How do you indent in NetBeans?

Proper indentation is crucial for writing readable and maintainable code. In NetBeans, there are several ways to indent your code effectively. Here's a breakdown of the most common methods:

1. Using the Tab Key:

- The most basic way to indent in NetBeans is by pressing the Tab key. When you press Tab at the beginning of a line, it will insert a tab character, typically four spaces by default. If you press it inside the line, it will move the cursor one tab space.

2. Using Shift+Tab to Unindent:

- To remove indentation, press Shift + Tab. This will move the cursor or selected lines to the left, removing one level of indentation.

3. Automatic Indentation:

- NetBeans features automatic indentation that can help you maintain a consistent coding style. When you start a new line after an opening curly brace {, NetBeans will automatically indent the new line for you. Similarly, when closing a brace } NetBeans will unindent if needed.

4. Reformatting Code:

- If you have code with inconsistent or incorrect indentation, you can use the "Reformat Code" feature. Select the code you wish to reformat, or simply have no selection to reformat the entire file, and then press Alt + Shift + F (or Ctrl + Shift + F on some systems). This will apply the default formatting rules, including proper indentation.

5. Configuring Indentation Settings:

- You can customize the indentation settings in NetBeans by going to Tools > Options > Editor > Formatting. Here you can specify the tab size, whether to use tabs or spaces for indentation, and other related preferences. You can set different settings for different programming languages.

6. Indenting Multiple Lines:

- You can select multiple lines of code and press Tab to indent them all at once. Pressing Shift + Tab on selected lines will unindent them all at once.

By combining these methods, you can easily and efficiently manage code indentation in NetBeans, ensuring clean, readable code. Remember to select settings based on your coding guidelines and to check the results.

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