Intellij IDEA way of editing multiple lines

intellij

multiple-cursors

key-mappings

code-editing

byAnton Shumikhin·Jan 3, 2025

In IntelliJ IDEA, use Column Selection Mode (Alt + Shift + Insert) to edit multiple lines simultaneously. By holding Shift and using mouse or arrow keys, you can select the lines you want to modify. Commence typing to edit all the selected lines at once:

// Before:        // After:
line 1;          line 1; // Domination initiated  
line 2;          line 2; // Yay, I'm changing too! 
line 3;          line 3; // Me too, don't forget me!

MacOS users, worry not! The shortcut you need is Cmd + Shift + 8.

Mastering multi-line edits

Maneuvering with multiple cursors

Multiple cursors allow you to conveniently edit multiple independent lines. Use Alt + Mouse click in Windows or Cmd + Click on macOS for creating multiple carets. To vertically position carets, hit Alt twice, followed by the Up or Down arrow keys in Windows. For Mac, it's Option+Option+Up/Down.

Justifying and appending text right

Add text to unaligned line endings seamlessly. Utilize multi-cursors combined with the End key to bypass alignment issues and append with no worries.

Tailoring shortcuts

Enhance your coding workflow by customizing IntelliJ's key mappings. To return to single caret editing, just tap the Esc key and voila!

Making symmetric code blocks

Handling unaligned lines

Unaligned lines of code can be an eyesore. Multiple cursors can resolve this headache by positioning cursors independently ensuring each line's ending. Use Alt + Mouse click on Windows or Cmd + Click on Mac.

Editing with precision

Exact modifications across structurally similar lines are a breeze with IntelliJ IDEA. Use Alt + J to select identical pieces of text, making renaming or changing values a cakewalk.