Bookmarks
As you work on an application, there's normally a number of files or folders that you need more often than the rest of the project. If you work with large projects, searching for these files and folders can be time-consuming. For such cases, IntelliJ IDEA features bookmarks that can make navigation faster. You can bookmark the necessary lines of code to be able to find them easier. You can also bookmark the project items (files, folders, packages, modules, and classes) that you need more often than other project items.
All your bookmarks are grouped in lists in the Bookmarks tool window that you can open by selecting from the main menu or by pressing Alt+2. The tool window also shows all breakpoints that are automatically added to the dedicated list once you place them in your code.
IntelliJ IDEA has two types of bookmarks:
Anonymous bookmarks don't have an identifier and allow you to place as many bookmarks as you want. Files and lines marked with anonymous bookmarks have an orange bookmark icon.
Mnemonic bookmarks allow you to create bookmarks with numbers (0 to 9) or letters (A to Z). Files and lines marked with mnemonic bookmarks have the corresponding letter or number icon in an orange frame.
Add bookmarks
IntelliJ IDEA adds your bookmarks to the predefined list in the Bookmarks tool window that is created automatically and has the same name as the project. You can create more lists and set another list as default.
Add an anonymous line bookmark
In the editor, place the caret at a line of code and press F11.
Alternatively, right-click the gutter next to the line of code that you want to bookmark and select Add Bookmark.
An orange bookmark icon appears in the gutter next to the bookmarked line.
Add a mnemonic line bookmark
In the editor, place the caret at a line of code and press Ctrl+F11.
Alternatively, right-click the gutter next to the line of code that you want to bookmark and select Add Mnemonic Bookmark.
In the popup that opens, select a number or a letter that you want to use as an identifier for this bookmark.
If the selected mnemonic is already used, the IDE will ask you whether you want to overwrite an existing bookmark with the new one. Select the Don't ask again option to silently overwrite mnemonics.
A letter or a number bookmark icon appears in the gutter next to the bookmarked line.
Bookmark files, packages, folders, and modules
In the Project tool window (Alt+1), right-click an item that you want to bookmark and select (F11) or Add Mnemonic Bookmark (Ctrl+F11).
For mnemonic bookmarks, select a number or a letter that you want to use as an identifier for this bookmark.
The corresponding icon appears in the Project tool window next to the bookmarked item.
Add a mnemonic to an anonymous bookmark
Place the caret at a bookmarked line of code or select a bookmarked item in the Project tool window (Alt+1) and press Ctrl+F11.
Right-click an anonymous bookmark and select Assign Mnemonic.
In the popup that opens, select a number or a letter that you want to use as an identifier for this bookmark.
Rename and delete bookmarks
Rename bookmarks
In the Bookmarks tool window, bookmarks have short descriptions. By default, they contain the code from the line or the name of the item on which they are placed. If necessary, you can give bookmarks your own short descriptions.
From the main menu, select or press Alt+2 to open the Bookmarks tool window.
Select a bookmark and click
on the toolbar.In the dialog that opens, specify a new description and click OK.
You can also rename a bookmark from the gutter: click the bookmark icon and provide a new description. To rename a bookmark from the Project tool window, right-click it and select .
Delete bookmarks
To delete a bookmark from the Bookmarks tool window or from the gutter, right-click it and select Delete Bookmark.
To delete a bookmark from the Project tool window, right-click a bookmarked item and select .
Lists of bookmarks
There's one predefined empty bookmarks list that has the same name as the project. By default, IntelliJ IDEA adds your bookmarks there. If necessary, you can use another list as the default. You can also create multiple lists and move items between them.
Create a bookmarks list
From the main menu, select or press Alt+2 to open the Bookmarks tool window.
In the tool window, click
and name the new list in the dialog that opens.Enable the Use as default list option if you want your bookmarks to go to this list automatically and click Create.
Move a bookmark to another list
From the main menu, select or press Alt+2 to open the Bookmarks tool window and drag a bookmark to another list.
In the Project tool window (Alt+1), right-click a bookmarked item and select .
Sort bookmarks
To move a bookmark up or down the list, right-click it in the Bookmarks tool window and select Move Up or Move Down.
To display line bookmarks in the tool window grouped by file, click
in the Bookmarks tool window and select the Group Line Bookmarks by File option.
Change the default list
IntelliJ IDEA adds all your bookmarks to the list that is configured as the default one. If necessary, you can use another default list for your bookmarks.
From the main menu, select or press Alt+2 to open the Bookmarks tool window.
Right-click the list that you want to use as your default bookmarks list and select Mark List as Default.
The list is now located above others in the tool window and has the Default tag.
Delete a list of bookmarks
After you delete a list, all bookmarks from it are removed from code and project items.
From the main menu, select or press Alt+2 to open the Bookmarks tool window.
Right-click the list that you want to delete and select Delete Bookmarks List.