Build Faster. Code Smarter. Deliver Production-Ready Java Applications with IntelliJ IDEA, JetBrains AI, and Modern Development Workflows.
IntelliJ IDEA is widely regarded as the gold standard for professional Java development-but mastering the IDE alone is no longer enough. Modern software engineers are expected to work with AI-assisted coding tools, cloud-native architectures, automated testing, containers, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, and collaborative development workflows.
IntelliJ IDEA in Practice is a hands-on, project-driven guide that teaches you how to use IntelliJ IDEA as the central platform for building, testing, debugging, refactoring, containerizing, deploying, and operating modern Java applications. Rather than focusing only on IDE features, this book demonstrates how IntelliJ IDEA integrates with the technologies and workflows used by professional engineering teams every day.
Whether you're a Java developer, software engineer, platform engineer, DevOps practitioner, computer science student, or technology professional looking to increase productivity, this book provides a practical path from local development to production-ready software delivery.
Inside this book, you will learn how to:
Configure a high-performance IntelliJ IDEA development environment
Master IntelliJ IDEA productivity features, navigation tools, refactoring workflows, and debugging techniques
Use JetBrains AI and Junie to accelerate coding, documentation, testing, code reviews, and software maintenance
Build modern Spring Boot applications using industry-standard architectural patterns
Develop REST APIs with validation, exception handling, OpenAPI documentation, and PostgreSQL integration
Write professional unit tests with JUnit 5 and Mockito
Implement integration testing using Testcontainers and real database environments
Debug complex applications using IntelliJ IDEA's advanced runtime analysis tools
Containerize applications with Docker and manage local development environments with Docker Compose
Deploy and operate applications on Kubernetes using cloud-native development workflows
Manage source control using advanced Git workflows, Pull Requests, code reviews, and branching strategies
Build automated CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions
Apply AI-assisted refactoring and modern developer productivity techniques
Monitor and validate production-ready applications using Spring Boot Actuator and operational best practices
Complete a full-stack end-to-end capstone project that combines everything learned throughout the book
Unlike many IntelliJ IDEA books that focus only on menus, settings, and shortcuts, this guide teaches how professional software is actually built and delivered in modern engineering organizations. Every chapter includes practical walkthroughs and hands-on labs designed to reinforce real-world skills.
You'll also gain access to comprehensive appendices covering productivity cheat sheets, reusable templates, project starters, troubleshooting runbooks, engineering checklists, AI-assisted development governance, Kubernetes deployment references, GitHub Actions workflows, and a forward-looking roadmap for the future of AI-powered software engineering.
If you want to move beyond simply using an IDE and learn how to build, test, automate, deploy, and operate production-ready Java applications using modern engineering practices, IntelliJ IDEA in Practice provides the complete roadmap.
Master IntelliJ IDEA. Leverage AI effectively. Build modern Java systems with confidence.