# IntelliJ IDEA

Application: JetBrains

Also called intellij, idea, idea64

JetBrains, Productivity

JetBrains' Java-first IDE. The 64-bit Windows process is idea64.exe. Community and Ultimate are different licenses. It is not Visual Studio Code.

## What you need to know

IntelliJ is idea64.exe. VS Code is Code.exe.

IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains' Java-first IDE. Community is free. Ultimate is paid. Visual Studio Code is Microsoft's editor. Android Studio ships studio64.exe even though it is built on IntelliJ platform code.

- **What is it?**: JetBrains Java-first IDE

  **Same as VS Code?**: No. Different vendor and exe

  **Community or Ultimate?**: Different licenses on the same family

Feex says

If idea64.exe is the RAM hog, I would look at the project index and plugins inside IDEA. I would not close Code.exe to quit IntelliJ. VS Code is a different editor.

## What is IntelliJ IDEA?

IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains' Java and Kotlin IDE. Community and Ultimate share idea64.exe but not the same license. It is not VS Code and not Android Studio.

## If you have never used it

If a Java class said install IntelliJ, download IDEA from jetbrains.com/idea/download. Community is the free Apache build. Ultimate is the paid edition with extra web and enterprise plugins. idea64.exe is this IDE. Code.exe is VS Code. Android Studio is a different Google product built on IntelliJ platform code.

## What is it used for?

**Java and Kotlin projects**

Gradle, Maven, and the IntelliJ project model. VS Code can edit .java files without this indexer.

**Community versus Ultimate**

Community is the free Java/Kotlin core. Ultimate adds paid web and framework tools. PyCharm is a different JetBrains IDE.

**Inspections and refactoring**

The reason shops pick IDEA over a folder editor. Those indexes are why RAM grows.

## Who is it for?

- Java and Kotlin developers
- Students whose school licenses Ultimate
- Anyone who opened VS Code and thought it was IntelliJ

## Current status

IntelliJ IDEA (2001) is a current java ide from JetBrains. The vendor still points Windows users at https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/.

## How old is it?

JetBrains shipped IntelliJ IDEA in 2001. It is the same generation as Eclipse and older than VS Code (2015). Current Windows builds ship through Toolbox or the standalone installer.

## Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Community

Ultimate

## System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

### Minimum

| Operating system | A current 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per JetBrains          |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| RAM              | JetBrains lists 2 GB minimum and 8 GB recommended for current IDEA builds |

## Resource profile

- **CPU demand**: Follows what you open inside the app

  **RAM demand**: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

## Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

| idea64.exe | IntelliJ IDEA 64-bit IDE |
| ---------- | ------------------------ |

## Startup components

IDEA can reopen the last project. Toolbox can also start an update helper. That is not devenv.exe.

## File locations

| Typical install | C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA \*\\ |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------- |

## File formats

JAVA, KT, Gradle, Maven

## Common problems

### People install VS Code for a Java course that wanted IDEA

The class likely meant idea64.exe and a JDK. Code.exe plus an extension is not the same indexer.

### Community missing an Ultimate plugin

That feature is a license line, not a broken download. PyCharm Professional is still a different product.

## Getting unstuck

### Confirm Community versus Ultimate in Help > About

The edition name is on that screen. Toolbox can install both. VS Code About will never say IntelliJ.

### Invalidate caches if indexes go stale

File > Invalidate Caches is an IDEA repair. It does not reset VS Code.

### Install from jetbrains.com/idea/download or Toolbox

A cracked Ultimate is junk. JetBrains hosts the real builds.

## Alternatives

Eclipse is the older school Java IDE. Android Studio is Google's Android IDE. VS Code is a lighter editor.

## Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

| Download      | [www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/ ](https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/)Official installer or vendor page           |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Help          | [www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/ ](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/)Vendor support                                      |
| Official site | [www.jetbrains.com/idea/ ](https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/)Start here, not a random exe host                             |
| Toolbox App   | [www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/ ](https://www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/)JetBrains installer for this IDE and the others |

## Related hardware

JetBrains IDEs want several GB of RAM for a real project. An SSD helps the index. A GPU is not the bottleneck.

## Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

## Related

These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link.

[Visual Studio Code: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/visual-studio-code)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager)

## Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research).

- [IntelliJ IDEA official site ](https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/)· Vendor product page
- [IntelliJ IDEA help ](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/)· Vendor support
- [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

## Was this article useful?

A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note.

Quick facts

The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article.

- **Developer**: JetBrains

  **Category**: Java IDE

  **Process**: idea64.exe

  **License**: Community (Apache-2.0) / Ultimate (paid)

  **First released**: 2001

  **Official site**: [jetbrains.com/idea](https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/)

  **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole

Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026

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Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/intellij-idea/)

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