# Java Content Assist Preferences

Indicate your preferences for the Content Assist settings on the Java > Editor > Content Assist preference page.

Option | Description | Default
--- | --- | ---

Completion inserts/Completion overwrites

If Completion inserts is on, the completion text is inserted at the caret position, so it never overwrites any existing text.
If Completion overwrites is on, the completion text replaces the characters following the caret position until the end of the word.

Note that pressing Ctrl when applying a completion proposal toggles between the two insertion modes.

Completion inserts

Insert single proposals automatically | If enabled, code assist will choose and insert automatically single proposals. | On
Insert common prefixes automatically | If enabled, code assist will automatically insert the common prefix of all possible completions similar to Unix shell expansion. This can be used repeatedly, even while the code assist window is being displayed. | Off
Add import instead of qualified name | If enabled, type proposals which are in other packages will invoke the addition of the corresponding import declaration. Otherwise, the type will be inserted fully qualified. | On
Use static imports | If enabled, method proposals for static methods will invoke the addition of the corresponding static import declaration. Otherwise, a non static import for the declaring type will be added. Add the method or type containing the method to the Favorites preference page to get a proposal for such methods. | On
Fill method arguments and show guessed arguments | If enabled, code assist will add argument when completing a method. It will also offer matching variables, fields or method invocations from the context where a method proposal is inserted. | On
Insert parameter names | If selected, code assist will fill the arguments with the parameter names used in the method declaration. | Off
Insert best guessed arguments | If selected, code assist will fill the arguments with the best matching variable, field or method invocation from the context where a method proposal is inserted. | Off
Sort proposals | Select how the proposals should be sorted in the content assist pop up. | by relevance
Hide proposals not visible in the invocation context | If enabled, the Java element proposals are limited by the rules of visibility. For example, private field proposals of other classes would not be displayed. | On
Show camel case matches | If enabled, camel case matches are displayed (i.e. NPE is expanded to NullPointerException). | On
Hide forbidden references | If enabled, references to Java elements forbidden by access rules are not displayed. | On
Hide discouraged references | If enabled, references to Java elements discouraged by access rules are not displayed. | Off
Hide deprecated references | If enabled, references to deprecated Java elements are not displayed. | Off
Enable auto activation | If enabled, code assist can be invoked automatically. The condition for automatic invocation is specified with the preferences Auto activation delay, Auto activation triggers for Java and Auto activation triggers for Javadoc. | On
Auto activation delay | The time in milliseconds after which code assist is triggered after an auto activation trigger character is encountered and no other character has been typed. | 200
Auto activation triggers for Java | If one of the trigger characters is typed inside Java source code (but not inside a Javadoc comment) and no other character is typed before the auto activation delay times out, the code assist is invoked. | '.'
Auto activation triggers for Javadoc | If one of the trigger characters is typed inside a Java doc and no other character is typed before the auto activation delay times out, the code assist is invoked. | '@#'

Content/Code Assist