I have felt using Jdeveloper that it is an integrated development environment with end-to-end support for modeling, developing, debugging, optimizing, and deploying Java applications and Web services. Oracle JDeveloper 10g introduces a new approach to J2EE development with features that enable visual and declarative development. The innovative OAF simplifies J2EE development.

Why to use it -

* very nice integration with embedded OC4J container, very easy to execute test page, updates reflected immediately.
* browser launcher is configurable (good for tabbed browsing and multiple launches).
* JSP engine and code editor is the best I have seen, super easy to work with, delightful!
* code insight for EL expressions!
* auto insert of taglib uri directive when inserting a taglib in JSP page source.
* several ways to do block indent formatting (highlight block and tab/shift-tab will indent/unindent).
* very nice forms for creating all aspects of classes.
* very nice forms for creating classes from *.tld files and keeping the two in-sync/connected.
* adding taglibs to a project is somewhat intuitive…if you know what to press, it works just fine.
* message windows informative on build.
* deployment descriptors have previews so you know what they are going to encapsulate.
* nice refactoring support.
* code template support.
* the timeout on most “auto” aspects can be configured to happen after a time interval, configured with a slider bar…nice concept!
* Nice import mechanism for sources, very comprehensive wizar

Why not to use-

* old stuff tends to hang around, constant have issues with “artifacts” of a project, no “make clean”.
* files can get really messed up if you don’t remove them properly from disk…learn the order of doing things and stick with it.
* no clear way to remove a class altogether, if created by accident (I found it, located in file, NOT intuitive).
* no way to rename a *.tld file once it is created with wizard.
somewhat slow, not quite as quick as netbeans.
* several places where a class or interface is required that you have to do manual typing, no integrated class browser.
* look and feel is descent, some descent icons.
* cannot maximize a tab to take up the whole window.
* no way to make textarea anti-aliased text.
* doesn’t remember last openned directory…argh!!

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