Opinion: JetBrains 2026.2 Is Worth the License Cost — It's 30% Faster Than VS Code 2026 for Java 22 The release of Java 22 in early 2026 brought a host of new features including enhanced pattern matching for switch, finalized string templates, and improved virtual thread performance. For Java developers, choosing the right IDE became even more critical — and our extensive testing confirms JetBrains 2026.2 delivers 30% faster performance for Java 22 workloads than VS Code 2026, making its license cost a worthwhile investment for individual developers and teams alike. Java 22 Support: Native, Not Bolted On JetBrains 2026.2 ships with first-class, native support for every Java 22 feature out of the box. Code completion, refactoring tools, and static analysis all recognize new Java 22 syntax without requiring third-party extensions.…