Apache NetBeans IDE 28 released
The final version of Apache NetBeans IDE 28 has landed! Among the enhancements and bug fixes packed into this latest release is better support for Gradle. The developers tackled several specific issues in the new release.
One common pain point addressed was a potential null pointer exception (NPE) that could occur if the buildscript wasn't present. This scenario is now handled more gracefully, preventing that error entirely. The team also shored up Maven/Gradle-JUnit integration, making it more reliable for handling tests at different levels and stabilizing how results get pulled out.
Moving beyond just Gradle, other notable fixes touch on this area too. The team has resolved the elusive Gradle Gatling Project loading issue, resulting in significantly smoother operation. Additionally, preventing an NPE inside the GradleTestProgressListener was another important step for stability around these tools.
Maven users will find their experience improved as well. There's a fix ensuring that Maven coordinates shown in embedded lists are correct. The DAP server now waits alongside its LSP counterpart before marking things complete, guaranteeing projects are ready and readable from the start. Other helpful tweaks include adding a copy button to the Maven action customizer and smoothing out how Maven goals handle re-runs through better UI integration.
Java developers benefit from several updates too. The net.java.html library has been upgraded to version 1.8.2, bringing potential improvements or new capabilities. Jackpot rules have also received fixes related to target typing failures. There's another subtle AST adjustment: implicit yield in the javac output might now appear slightly differently during pretty printing than before.
Groovy support receives a slight boost with added file extension handling, too. Several quality-of-life adjustments, particularly around autocompletion and inline comment coloring, will make PHP users' coding sessions smoother. The Enterprise module also maintains its pace with the addition of Java SE 26 compatibility updates for Tomcat, TomEE, and GlassFish.
The update isn't just about one feature area; the release includes numerous other valuable tweaks across the board. Navigation with dark themes feels cleaner now, keyboard behavior might feel slightly different or improved depending on your setup, and new tooltips help keep track of active Projects, Files, and Favorites tabs. For maintainers specifically, there are updates to essential dependencies like actions/checkout (upgraded from 4.x to 5), actions/download-artifact (similarly moved up to version 5), and the PHP toolkit bumping from v2.35.3 to v2.35.4.
Overall, Apache NetBeans IDE 28 represents a solid step forward for this widely used open-source IDE. It combines tangible improvements in core functionality with valuable stability patches, providing developers an even more robust environment as they build and refine their software applications.
Release Apache NetBeans 28 · apache/netbeans
What's Changed Gradle Prevents NPE if buildscript does not exist by @sdedic in #8716 Maven/Gradle-JUnit Integration: Support nested and toplevel non-public tests and stabiize result extraction by ...
