Importing a Project from Eclipse

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IntelliJ IDEA allows you to import projects from Eclipse in two ways. If you do not need backwards compatibility, you typically instruct IntelliJ IDEA to create a new set of native project files. Otherwise, you can instruct IntelliJ IDEA to keep project files in sync so that you can work on the project from both environments.

1. Choose the Project to Import

Click Import Projectfrom the Quick Start window or select the File → Import Project ...menu item. Next, select the .classpath file or .project file to import and confirm.

A dialog box displays asking you to finalize the import of the project.

2. Choose the Type of Project to Import

IntelliJ IDEA can import projects in a variety of formats, including Eclipse, Maven, and Gradle. If IntelliJ IDEA cannot automatically recognize the format of the selected project, it asks you to indicate this:

3. Specify the name and location of the new project

Indicate the directory where the Eclipse projects can be found. Also, specify additional parameters such as where to create IntelliJ IDEA project files.

4. Specify the location of the project files to be created

You have two ways to indicate the location of the IntelliJ IDEA project files to be created. By default, IntelliJ IDEA suggests that you keep project files in the same Eclipse source directory. By clicking the ellipsis button, however, you can navigate to a different location. Choosing a different folder is ideal as it will not affect the Eclipse project in any way, and Eclipse users will not see IntelliJ IDEA project files.

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Note: Keeping IntelliJ IDEA project files in a different location from the Eclipse project works well in a scenario where different team members share the same project but some use Eclipse and some use IntelliJ IDEA.

As an alternative, you can instruct IntelliJ IDEA to create a module file per each Eclipse project found, as specified in the .classpath file. The .classpath file indicates the list of the projects found in the directory.

5. Specify the desired format of the IntelliJ IDEA project file

Choose the format of the files for the IntelliJ IDEA project. The two possible options include the directory-based format (.idea, default) and the file-based format (.ipr).

6. Choose whether to keep IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse Projects in Sync

The checkbox Link created IntelliJ IDEA modules to Eclipse project files automatically keeps the Eclipse projects and IntelliJ IDEA modules synchronized. By choosing this option, you enable a more collaborative scenario and ensure that your project can be opened and used at any time from both Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA.
If you choose to keep projects in sync, then IntelliJ IDEA will store any project model information right in the .classpath files. This way, all changes made to the project structure (e.g. new libraries or a change in the source root) are propagated to Eclipse users as well. Likewise, any changes made to the project from within Eclipse will be applied to the IDEA project model on VCS updates.
If IntelliJ IDEA fails to store some options in the .classpath files, it will create an .eml file to track such changes. This means, of course, that these options won't be propagated to Eclipse users.

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Note: Ultimately, the only difference when using synced projects is that IntelliJ IDEA creates an additional IML file. If you manage to save IML files in a folder other than the Eclipse folder, then Eclipse users will keep on seeing their original project unchanged, while IntelliJ IDEA users will have a fully functional project as well. Furthermore, if you have a VCS configured, IntelliJ IDEA allows you to ignore some files. In particular, you can add IML files to the list so that IML files will stay away of Eclipse users even across the use of VCS.

7. Choose the project to import

Next, choose the particular projects in the selected Eclipse workspace that you want to import into the new IntelliJ IDEA project.

8. Select the Java SDK and Android SDK

Choose the Java SDK and Android SDK that all modules will use by default.

As a result, you now have a fully IntelliJ-IDEA-enabled project built on top of your existing Eclipse project.

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Note: If you use Maven, you can directly open a pom.xml file to have IntelliJ IDEA import all dependencies, download the libraries if needed, and complete the setup.