A release candidate of the NetBeans IDE version 6.1 is now available for download at NetBeans.org. You still have a week to write about NetBeans 6.1 in your blog to join the NetBeans 6.1 blogging contest.

Included in the release candidate of NetBeans 6.1 are:

• JavaScript Support
  • Semantic Highlighting
  • Code Completion and Type Analysis
  • Quick Fixes and Semantic Checks
  • Refactoring
• Performance Enhancements
  • Up to 40% faster startup
  • Smarter parsing so that code completion is faster
  • Less memory consumption
• Support for Popular Web APIs
• RESTful Web Service Support
• Spring Framework Support
• New MySQL Support in Database Explorer
• Ruby/JRuby Support Enhancements
• Java Beans Support (back by popular demand)
• JSF CRUD Generator (back by popular demand)
• Javadoc Code Completion
• Sharing Projects (AKA Sharable Libraries)
• New Update Center Modules for ClearCase, AXIS, Hibernate, and SOAP UI

Find out more at the NetBeans 6.1 page.