Setting Up Your Java Development Environment

Step 1: Installing IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate

1.1 Get Your Student License

  1. Go to JetBrains Education Page
  2. Click "Apply now"
  3. Use your college email address (.edu)
  4. Follow the verification process
  5. Wait for the confirmation email (usually quick)
Keep your JetBrains account credentials safe - you'll need them to activate IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate.

1.2 Download and Install IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate

  1. Go to IntelliJ IDEA Download Page
  2. Download the Ultimate Edition for your operating system
  3. Run the installer
  4. Accept all default options during installation
  5. Launch IntelliJ IDEA and sign in with your JetBrains account

Step 2: Installing Java Development Kit (JDK)

2.1 Download Eclipse Temurin (Adoptium)

  1. Visit adoptium.net
  2. The website should automatically detect your operating system
  3. Download the latest LTS version (currently JDK 21)
  4. Choose the x64 installer for your operating system

2.2 Install the JDK

  1. Run the installer you downloaded
  2. When you see the "Custom Setup" screen (shown below), leave all default options:
Adoptium installer showing Custom Setup screen with default options
The default options are perfect for our needs - no need to change anything on this screen.
  1. Click "Next" and complete the installation

Step 3: Creating Your First Project

3.1 Project Setup

  1. Open IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate
  2. Click "New Project"
  3. Verify that "Eclipse Temurin 21.0.5" (or similar version) is selected as the JDK
  4. For "Build system", select "IntelliJ"
  5. Name your project "JavaOOP2025"
  6. Choose a location for your project
  7. Make sure "Add sample code" is checked
  8. You can leave "Create Git repository" unchecked (we can add this later)
  9. Click "Create"

3.2 Windows Defender (If Applicable)

If you see a Windows Defender notification in the bottom-right corner of IntelliJ, click "Exclude folders" to prevent interference with your development work.

3.3 Running Your First Program

  1. In the Project panel (usually on the left), expand the project structure
  2. Navigate to src > Main.java
  3. Look for the green "play" button next to the main method
  4. Click the play button to run the program
  5. You should see "Hello World!" appear in the console at the bottom of the screen
Seeing "Hello World!" in the console means your Java development environment is properly set up and ready to use!