NetBeans hints (edit)

Your first NetBeans project

1. On the start page click the Learn & Discover tab
2. Under Demo's and Tutorials select Java SE applications
3. Start the Java Quick Start Tutorial 

NetBeans 7.4 Developer Guide

If you're searching how to do someting in netbeans just type it in the ... search box, it will not only search in your project,  but also in the online help.

Keyboard shortcuts

• view, search & change shortcuts: tools => options => keymap
• You can set the keymap to a profile from another IDE (Eclipse, IntelliJ...) here as well.

• help => keyboard shortcuts card. The pdf that is shown, lives in
  netbeansInstallDir/nb/shortcuts.pdf. 
• Some additional useful shortcuts:

• Go to
• to definition: CTRL click
• to implementation: CTRL ALT click
• Edit
• Code completion
• autocomplete popup (+ javadoc): CTRL SPACE
• javadoc inline popup: CTRL SHIFT SPACE
• ALT F1 to see in browse
• Netbeans bundles plenty of javadoc you can browse supplied javadoc for your project libraries from help>Javadoc references
• complete to recently typed word: CTRL k
• Add semicolon at end of line:  CTRL ;
• Add new line below + go there: SHIFT ENTER
• View
• fold/unfold code: CTRL –/+
• members/herarchy of current selection: CTRL/ALT SHIFT F12
• zoom: ALT + mousewheel up/down 
• editor only: CTRL SHIFT ENTER (>= 7.4)

Running code

• After you ran a program, and corrected some errors Rerun using the >> buttons.

• The lighter double arrows below allow you to rerun with different parameters. You can change the arguments you run with in the Ant properties window.

 

• Similar options are available for (individual) tests.
  • You can also launch an individual test by  positioning the cursor in the method and selecting "Run focused test" from the right click menu. 

Samples
Netbeans comes with plenty of sample projects for you to explore

HTTP Monitor

The server side monitor is enabled by default for Tomcat and can be enabled in the properties of GlassFish. You may have to undeploy/redeploy your webapp for the monitor to show up.
When the server receives an HTTP request, NetBeans will show a window with all request details. It extracts all parameters and stuff for you, but does not show the raw bodies of POST requests. It does not show responses either.

 

There is also a client monitor. If you use the internal browser (or the NetBeans Chrome plugin) you can use Window > Web > Network Monitor (NetBeans >= 7.4). It does not show all client side traffic but is targeted at in-page initiated traffic (AJAX, websockets) and failed requests.