Does the Netbeans Builder GUI Code affect application performance?

Question

Netbeans has a user interface creation tool using the swing, which greatly facilitates the development of desktop applications, however, the tool seems to create numerous lines of code even for something simple often.

Example:

That code:

/*
 * To change this license header, choose License Headers in Project Properties.
 * To change this template file, choose Tools | Templates
 * and open the template in the editor.
 */
package swingTests;

/**
 *
 * @author diego.felipe
 */
public class NewJFrame extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    /**
     * Creates new form NewJFrame
     */
    public NewJFrame() {
        initComponents();
    }

    /**
     * This method is called from within the constructor to initialize the form.
     * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is always
     * regenerated by the Form Editor.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">                          
    private void initComponents() {

        jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jLabel1.setText("jLabel1");

        jButton1.setText("jButton1");

        jTextField1.setText("jTextField1");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
        jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
        jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(25, 25, 25)
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, 149, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addComponent(jButton1)
                .addGap(42, 42, 42))
        );
        jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(73, 73, 73)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1)
                    .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .addComponent(jButton1))
                .addContainerGap(204, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );

        pack();
    }// </editor-fold>                        

    /**
     * @param args the command line arguments
     */
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        /* Set the Nimbus look and feel */
        //<editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc=" Look and feel setting code (optional) ">
        /* If Nimbus (introduced in Java SE 6) is not available, stay with the default look and feel.
         * For details see http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/lookandfeel/plaf.html 
         */
        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(NewJFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(NewJFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(NewJFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(NewJFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        //</editor-fold>

        /* Create and display the form */
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                new NewJFrame().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

It is generated when making an interface like that of the figure, with only 5 elements(JFrame properly, a JTextField, one JLabel and the Jpanel involving them).

I wonder if the fact of creating GUI’s using the tool, compared to programming an interface totally via code, can affect the performance of the application itself, because of this "dirty code" generated by the tool.

Answer 1

This depends on taste, even the question can be interpreted as mainly based on opinions.

But think to me: if Netbeans does all the work of creating the interface code for you, why would you do it all at hand? You see, that wouldn’t make any sense, you’ll get much time doing everything by hand, when you have a tool that does everything in a few seconds/minutes.

No use trying to be the great programmer that does everything at hand, when there are dozens of tools that can help you optimize your time, leaving you to worry only about what is really needed. And this is not only for the graphical interface, it is true for everything you can optimize with the help of some tool (having common sense and knowing how to use it, of course).

As for the performance I’m not sure if one is better than the other, just testing to find out. But I have the impression that it makes no difference to create everything by hand or to let Netbeans create it for you. If it makes any difference, it should be something minimal, imperceptible and that (probably) you should not worry, at least not so soon.