How to auto-format and indent in Netbeans IDE

How to auto-format and indent in Netbeans IDE shortcut command and hotkey binding assign a new key.

This tutorial explains how to format automatically as well as a shortcut for it.

How to Auto format code line of code or a file or a project in Netbeans

We can do it in multiple ways One way is to use UI Menu items

Go to the Source menu
Select Format

Another way, using Netbeans shortcuts for code indention

In Windows/Linux:
- Alt + Shift + F
In Mac
- Ctrl + Shift + F
For a Single file, Select the line of code or the whole file and run the above shortcut
For a group of files or project level, Run the same shortcut, It shows a popup asking Recursively format selected files and folders?.
Click on OK to format the code in all files in a project
Click on cancel to cancel the format operation

You can still change this shortcut to new binding keys.

How to assign a shortcut for code format in Netbeans

Go to the Tools Menu
Select Options Menu Item
It opens the Options window
Select the Keymap tab
type “Format” in the search box
Select Actions that contain Format
Change shortcut from Alt + Shift + F to new key binding
Click on the OK button

Netbeans macro for auto format indentation

Go to the Tools Menu
Select Options Menu Item
It opens the Options window
Select the Editor tab
Select Macros in sub-tabbed panes
Create a new macro by clicking the New button
Please give Macro Name as autoformat-macro
Enter the following lines in the macro code box

indent-line caret-line-first-column caret-begin-line

Assign the shortcut to the new binding Shift + A
Whenever Shift + A is the key pressed in the file, It automatically formats the code as per the indentation configured in the macro.