code, building new features, or troubleshooting complex issues, Amazon Q Developer streamlines your workflow, allowing you to focus on what matters most — writing great code.

To get started, install the Amazon Q Developer plugin into your Eclipse IDE.