The headlining new feature in IntelliJ IDEA 12, the latest volume of JetBrains' Java IDE for Web, enterprise and mobile development, is a brand-new, much faster compiler. JetBrains says that it pulled out all the stops, rebuilding the compiler from the ground up and moving it to a separate process. The result is that projects can be compiled automatically in the background on every change a developer makes, so that it can run it almost instantly any time. IntelliJ IDEA also embraces the latest versions of Java, including its previews and new features that every developer is eager to try. With v.12, JDK 8 already can be enjoyed with code assistance for new syntax, such as lambda expressions, method references and default methods. Also in the new edition, support for Android is expanded with a new Android UI designer. Aesthetically speaking, IntelliJ IDEA 12 explores the "darker side" of productive coding by unveiling a stylish new dark look and feel, dubbed "Darcula". JetBrains says that Darcula makes the interface clearer and more functional, minimizing distraction so users can focus more on the code and less on the IDE.
