How to go back in Eclipse?

JavaEclipse

Java Problem Overview


Is there a way to go back in Eclipse? Basically, when I'm jumping around a big project following the execution flow (ctrl + click and etc.), is there a way to retrace a step? If my code calls a method and I go to the method definition, is there a key combination that will take me back to the calling code?

Java Solutions


Solution 1 - Java

Press Alt+Left Arrow and Alt+Right Arrow like you would in a web browser.

Solution 2 - Java

On OS X:

  • + [ ( Command + [ ) : Go Back
  • + ] ( Command + ] ) : Go Forward

Solution 3 - Java

As Robin mentioned, you can also jump to the last edit location. Ctrl+Q is the keyboard shortcut for this!

Solution 4 - Java

On Windows/Ubuntu this was always

ALT+LEFT ARROW = Go back

ALT+RIGHT ARROW = Go forward

However, on MAC OSX, for me it was

ALT(Option)+COMMAND+LEFT ARROW = Go back

ALT(Option)+COMMAND+RIGHT ARROW = Go forward

Hopefully this will help other Mac people in the future who banged their head on the desk when the other answers did not work.

Solution 5 - Java

In addition to the keyboard shortcut mentioned by @lucas, there is the left and right arrow icons in the toolbar. It also has a handy back to last edit location as well.

Both of these are of course reflected in the menu under Navigate as well.

Solution 6 - Java

Keyboard bindings can change based on your OS and current Keys Scheme. So the best way to know a keyboard binding is to look up its Command in Preferences > Keys. That is also where you can change or add a keyboard binding.

Which means instead of asking for a shortcut, you should generally ask for the command (or at least ask for both). In this case the commands you want are Backward History and Forward History. You can see in the following screenshot that they are mapped to Ctrl+[ and Ctrl+] in my Key Scheme (because I changed them to that).

enter image description here

As mentioned by others, Last Edit Location can be a really useful command also. In my case it's mapped to Ctrl+Q, but you check it under Keys :).

Solution 7 - Java

These commands are very frequently used, so it is worth having all their shortcuts the same way in all your IDEs. To adjust them:

  1. Open Eclipse
  2. Windows -> Preferences -> General -> Keys
  3. Search for "Backward History" and "Forward History" and adjust the bindings.

For me personally Visual Studio's default Ctrl+- and Ctrl+= works best.

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