IntelliJ IDEA vs. Eclipse: Which is better for beginners

IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse are two popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for Java development, each with distinct characteristics that cater to different user preferences. IntelliJ IDEA, released by JetBrains in 2001, offers a Community Edition that supports multiple languages and features like advanced code completion and analysis, appealing to beginners with its ease of use and smart coding support. In contrast, Eclipse, an open-source IDE launched by IBM in the same year, provides a highly flexible platform with extensive plugin support, catering to complex enterprise projects and a broader programming language and framework ecosystem. Both IDEs are free, though IntelliJ offers a paid Ultimate Edition for additional features. While IntelliJ has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and coding assistance, Eclipse is valued for its open-source nature and extensive customization options, leaving the choice between them dependent on individual needs and project requirements.