Properties Files

IntelliJ IDEA supports the following features for the properties files:

• Syntax key - delimiter - value. IntelliJ IDEA uses = (equal sign) or : (colon) as a delimiter.

  For example, if you want a field label to read "Your name:", you might create a pair in a properties file like this:

  nameLabel=Your name:

  nameLabel: "Your name:"

• Error highlighting for errors like duplicate property keys and invalid escape sequences:

  

• Inspection and quick fix for detecting and removing duplicate keys in properties files:

  

• Referencing properties from Java files and Ant build files.
  • Code completion for property keys:

    

  • Inspection and quick fix for detecting and creating the missing property keys and values:

    

  • Goto DeclarationCtrl+BCtrl+B to navigate from a reference to a key to its declaration:

    

  • Finding usages of the currently selected property.
  • Refactoring for properties includes Rename, Move, Copy, Safe Delete, and Migrate.
• Structure view for properties files:
  

  

• Quick Definition Lookup for properties files: if an action calls a property, you can view the property definition by pressing Ctrl+Shift+ICtrl+Shift+I: