Netbeans is an open source IDE and development platform for Java applications. It began as a student project in 1996 and was later acquired by Sun Microsystems. As a platform, it provides reusable components for building desktop applications and includes features like user interface management. As an IDE, it offers tools like an integrated debugger and version control system. It supports development in languages beyond Java like JavaScript, PHP, and Python. Various download bundles provide support for different frameworks and platforms.