Sun Microsystems  together with the NetBeans community today announced the general availability of NetBeans 5.5 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) via download at www.netbeans.org . NetBeans 5.5 is the first and only freely available IDE to provide comprehensive support for Java EE 5, the industry standard for developing portable, robust, scalable, and secure server-side Java applications. NetBeans 5.5 contains a variety of new features, including: Java Persistence API and JAX WS 2.0 productivity tools, Subversion support, and enhancements to the NetBeans GUI Builder.

NetBeans 5.5 is an easy-to-use tool for developing Java applications or building a rich-client application on the NetBeans Platform. NetBeans 5.5 ensures the common look and feel of applications post-deployment across the following platforms: Solaris and other distributions of OpenSolaris code, GNU/Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Apple Macintosh OS X. NetBeans 5.5 also provides comprehensive support for Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE), Java Platform Enterprise Edition (Java EE), and Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME).

"The release of NetBeans 5.5 IDE and the value-added packs is a great example of the tremendous momentum Sun is experiencing with our open source initiative," said Laurie Tolson, vice president, Java Developer Products and Programs at Sun. "The NetBeans community of active users has increased by a factor of six during the past 2 years -- and we expect that momentum to continue as NetBeans 5.5 delivers the tools developers require for enhanced productivity in the creation of software."

Some of the technology highlights of the value-added packs include: NetBeans Enterprise Pack adds to the NetBeans IDE all the tools needed for writing, testing, securing and debugging service-oriented architecture (SOA) applications using XML, BPEL, and Java Web services.

*NetBeans Mobility Pack 5.5 introduces support for JSR-226, which allows developers to utilize Scalable Vector Graphics in their Java ME applications. Another key new benefit is the ability to create and run Java ME Unit tests with the IDE and integrated emulators.
*NetBeans Profiler 5.5 adds support for several new runtime environments and features that make profiling Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) easier.
*NetBeans Visual Web Pack (technology preview) allows developers to visually and easily develop standards-based web applications. Available with a rich visual-design time environment and industry leading support for Ajax-enabled JavaServer Faces components. NetBeans Visual Web Pack helps developers power their build out of next generation web applications.
*NetBeans C/C++ Pack (beta) provides support for C/C++ application development in the NetBeans IDE. C/C++ developers can use the NetBeans IDE, in conjunction with their specified set of compilers and tools, to build native applications.

Tolson continues, "With the expansion of the NetBeans IDE community, and the extended feature set available through the value-added packs, we see the industry lining up behind NetBeans as the premier tool for delivering solutions to the developer community."