8 Best IDEs for Spring Boot of 2026

1. 1

   IntelliJ IDEA

   JetBrains' Java and Kotlin IDE, sold as one download with a free tier and an Ultimate subscription that adds full Spring tooling.

   9.0overall

   JetBrains' Java and Kotlin IDE, sold as one download with a free tier and an Ultimate subscription that adds full Spring tooling.

   Best forSpring Boot teams on large, multi-module services

   Adoption data

   24.3%In the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 24.3% of 13,193 respondents said they used IntelliJ IDEA regularly, the highest share for any Java-focused IDE.

   Stack Overflow, Dev IDEs, Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026 (2026): “IntelliJ IDEA 3,201 24.3%”

   IntelliJ IDEA has the most complete documented Spring Boot tooling of any IDE on this list. Since the 2025.3 release JetBrains ships a single IntelliJ IDEA download that replaced the separate Community Edition: the free tier gives you a Spring Boot project wizard and basic Spring syntax highlighting, and the Ultimate subscription adds full support for Spring MVC, Boot, Integration, Security and Cloud. The Spring Debugger lists Spring-managed beans in the Project view, shows the runtime value of each property in .properties and .yaml files, and lets you call any bean method from the expression evaluator. Ultimate also brings Actuator tabs, a Spring Beans dependencies diagram, database tools that detect your app's data sources, and an HTTP Client for testing endpoints. The trade-offs are cost and memory: the subscription price showed only in euros from our location, and JetBrains asks for 8 GB of RAM.

   Strengths

   • +The free tier includes a Spring Boot project wizard, the debugger, test coverage and Maven and Gradle support
   • +JetBrains lists dozens of Spring-specific inspections, such as bean autowiring errors and incorrect profile expressions
   • +If an Ultimate subscription lapses, the IDE falls back to the free feature set instead of locking you out

   Limitations

   • −Full Spring, Spring Cloud and the Spring Debugger need the paid Ultimate subscription
   • −JetBrains lists 8 GB of total RAM, with 3 GB available for the IDE, as the requirement
   • −The USD subscription price could not be confirmed from our location

   SummaryIntelliJ IDEA is the best IDE for Spring Boot because its Ultimate subscription adds a Spring Debugger that shows live bean and property values. Start on the free tier and its 30-day Ultimate trial before you buy.

2. 2

   Visual Studio Code

   Microsoft's free, open source code editor, which handles Spring Boot through the Extension Pack for Java and the Spring Boot Extension Pack.

   8.8overall

   Microsoft's free, open source code editor, which handles Spring Boot through the Extension Pack for Java and the Spring Boot Extension Pack.

   Best forSpring developers who want a free, lightweight editor

   Adoption data

   70.9%In the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 70.9% of 13,193 respondents said they used Visual Studio Code regularly, the highest share of any editor or IDE.

   Stack Overflow, Dev IDEs, Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026 (2026): “Visual Studio Code 9,350 70.9%”

   Visual Studio Code is the most used development environment overall, and Microsoft documents a complete Spring Boot setup for it. You install a JDK, the Extension Pack for Java and the Spring Boot Extension Pack, which the Visual Studio Marketplace lists at 4,821,261 installs. That pack, also called Spring Tools for Visual Studio Code, brings Spring Boot Tools for completion and validation in .java, .properties and .yml files, the Spring Initializr extension for generating Maven or Gradle projects and adding starters, and the Spring Boot Dashboard for starting, stopping and debugging every Spring Boot app in the workspace. Running apps feed live information such as bean wiring back into the editor. What you give up compared with a full IDE is depth in one place: database tools, an HTTP client and heavy refactoring come from more extensions or other apps. For most services, though, the free stack covers daily Spring Boot work.

   Strengths

   • +The editor and both Spring extension packs are free
   • +The Spring Boot Extension Pack lists 4,821,261 installs on the Visual Studio Marketplace
   • +Live application information from running apps appears in the editor

   Limitations

   • −Spring support depends on several extensions you install and keep updated
   • −No built-in database tools or HTTP client comparable to a full Java IDE
   • −Large refactors rely on the Red Hat Java language server rather than an integrated IDE engine

   SummaryVisual Studio Code is the best free choice for Spring Boot developers who prefer a light editor because the Spring Boot Extension Pack adds Initializr, a dashboard and Spring-aware completion at no cost. Teams that want built-in database and HTTP tools should look at IntelliJ IDEA.

