Java programmers need to be productive and this is the focus of the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The NetBeans IDE is a fast and feature full tool for developing Java software. It is standards compliant and runs on any operating system where a Java Virtual Machine is available. The NetBeans IDE is open-source and is developed right here on the netbeans.org website. It can be used free of charge for any type of software development. The NetBeans IDE runs on any platform. While the IDE is modular (its functionality can be extended by plug- ins), the focus of netbeans.org is on providing all the tools a Java developer needs in one download, with no additional set-up or configuration needed to begin productive work with the IDE.

The base product includes support for desktop (AWT/Swing), web tier (Servlets/JSP/JSF/Struts) and Java Enterprise Edition (EJB and web Services) development, and bundles a database and Java EE application server, so no additional downloads are needed to begin being productive.

The NetBeans Mobility Packs add to the NetBeans IDE everything needed to immediately start writing, testing and debugging Java applications for mobile phones and other Java Micro Edition (Java ME) technology-enabled devices. The NetBeans Mobility Pack provides comprehensive support for the Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) 1.1, Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) 1.0 and 2.0, and includes visual design tools for mobile applications, integrating mobile applications with web services. It includes the Java ME wireless toolkit and device emulators, so that no additional downloads are needed to start working with mobile technologies. The NetBeans Mobility Pack for CDC provides support for the Connected Device Configuration (CDC) and Personal Profile devices. Both packs enable you to easily integrate third-party emulators and SDKs for a robust testing environment.

To build reliable, scalable applications, Java programmers need a profiling tool that provides information about the runtime behavior of their applications. The NetBeans Profiler is an integrated solution that delivers that information. It uses innovative technology to allow a developer to tightly control which parts of an application are profiled, resulting in reduced overhead and easier to interpret results. The profiled application can run locally or on a remote system. The Profiler tracks thread state, CPU performance, and memory usage. With its tight integration into the NetBeans IDE work flow the Profiler makes it easy to track down performance problems and memory leaks.

Building a desktop application using the NetBeans Platform can save years of developer time. The Platform provides the services common to almost all large desktop applications - window, menu, settings management and storage, file access and more. Developers get the freedom to concentrate on their business logic - writing modules that implement functionality that makes that application unique. Just write modules to implement what you need, bundle them up with the NetBeans Platform, and you have a beautiful, branded, cross-platform application. And if you need custom functionality or components, the Platform is built to be flexible.