Most useful free IntelliJ IDEA Plugins for Java Developers in 2025

Introduction

IntelliJ IDEA is already a powerful IDE for Java development, but with the right plugins, you can transform your development experience into something extraordinary. In this article, we’ll explore the most impactful free plugins that can significantly boost your productivity and code quality.

1. GitHub Copilot(limited free usage)

Type: AI Code Assistant

Installation: Available through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Real-time code suggestions
• Complete function and method generation
• Smart code completion
• Documentation generation
• Test case generation

Why You Need It:

• Reduces coding time by up to 55%
• Learns from your coding style
• Supports multiple programming languages
• Excellent for boilerplate code

Usage Tips:

• Use Alt+\ to cycle through suggestions
• Write descriptive comments for better suggestions
• Can generate entire functions from documentation

2. Lombok

Type: Code Generator

Installation: Available through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• @Getter/@Setter annotations
• @Builder pattern implementation
• @Data for full data classes
• @Log for automatic logging
• @AllArgsConstructor/@NoArgsConstructor

Why You Need It:

• Reduces boilerplate code by up to 70%
• Maintains clean and readable codebase
• Reduces potential for errors in repetitive code

Code Example:

// Before Lombok
public class User {
    private String name;
    private String email;
    
    // Getters, setters, constructors, equals, hashCode, toString
    // ... (100+ lines of code)
}

// After Lombok
@Data
@Builder
public class User {
    private String name;
    private String email;
}

3. SonarLint

Type: Code Quality Tool

Installation: Free through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Real-time code analysis
• Security vulnerability detection
• Code smell identification
• Clean code practices enforcement
• Integration with SonarQube

Why You Need It:

• Catches bugs before they reach production
• Enforces coding standards
• Provides detailed fix suggestions

Best Practices:

• Configure custom rules
• Integrate with team’s SonarQube server
• Regular code scanning

4. Qodana

Type: Code Quality & Static Analysis Platform

Installation: Available through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Smart static code analysis
• 1000+ built-in inspections
• Cross-language support
• Security vulnerability detection
• Technical debt tracking
• Quality gate checks

Why You Need It:

• Catch issues before they reach production
• Maintain consistent code quality
• Reduce technical debt
• Automate code reviews
• Track project quality metrics

5. GitToolBox

Type: Git Integration Enhancement

Installation: Free through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Inline blame annotations
• Status widgets
• Auto fetch
• Branch visualization
• Commit message completion

Why You Need It:

• Enhanced Git workflow
• Better team collaboration
• Improved commit tracking

Why You Need It:

• Simplifies dependency management
• Resolves version conflicts easily
• Improves build management

6. Rainbow Brackets

Type: Code Visualization

• Installation: Free through IntelliJ Marketplace
• Key Features:
• Color-coded bracket pairs
• Scope highlighting
• Bracket pair matching
• Custom color schemes
• Why You Need It:
• Reduces code navigation errors
• Improves nested code readability
• Helps identify matching brackets
• Configuration Tips:
• Customize colors for your theme
• Enable/disable for specific languages
• Adjust opacity settings

7. Key Promoter X

Type: Productivity Tool

Installation: Free through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Shortcut suggestions
• Usage statistics
• Custom shortcut creation
• Learning progress tracking

Why You Need It:

• Speeds up development workflow
• Reduces mouse dependency
• Improves IDE proficiency

Popular Shortcuts:

• Quick Documentation: Ctrl+Q
• Find Action: Ctrl+Shift+A
• Recent Files: Ctrl+E

8. SpotBugs

Type: Bug Detection Tool

Installation: Free through IntelliJ Marketplace

Key Features:

• Static code analysis
• Bug pattern detection
• Security vulnerability scanning
• Custom bug patterns
• Integration with build tools

Why You Need It:

• Catches common programming mistakes
• Improves code quality
• Prevents security issues
• Configuration Tips:
• Set up custom filters
• Configure analysis sensitivity

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Let me know which one you have used and add if you want to add any additional plugin that you are using.