Thread: NetBeans-style GUI

Not fully sure what you are after, but you can just add/remove/swap components from a container, which would be the easiest way to go about this. When a user hits a button to collapse you just remove/swap the component and revalidate.

You might be looking for a glorified JSplitPane: How to Use Split Panes (The Java™ Tutorials > Creating a GUI With JFC/Swing > Using Swing Components)

Yes, and copeg's suggestion is a solid one. Or you could try collapsing the JSplitPane to, say 5% or so, instead of all the way, then showing a button on the left side.

But to go along with copeg's idea, CardLayout will be your friend: How to Use CardLayout (The Java™ Tutorials > Creating a GUI With JFC/Swing > Laying Out Components Within a Container)

Kevin's advice is spot on - JSplitPane would be ideal for one state of the above, and you can use one or a combination of removing/adding components and a CardLayout. One last thought however: whichever route you choose, I'd recommend encapsulating the behavior so it can be re-used...in other words, write a JComponent/JPanel that behaves in this way - and you just need to instantiate it with the appropriate parameters - rather than building it up each time.