3. 3

   Spring Tools for Eclipse

   The Spring team's own free, open source tooling, shipped as a ready-to-run Eclipse distribution.

   8.5overall

   The Spring team's own free, open source tooling, shipped as a ready-to-run Eclipse distribution.

   Best forEclipse users who want the Spring team's own tooling for free

   Adoption data

   7543The Eclipse Marketplace recorded 7,543 installs of Spring Tools in October 2026, ranking it 2nd of 641 listed solutions that month.

   Eclipse Foundation, Spring Tools (aka Spring Tool Suite), Eclipse Marketplace (2026): “October 2026 2/641 7543 323”

   Spring Tools for Eclipse, long known as Spring Tool Suite, is the tooling the Spring team itself builds for Spring Framework and Spring Boot. The 5.4.0 download is a ready-to-run Eclipse package for Linux, macOS and Windows on both x86_64 and ARM. It integrates the Spring Initializr and the Spring Guides, so you can go from an empty workspace to a running Spring Boot app quickly, and it gives Spring-aware completion and quick ways to find beans, request mappings and other Spring elements. The most useful piece is runtime information: through Spring Boot Actuators it overlays exact bean wiring, conditional reports and configuration details from the running app onto your source. Newer releases add an embedded MCP server so AI assistants get Spring context. The Eclipse Marketplace logged 7,543 installs in October 2026, second of 641 listings. It costs nothing, but Eclipse's interface is older and less polished than IntelliJ IDEA's.

   Strengths

   • +Built and maintained by the Spring team at Broadcom
   • +Free and open source with no paid tier
   • +Same Spring tooling is also available for VS Code, Cursor, Theia and Claude Code

   Limitations

   • −Eclipse's interface and plugin model take time to learn for newcomers
   • −No Spring-aware debugger comparable to IntelliJ IDEA's Spring Debugger is documented
   • −Enterprise support is sold separately through Broadcom's Spring Enterprise subscription

   SummarySpring Tools for Eclipse is the best free full IDE for Spring Boot because the Spring team builds it and it shows live bean wiring from Actuators in the editor. Pick IntelliJ IDEA instead if you want a Spring-aware debugger.

4. 4

   Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java and Web Developers

   The Eclipse Foundation's free enterprise Java package with web, JPA, YAML, Maven and Gradle tools.

   8.1overall

   The Eclipse Foundation's free enterprise Java package with web, JPA, YAML, Maven and Gradle tools.

   Best forteams that maintain Jakarta EE and Spring code side by side

   Adoption data

   169,454The Eclipse Foundation reports that the 2026-09 release of Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java and Web Developers was downloaded 169,454 times.

   Eclipse Foundation, Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java and Web Developers, 2026-09 R (2026): “Downloaded 169,454 times”

   Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java and Web Developers is the Eclipse Foundation's standard package for server-side Java. The 2026-09 release bundles the Java Development Tools, Maven integration and Git, plus tools for JavaScript, TypeScript, JavaServer Pages and Faces, YAML, Markdown, web services, JPA and data access, with Gradle support as well. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, including ARM machines, and the Foundation counts 169,454 downloads of this package for the 2026-09 release. For Spring Boot it is a base rather than a finished setup: the Spring-specific features come from installing Spring Tools from the Eclipse Marketplace, which effectively turns it into the Spring Tools distribution with extra enterprise web tooling. That makes it a sensible pick for teams that also keep Jakarta EE or JSP applications alive next to newer Spring services, while developers who only write Spring Boot can download Spring Tools for Eclipse directly.

