Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.1 Here's an example of the IDEA About window from a version 4.5
installation. It shows the current version of the IDE, the specific build number, and
the Java Development Kit and Java virtual machine under which the IDE is running.
license key to use it.
IDEA
requires a valid license key in order to function. If you
haven't yet purchased
IDEA
, evaluation keys may be available from the JetBrains
web site (http://www.jetbrains.com/forms/idea/download/evaluate); check there
for details.
Once installed,
IDEA
periodically checks for updates and alerts you when one
is available. Generally, updates take the form of a new distribution, so you'll end
up running through the installer each time. If you ever have any question about
the version you're running, use the
Help | About
command to open the window
shown in figure 1.1. The
About
window shows you not only the version of
IDEA
you're running but also the Java version it's running under.
You'll need about 100
MB
for the application directory and another 100
MB
to
200
MB
for cache files. As far as
RAM
requirements go, the more the merrier! The
bigger your project and the more files
IDEA
has to manage, the more memory
you'll need. However, for all but the largest projects,
IDEA
runs comfortably on
the recommended minimums per platform, as listed in table 1.1.
