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What does it bring having sources and javadoc of an API?
Being able to stay in the IDE for Java and not to have to switch to a separate documentation browser saves time of developers and helps to keep them concentrated. There are also other improvements which a resonable IDE for offers:
Auto-complete for names of classes and methods typed in the source code editor. It makes typing faster. Just seeing the methods available can save a jump to help looking for the right one.
Object-browser for classes and interfaces presenting the API in a hierarchic tree-like form. It helps for the orientation in the API while picking class a suitable for the current task.
Help-popups are context-sensitive windows with a javadoc content displayed for classes and methods when the mouse cursor is hovering over their names. It is not always necessary to sieve through the documentation just to know what the method does.
Links to the documentation can be followed just by selecting names of a classes or methods and asking for a help for them (usually by pressing the key F1). There is no need first to search in the external documentation for the class or method. You can be pointed to the right one automatically.
A developer can jump to the source code to have method prototypes together with their javacod comments in the editor instead of switching to a help pane.
These features increase remarkably productivity of developers. See further how they look like.
