Dir 11: Tools Setup — Day 1 Environment

Purpose: Get your machine to a state where you can start Month 1 without fighting your tools. Everything here is a one-time setup with periodic upkeep.

The Java toolchain in 2026 has fewer real choices than it looks. Temurin JDK, IntelliJ, Maven or Gradle, Git, Docker, Postgres in a container — that’s 90% of your working environment. This directory sets each one up and tells you what NOT to install.

Files in this directory

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File

What it covers

1

01_jdk_choice.md

Temurin vs Corretto vs Oracle vs Zulu vs GraalVM. Verdict + SDKMAN setup.

2

02_ide_and_editor.md

IntelliJ Community vs Ultimate, VS Code Java, Eclipse. Shortcuts.

3

03_build_tools_maven_gradle.md

Maven vs Gradle in 2026. pom.xml anatomy. Wrappers.

4

04_git_and_workflow.md

Java-specific .gitignore, conventional commits, trunk-based.

5

05_docker_and_containers.md

Spring Boot Dockerfile, layered JAR, buildpacks, distroless.

6

06_databases_and_infra_local.md

Postgres, Redis, Kafka via Docker. Testcontainers reality.

7

07_ai_agent_workflow_discipline.md

When to use AI, when NOT. The “second draft only” rule.

8

08_hardware_and_workspace.md

RAM, cooling, monitor, cloud escape valve.

The Day 1 Install Order

Do this on a Saturday morning. Budget 3 hours.

  1. SDKMAN (10 min) — installs and version-manages all JDKs and build tools. See 01_jdk_choice.md.

  2. JDK 21 LTS via Temurin (5 min) — via SDKMAN.

  3. JDK 25 LTS via Temurin (5 min) — via SDKMAN. Latest LTS as of Sept 2025.

  4. IntelliJ IDEA Community 2025.x (15 min) — see 02_ide_and_editor.md.

  5. Git + GitHub SSH keys (15 min).

  6. Docker Desktop OR OrbStack (30 min) — OrbStack is faster on macOS Apple Silicon.

  7. Maven + Gradle (5 min) — via SDKMAN.

  8. .gitignore template + shell aliases (30 min).

  9. Postgres + Redis in Docker Compose (30 min) — test containers start.

  10. VS Code + Extension Pack for Java (15 min) — as backup editor.

Total: ~2.5-3 hours if nothing breaks.

What NOT to Install

  • Oracle JDK directly — use Temurin unless a policy at Zoho requires Oracle.

  • NetBeans — pick IntelliJ.

  • Eclipse — unless legacy mandate.

  • Any “Java IDE” that isn’t IntelliJ or VS Code or Eclipse.

  • Global Maven / Gradle installs outside SDKMAN. You’ll fight version drift.

  • Docker Toolbox (obsolete) or Docker for Mac without Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon.

  • Java on your system PATH before SDKMAN is set up. Uninstall Homebrew java / apt java first.

The Zoho Reader Note

If Zoho’s IT provides a locked-down machine, you may hit some install blocks. Check with IT about:

  • Custom certificates for Maven Central (many corp networks MITM SSL)

  • Docker Desktop licensing (free for individuals, paid for orgs >250 employees or $10M+ revenue — Zoho qualifies)

  • VPN required for github.com pulls?

Have a personal laptop as fallback for weekends and side projects.

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