What GUI component does IDEA use for its sidebars?

Hello Robin,

I need to write a Java/Swing app with sidebars such as those in IDEA
("Project", "Structure", "Find") etc.  Does IDEA use a
publicly-available component for organizing these sidebars?

No, IDEA's ToolWindowManager is JetBrains' proprietary component.

--
Dmitry Jemerov
Development Lead
JetBrains, Inc.
http://www.jetbrains.com/
"Develop with Pleasure!"

Have a look at mydoggy docking framework at sourceforge (?) -- it pretty much mimics IDEA's docking behaviour. We have been using it quite successfully for our non-production applications.