As a core java developer when I started coding I found it very easy to understand the IDE because of it simple User Interface. Its a well known and respected Integrated Development Environment(IDE) developed by the eclipse foundation. Biggest benefit of using it aids in development process by providing the following key features:
1)An easy to use graphical interface that navigates through your code hierarchy.
2)Syntax Highlighting that displays source code in color code format to improve readability.
3)Code completion that makes recommendations on mehods and parameters as you type.
4)Recommendations on how to fix errors and automatic error correction.
5)A graphical debugger that allows line by line code inspection
6)Single key compilation and execution of a program.
7)Automatic code generation for commonly used pattern.
8)Integration for Source code version controlled Repository.
These are several benefits to the experienced and beginner programmers .but still I also recommend the beginners to not use IDE in early stages when you just start coding like for at least first month so as to get used to basic programming structure. Once you understand the basic structure the Eclipse IDE will be a very powerful tool to speed up your application development.
Sharing my personal Experiences I have used many tools that Eclipse IDE offers like ease of using tomcat servers just by giving its dependency on the POM.XML files or just by adding it as an external JAR file in the build path of the IDE properties. And features like using Spring framework just by doing few clicks. And the most impressive feature is that it supports vast API like APARCHE and JAVAX mail ITEXTPDF which are very powerful while developing applications that are mostly use in developing a very basic INVOICE generation/certificate generation application. It also gives us the advantages of using Jersey Rest and RestEasy just by adding some dependency in POM.XML file and easy make a web-app which can perform POST and GET operations and by using service we can Share a java application with rest of the world just by using an HTTP:/ link .I’m really enjoying writing beautiful piece of codes in Eclipse .
PROS:
1)It’s a free of cost.
2)Easy to use
3)Large number of API support
4)Supports tons of plugin(example-Helix plugin P4Eclipse)
5)It provides Modelling Support
6)Great tool to handle larger Projects
7)Lots of Debugging features.
CONS:
1)It sometimes tends to run slower than other ide’s like Netbeans.
2)Documentation feature is so difficult that it is often not used many times.
3)Sometimes it feels live its very clunky and is taking a lot of processing power.
3)Starting up time is is little bit large .
4)Very limited Themes Support.
5)Not so prepared to support other languages than JAVA.