Essential Eclipse Shortcuts for Efficient Coding

For developers utilizing Eclipse on both Mac and Windows platforms, mastering keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance productivity. Below, I present a collection of the most frequently used Eclipse shortcuts, specifically tailored for Eclipse Juno. Please note that some of these shortcuts may vary in other versions of Eclipse.

Key Eclipse Shortcuts

General Navigation

• Quick Access
  • Mac: Command + 3
  • Windows: Ctrl + 3
  • This shortcut focuses on the Quick Access search box, allowing you to quickly find commands or resources.
• Open Editor
  • Mac: Command + S
  • Windows: Ctrl + S
  • Use this shortcut to save your current editor contents.

Code Editing

• Quickfix
  • Mac: Command + 1
  • Windows: Ctrl + 1
  • Provides suggestions for fixing errors and warnings based on your cursor’s position.
• Content Assist
  • Mac: Control + Space
  • Windows: Ctrl + Space
  • Offers code completion and content assistance, making it easier to write code efficiently.
• Format Code
  • Mac: Command + Shift + F
  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + F
  • This command formats your source code, ensuring readability and adherence to coding standards.

Cursor Movement

• Last Edited Position
  • Mac: Control + Q
  • Windows: Ctrl + Q
  • Jump back to the last position you edited, saving time when navigating through code.
• Delete Line
  • Mac: Command + D
  • Windows: Ctrl + D
  • Instanly delete the current line in your editor.

Managing Imports

• Organize Imports
  • Mac: Command + Shift + O
  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + O
  • Automatically organizes the import statements in your Java file for better clarity.

Variable Management

• Assign to Local Variable
  • Mac: Command + 2 + L
  • Windows: Ctrl + 2 + L
  • Assigns the selected statement to a new local variable.
• Assign to Field
  • Mac: Command + 2 + F
  • Windows: Ctrl + 2 + F
  • Assigns the selected statement to a class field.

Class and Type Navigation

• Quick Outline
  • Mac: Command + O
  • Windows: Ctrl + O
  • Displays a quick outline of the current Java class for easy navigation.
• Run Java Class
  • Mac: Command + fn + F11
  • Windows: Ctrl + F11
  • Runs the currently opened Java class if it contains a main method or the last launched application.

Resource Management Eclipse Shortcuts

• Open/Search Resources
  • Mac: Command + Shift + R
  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + R
  • Quickly opens or searches for resources within your project.
• Search Types
  • Mac: Command + Shift + T
  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + T
  • A valuable shortcut for finding classes and types in your workspace.

Editor Management

• Select Editor
  • Mac: Command + E
  • Windows: Ctrl + E
  • Choose from currently open editors, enhancing navigation between files.
• Switch Perspectives
  • Mac: Command + fn + F8
  • Windows: Ctrl + F8
  • Quickly switch between different perspectives in Eclipse.

Advanced Editing

• Show Type Hierarchy
  • Mac: Fn + F4
  • Windows: F4
  • Displays the type hierarchy of the selected variable.
• Find Next/Previous Occurrence
  • Mac: Command + K / Command + Shift + G
  • Windows: Ctrl + K / Ctrl + Shift + G
  • Quickly navigate through search results in the opened editor.

Conclusion

These shortcuts represent the essential commands that I regularly use to streamline my coding process in Eclipse. If you have additional shortcuts that you find helpful, feel free to share them in the comments below!