   Strengths

   • +Free and open source under the Eclipse Public License 2.0
   • +Covers JPA, web services and server-side web code in one download
   • +Spring Tools can be added from the Eclipse Marketplace

   Limitations

   • −No Spring Boot tooling until you install Spring Tools
   • −Package names and plugin choices can confuse first-time users
   • −Usage is lower than IntelliJ IDEA's: 6.9% of developers in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey use Eclipse

   SummaryEclipse IDE for Enterprise Java and Web Developers is the best choice for teams mixing legacy Jakarta EE apps with Spring Boot because it bundles JPA, web services and JSP tools for free. Add Spring Tools from the Marketplace to get Spring Boot support.

5. 5

   Cursor

   An AI-first code editor built on VS Code, with Spring Tools and an IntelliJ IDEA extension available for it.

   8.0overall

   An AI-first code editor built on VS Code, with Spring Tools and an IntelliJ IDEA extension available for it.

   Best forSpring developers who want AI agents in the editor

   Adoption data

   14.9%In the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 14.9% of 13,193 respondents said they used Cursor regularly.

   Stack Overflow, Dev IDEs, Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026 (2026): “Cursor 1,971 14.9%”

   Cursor is an AI-first editor built on the VS Code codebase, and it has become a supported Spring environment rather than a workaround. The Spring team publishes Spring Tools for Cursor on the Open VSX Registry, and JetBrains now offers an IntelliJ IDEA extension that brings its Java and Kotlin code intelligence into Cursor. Together with the Java extension pack, that gives Spring-aware completion, Initializr and runtime data alongside Cursor's agents. Pricing starts with a free plan with limited AI usage; Plus costs $8 per month but includes only Grok models, while third-party models are billed separately by usage. Premium at $30 per month gives four times the usage of Plus. In the 2026 Stack Overflow survey 14.9% of respondents used Cursor regularly. The catch for Spring teams is the same as with VS Code: the framework support is assembled from extensions, and serious agent use costs more than the entry plan.

   Strengths

   • +The Spring team lists Cursor as a supported environment for Spring Tools
   • +Free plan available to try the editor
   • +Spring Tools for Cursor and the IntelliJ IDEA extension come from the Spring team and JetBrains, not third parties

   Limitations

   • −Plus only includes Grok models; third-party models are billed separately by usage
   • −Spring and Java support depend on extensions, as in VS Code
   • −Heavy agent use pushes you toward the $30 Premium plan or higher

   SummaryCursor is the best choice for Spring developers who want AI agents in the editor because the Spring team publishes Spring Tools for Cursor and Plus starts at $8 per month. Budget for Premium if you rely on non-Grok models.

6. 6

   MyEclipse

   Genuitec's commercial enterprise Java IDE built on the Eclipse platform, with Spring Boot 4 support and AI features.

   7.3overall

   Genuitec's commercial enterprise Java IDE built on the Eclipse platform, with Spring Boot 4 support and AI features.

   Best forenterprises that want a supported, all-in-one Eclipse IDE

   Adoption data

   17,000Genuitec, the maker of MyEclipse, says 17,000 companies use its development tools.

   Genuitec, Genuitec: Enterprise Eclipse platform (2026): “Join the other 17,000 companies that have discovered how to streamline development”

   MyEclipse is Genuitec's paid IDE for enterprise Java, built on the Eclipse platform and sold with a 30-day trial and licenses that start at $37 per year. The 2026 release adds support for Spring Boot 4 with easier configuration and project setup, full Java 25 support, Jakarta EE 11, and AI help through the built-in Copilot4Eclipse chat and quick AI actions. Around that it bundles database tools with live query results, unit test and debug launching, and incremental deployment to app servers, including WebSphere connectors. Genuitec pitches it as one download with no plug-ins to hunt for, plus an experienced team handling open source licensing, and says 17,000 companies use its tools. The drawbacks are a smaller community than IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code, no permanent free tier, and a platform base of Eclipse 2025-12 rather than the newest Eclipse release.

   Strengths

   • +One download with no extra plugins to assemble
   • +Starts at $37 per year, low for a commercial IDE
   • +Backward compatibility for maintaining legacy apps, per Genuitec

   Limitations

   • −No permanent free plan, only a 30-day trial
   • −Built on Eclipse 2025-12, behind the current Eclipse release
   • −A much smaller user base than IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code

   SummaryMyEclipse is the best choice for enterprises that want a supported Eclipse IDE with Spring Boot 4 tooling because it bundles database, server and AI tools from $37 per year. Developers happy to assemble plugins can get similar Spring features free from Spring Tools.

