How to Install NetBeans IDE on Windows

Introduction#

Today we’ll walk through how to install Apache NetBeans IDE on Windows. NetBeans is one of the most popular open-source IDEs for Java development, but it also supports other languages like PHP, C/C++, and HTML5.

If you’re just getting started with Java or looking for a reliable, lightweight IDE, NetBeans is a great choice — and installation is straightforward once you know the steps.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

1. Download the NetBeans installer

2. Install Java JDK (required)

3. Run the NetBeans setup

4. Configure the IDE on first launch

5. Verify the installation

6. Troubleshooting and tips

1. Download the NetBeans Installer#

Go to the official Apache NetBeans website:

👉 https://netbeans.apache.org/download/index.html

Under Windows, choose the x64 installer.

Click Download and save the .exe installer file

Tip: If you can’t find the downloaded file press Ctrl + J on most browsers to show the most recently downloaded files.

2. Install Java JDK (Required)#

NetBeans needs a Java Development Kit (JDK) to compile and run Java programs.

A JDK is basically the “dictionary” to teach your computer the language you’ll be programming in. (Gross oversimplification don’t quote me on that)

Once installed, confirm that Java is available by opening the Command Prompt and running:

java -version

You should see output similar to:

java version "17.0.11" 2025-04-15 LTS
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 17.0.11+9-LTS)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 17.0.11+9-LTS, mixed mode)

3. Run the NetBeans Setup#

Double-click the NetBeans installer you downloaded earlier. The installer will launch a wizard.

1. Accept the license agreement. (you hereby agree to donate all of your organs to Oracle)

2. Choose the installation directory (the default is usually fine).

3. Select the components you want — you can leave everything checked if you plan to experiment with multiple languages.

4. When prompted, the installer will ask for the path to your JDK — ensure it points to the correct JDK folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-25).

5. Click Install and wait for the process to complete.

After installation, click Finish to exit the wizard.

4. Configure the IDE on First Launch#

Open NetBeans from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.

On the first run:

• NetBeans might prompt to import settings from a previous installation (skip if it’s your first time).

• It may also offer to check for updates — go ahead and let it fetch the latest patches.

• Configure your default JDK in the Tools → Java Platforms section if it’s not already set.

You can now create a new project:

File → New Project → Java with Ant → Java Application

Give it a name, and NetBeans will generate a ready-to-run template project.

5. Verify the Installation#

To verify that NetBeans works properly, let’s run a simple test program.

1. In your new Java project, open the Main.java file.

2. Replace the contents with:

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello, KMiguel!");
    }
}

3. Click the green Run triangle or press Shift + F6.

You should see the output in the console:

Hello, KMiguel!

Congrats — NetBeans is installed and working!

6. Troubleshooting and Tips#

⚙️ Advanced Tip: You can customize the default JDK path by editing the netbeans.conf file located in the etc subdirectory of your NetBeans installation.

Example:

jdkhome="C:\\Program Files\\Java\\jdk-25"

Conclusion#

Installing NetBeans on Windows is fairly painless — you just need to ensure Java is set up first (that’s the painful part).

Here’s the quick summary of what we’ve done:

1. Download NetBeans from the official site.

2. Install the latest JDK.

3. Run the installer and point it to your JDK path.

4. Launch and configure the IDE.

5. Run a quick test program.

You’re now ready to start working with NetBeans!

Happy coding — and may your builds be green!

— KMiguel