Emergence in Response to Trends

The creation of Fleet appears to be a direct response to the rising popularity of the lightweight text editor, VSCode. This tool allows users to enhance its functionality through a variety of extensions available in its marketplace. Some developers prefer a minimalistic approach, opting for a text editor without features like autocompletion or code analysis. This trend reflects a growing preference for coding-oriented text editors.

Moreover, VSCode's robust support for remote development has led many developers to adopt it, whether they're utilizing remote servers or local Docker containers to maintain a consistent development environment. Companies are increasingly shifting away from traditional local setups, opting instead for reusable cloud-based virtual machines, which streamline their processes and reduce hardware costs. This shift allows developers to work on lightweight laptops, such as MacBook Airs, while connecting to powerful virtual machines.

Recent statistics indicate that VSCode ranks among the top IDEs, with a notable growth rate. In contrast, IntelliJ remains in the sixth position, still showing slight growth. Interestingly, Eclipse continues to hold third place, despite a decline.

Now, let's delve into Fleet and its features.

Installing Fleet

To get started with Fleet, you'll first need the JetBrains Toolbox, which lists Fleet among its available applications. After installation, Fleet will appear in your list of installed programs. You'll notice that it launches significantly faster than IntelliJ IDEA, marking an immediate improvement.

Initial Impressions

Upon opening a Kotlin or Java project for the first time, the interface may initially seem confusing, as it might not recognize code syntax or JUnit tests right away. For instance, the "play" button for running tests may not be visible initially. However, right-clicking on any test will prompt a helpful suggestion to enable "Smart Mode."

To navigate through the setup process, you can refer to the "Getting Started with Java" documentation.

Enabling Smart Mode

Activating "Smart Mode" initiates a backend server similar to that used by IntelliJ, enabling features such as live compilation, autocompletion, and code analysis. Although it may take a moment to locate the activation icon, once enabled, you'll see the interface transform—compilation errors will be displayed immediately, and tests will be easily accessible from the GUI.

Running Tests in Fleet

There are two methods to execute tests in Fleet: using the play button on the left or creating a new run configuration. The process for creating a configuration is straightforward but may require familiarity with the run.json syntax.

Here's an example configuration you might create:

{

"configurations": [

{

"name": "gradle test",

"type": "gradle",

"tasks": [

"test"

]

}

]

}

Initially, the need for these configurations may seem daunting, but it simplifies the IDE by allowing developers to define only what they need.

Managing Panels

Fleet enhances usability with its streamlined tool panel management. You can easily expand or collapse the panels based on your preferences, allowing for a clutter-free workspace. By clicking "Open Tool," you gain flexibility in adding and positioning the tools you require.

Settings Simplification

One of Fleet's improvements is the restructured settings management, now condensed onto a single page. Project settings are conveniently accessible from the same tab, eliminating the need to navigate between preferences and project settings as in IntelliJ.

Performance Insights

Fleet exhibits promising performance enhancements, particularly in terms of speed. The initial setup for large projects may take some time to index, but the backend efficiency mirrors that of IntelliJ. However, memory usage may be higher than anticipated, which could be a drawback for those expecting a more lightweight IDE.

Comparatively, Fleet consumes more memory than IntelliJ IDEA, which may seem counterintuitive given its design intent. Nonetheless, the CPU usage is lower during indexing, suggesting potential for optimization.

Conclusion and Future Prospects

Overall, Fleet represents a significant step forward but still requires further refinement, particularly regarding extensibility and performance. As it is currently in public preview, its full capabilities may not yet be realized.

We hope this overview has provided valuable insights into JetBrains Fleet.

This video delves into a two-year retrospective on JetBrains Fleet, highlighting its evolution and features.

In this video, the creator shares their personal reflections on JetBrains Fleet, discussing its strengths and areas for improvement.