7. 7

   GitHub Codespaces

   GitHub's cloud development environments that open a repository in a VS Code editor running on a hosted machine.

   7.2overall

   GitHub's cloud development environments that open a repository in a VS Code editor running on a hosted machine.

   Best forteams that want reproducible Spring dev environments in the cloud

   Adoption data

   6.6%In the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 6.6% of 13,193 respondents said they used GitHub Codespaces regularly.

   Stack Overflow, Dev IDEs, Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026 (2026): “GitHub Codespaces 876 6.6%”

   GitHub Codespaces moves the IDE to the cloud: each repository opens in a hosted container with a VS Code editor, so a new developer can run a Spring Boot service without installing a JDK locally. The Spring team lists Codespaces among the environments Spring Tools supports, and the same Java and Spring Boot extensions used in VS Code work there. A devcontainer.json file pins the JDK version and tools so every teammate gets the same setup. Personal accounts get a free monthly quota of 120 core hours and 15 GB-month of storage on GitHub Free, or 180 core hours on GitHub Pro. Past that, compute costs $0.18 per hour for a 2-core machine up to $2.88 per hour for 32 cores. The weak spots are that organization plans include no free quota, costs scale with machine size, and the editor offers VS Code's extension-based Spring support rather than a dedicated Java IDE.

   Strengths

   • +No local JDK or IDE install needed
   • +Free monthly quota for personal accounts
   • +Larger machines available for heavy Maven or Gradle builds

   Limitations

   • −Organization and enterprise plans include no free Codespaces quota
   • −Costs grow with machine size, from $0.18 to $2.88 per hour
   • −Needs a steady internet connection

   SummaryGitHub Codespaces is the best choice for teams that want identical Spring Boot environments in the cloud because a dev container pins the JDK and tools and compute starts at $0.18 per hour. Developers who code offline should stick with a local IDE.

8. 8

   Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

   Cognition's AI code editor, formerly Windsurf, built on VS Code OSS with Open VSX extensions.

   6.9overall

   Cognition's AI code editor, formerly Windsurf, built on VS Code OSS with Open VSX extensions.

   Best fordevelopers who want agent-driven coding on a VS Code base

   Adoption data

   3.2%In the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 3.2% of 13,193 respondents said they used Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, regularly.

   Stack Overflow, Dev IDEs, Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026 (2026): “Windsurf 423 3.2%”

   Devin Desktop is the editor previously called Windsurf, now run by Cognition alongside its Devin cloud agents. It is built on VS Code OSS and installs extensions from the Open VSX Registry, where the Spring team publishes Spring Tools, so a Spring Boot setup looks much like VS Code's. Cognition's own docs recommend the Extension Pack for Java, the Red Hat Java language server, Java debugging, Maven and Gradle support for Java work, and onboarding can import an existing VS Code or Cursor configuration. The free plan includes a light agent quota with unlimited inline edits and Tab completions. Pro at $20 per month adds frontier models from OpenAI, Claude and Gemini plus Devin Cloud agents, and Max costs $200 per month. Cognition does not publish Spring-specific guidance, and only 3.2% of 2026 Stack Overflow respondents used it, so it ranks last here for Spring Boot work.

   Strengths

   • +Free plan with unlimited Tab completions
   • +Spring Tools is published on Open VSX, the registry the editor uses
   • +Teams plan supports up to 100 users with SAML or OIDC SSO

   Limitations

   • −Pro costs $20 per month, more than Cursor's entry plan
   • −No Spring-specific documentation from Cognition
   • −Lowest usage share of the editors on this list at 3.2% in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey

   SummaryDevin Desktop is the right choice for developers who want Cognition's agents and Devin Cloud in a VS Code-style editor because Pro at $20 per month includes frontier models and cloud agents. For Spring-specific depth, IntelliJ IDEA or Spring Tools fit better.

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