Can I run NetBeans with an alternate "userdir"? Can I move the .netbeans directory?

Yes. Running NetBeans with a non-default userdir can be useful in various scenarios:

1. You want to temporarily run NetBeans with different settings (window layouts, font settings, etc.) and revert to the default later.
2. You want to run multiple instances of the same NetBeans version simultaneously .
3. You've run into problems and want to exclude the possibility of corrupted settings. When evaluating a bug report, NetBeans developers often ask if the problem is reproducible with a clean userdir - this is what they mean.
4. Your default installation is on a slower drive, and you want the userdir to be located on a faster one.

Changing the userdir

You can specify the new location for the .netbeans userdir via the --userdir <path> startup option when starting NetBeans. Learn how to make startup options permanent .

The <path> argument may refer to an existing or a new folder name. If pointing to an existing dirctory, it will be reused. If you provide a non-existant path, a new userdir will be created by NetBeans.

Examples

• Windows:
  netbeans.exe --userdir C:\MyOtherUserdir

• Unix:
  ./netbeans --userdir ~/my-other-userdir

• Mac OS:
  /Applications/NetBeans.app/Contents/MacOS/executable --userdir ~/my-other-userdir

Applies to: NetBeans 3.6, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.1, 6.5

Platforms: All

Links

• What is the userdir?
• How do I make startup options permanent?