What is the key difference between the Ultimate and Community editions of JetBrains IDEs?

General Discussions
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1

I’ve been exploring JetBrains IDEs and noticed they offer both Community and Ultimate editions (like with IntelliJ IDEA). I’m curious, what are the key differences between the two versions in terms of features and capabilities?

Also, from your personal experience, which one do you think is better for day-to-day development work, especially if you’re doing full-stack or enterprise-level projects? Is the Ultimate edition really worth the cost if you’re already comfortable using the Community version?

Would love to hear what others in the dev/test space think.

2

From my experience with JetBrains IDEs, the Ultimate edition shines when you’re doing full-stack or enterprise-level work. It supports web development out of the box, Spring, Java EE, Node.js, React, and even database tools like SQL editing and schema visualization.

The Community edition is awesome for pure Java or Kotlin work, but the minute you add frontend or backend frameworks, Ultimate pays for itself. I used to juggle plugins and external tools, but Ultimate streamlined everything in one place.

3

Definitely agree with @shilpa.chandel, If you’re mostly working on console apps, learning Java, or building CLI tools, the Community edition of JetBrains IDEs is more than enough. It’s fast, free, and includes all core IntelliJ IDEA features like code completion, refactoring, and Git integration.

I used it exclusively for two years before switching to Ultimate when my company started using Spring Boot and React. Unless you’re deep into full-stack or enterprise-grade work, the Community edition holds up really well.

4

I used the Community version for a while, but once I started integrating REST APIs, debugging frontend code, and containerizing projects with Docker, the Ultimate edition of JetBrains IDEs became totally worth it. Built-in support for things like Swagger, HTTP client, database explorer, and better VCS tools really make daily tasks smoother. I’d say Ultimate is for serious dev environments where productivity and integration matter, while Community is great for lean, focused coding.