[bkeroack]

I'm just starting with Scala and I find the IntelliJ Scala plugin immensely non-intuitive (and I'm a big JetBrains fan normally).

Why do I have three different, apparently non-equivalent ways to create a new project (Java->Scala, SBT, Scala Module)?

The tooling and documentation seems to assume familiarity with the Java ecosystem. I'm not a Java developer (nor do I want to be), I'm a Python guy. Am I really expected to learn Java first just so I can learn Scala?

[dragosiulian]

You might want to give the Eclipse Scala IDE a go. It's pretty easy to get started even if you're unfamiliar with Eclipse (watch the getting started video): http://scala-ide.org/download/current.html

Disclaimer: I'm the tech lead of the Scala IDE for Eclipse project

[eweise]

Choose File/New Project/Scala (sbt) and it should create an sbt project for you. Most of the scala open source projects and examples you will find on the web, use SBT so try to learn that instead of using maven or letting your IDE manage its own project.

[ssmoot]

After over a year of working with Scala and IntelliJ I don't know how to create a project from scratch through the IDE.

I just create a build.sbt, project/build.properties, and then open my SBT project in IntelliJ. Since they added SBT import support a few months ago that works really well for me.

[tormeh]

My advice would be to just drop the IDE and go for editor+compiler. IDEs are always confusing.

[kclay]

I always wondered how that worked with scala. Giving how complex some libraries could be with use of implicits and not explicitly defining the return time I always thought it would be a bit troublesome to try to program without any use of intellisense. Then again I guess the same would apply to dynamic languages such as javascript and python so maybe my concerns are not really concerns.

[ssmoot]

As a counterpoint to this popular meme: Most developers I know are VIM converts (from TextMate).

I've never seen their choice of editor improve their coding speed. Haven't seen it on videos online. The idea that being fluent in VIM makes you an all around faster/better coder and the IDE is a crutch just isn't supported by evidence IME.

I use IntelliJ. The startup is a bit slower. And the minute or so pause if I change up dependencies can be annoying (though that's rare). On the other hand I always have method signatures at my fingertips, depend a lot less on the web version (of the same documentation), can jump into compiled libraries for exploring interfaces, and instead of a fuzzy "ack-like" symbol search, I have true jump-to-definition/open-class, etc. I have access to the FSC which provides continuous feedback as well. Ensime is a pale shadow of IntelliJ IME.

Maybe those things aren't important to some people. I find it makes me very productive though, and I haven't met a VIM user who can outpace me yet (though I did see some true VS.NET/RAD-tooling masters back in the day that could put me to shame).

All this just to say: Use what works for you. If that's IntelliJ, cool. If it's VIM, great. But there's a lot of anti-IDE sentiment out there. It's just another tool. Use it if it makes sense. Judge it on it's own merits. You are not less (or more) of a coder for using IntelliJ.

As long as you stay away from Eclipse at least. I think we can all agree on that. ;-) (Seriously Eclipse... It's 2014, and you still can't easily theme your IDE with a couple clicks?)

[tormeh]

Well, I haven't tried Intellij, but in my experience the best coding environment is: 1. Visual Studio 2. gEdit

Visual Studio has incredibly good fuzzy code completion and gEdit has a total lack of features to be confused by and good font rendering. I just look at all the menus and buttons in Eclipse and I can't stand it. All this stuff can't possibly be necessary.

Since VS is not available for neither Scala nor Linux I'm left with gEdit.

[ssmoot]

IntelliJ keeps most of it's buttons hidden (in v13 at least). Might be worth a shot. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "fuzzy code completion", but IntelliJ supports case-insensitive-in-order-partial-symbol matching.

For example, "jsfmt" with match "jsonFormat", and display the matches as I type so I can arrow-down and hit ENTER if I see what I want (or just keep typing until the list filters down to the one I want).

Implicit invocations get underlined by default as well. Which is nice since I'm rarely at loss for understanding what the compiler is doing to make this code work.

[tormeh]

With fuzzy I mean that I can search for "tunnel" and get "channel". It does sound fuzzy, unless it's hardcoded. Code completion in Eclipse isn't fuzzy, so "temrinal" doesn't get you "terminal". In Eclipse it's basically just a regex.

[jfb]

With ensime [1], I use my editor (Emacs) and get much more sophisticated tools than you might think possible. It's not perfect, but it provides pretty nice inspection tooling.

[1] https://github.com/ensime