Reviews : Java Development Tools You Never Knew Existed :

Java Development Tools You Never Knew Existed

(...or didn't have time to check out)

The world of software is ever-growing, and though we all like to stay on top of all the tools available to us, who has the time? Well, I took the time to find five Java tools that can hopefully save you some time or make your Java applications better. Wow, what a project this turned out to be! Limiting it to five tools was a difficult task, even with using some basic criteria. All included applications were required to meet the following criteria:

The Software Must:

have a trial version (with a relatively low purchase price), or be available as freeware.
cannot be an already popular software program (such as Eclipse, JBuilder and other such tools).
does not require software (such as a specific IDE) other than a JVM, in other words, no plug-ins.
offer something new to Java developers.
provide real value to Java developers.
be (as best as I can tell) stable and usable.
Components were not included.

That having been said, a lifetime could be spent on this topic. While I was aware that a lot of software would be available, I really just skimmed the surface of available applications. I did, however, take the time to download and try out all of the software , as well as look over the documentation and any information I could find on the company or individuals that support it(With the exception of JJ Edit, as I don't have a Mac, though I have heard good things from other Java developers). My aim is to offer a primary filter. The applications below passed my preliminary testing specifications.

If you know of any other tools that are available, please contact me and I may include it in a future review. Now let's take a look at the applications.

Pivotonic JavaJar 1.1
NavExpress DJ Java Decompiler 3.2.2
JiveLint 1.2.1
J-Sprint 2.0
JJ Edit 1.0
Conclusion

Applet Index
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The Java Source
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