The NetBeans Platform is a subset of NetBeans IDE. Once you have NetBeans IDE, you can use its tools to access and use the subset that is the NetBeans Platform as the basis of your own application. In addition, you can then use NetBeans IDE as the SDK for your NetBeans Platform application development activities, since it comes with wizards and templates to help you throughout the development process.

Alternatively, if you do not want to use NetBeans IDE, you can download a ZIP file that contains only the libraries that make up the NetBeans Platform.

Install the IDE or unzip the archive providing the NetBeans Platform libraries.

Once you have NetBeans IDE, simply start it up, choose File | New Project and then use the "NetBeans Platform Application" template, shown below, to begin creating your first NetBeans Platform application:

Note: To work through a simple application, use the "NetBeans Platform Quick Start", found in the "Getting Started" section in this page's sidebar.