Every IDE will allow you to manage files and build projects. Eclipse goes
beyond that by dealing with the code you are writing on a more intimate level
than the typical file-centric view embraced by most IDEs. As a developer, you
can use that familiarity to your advantage by letting Eclipse do the
drudgework of finding, changing, switching, moving, waiting, and just a
little bit of writing.
With Eclipse on your tool belt, you can focus yourself on the real task at
hand: writing code that does what it's supposed to.
Start with the UI
Let's first note this article refers to the new Eclipse 3, which differs in
some respects from older 2.1 builds, as well as WSAD and RAD.
Eclipse looks very similar to most other IDEs because the basic user
interface has become so familiar to developers everywhere--except those who
still hack away with Emacs or vi, although they too will ... (more)