5 Best JavaScript IDE For Front-End and

5 Best JavaScript IDE For Front-End and Web Engineers 2017 – 2018

JavaScript is considered as the language of the web by many people. So if you are thinking of getting into web development, you will have to improve your JavaScript Skills. With the best JavaScript books already listed, we will now turn our attention to Best JavaScript IDE. A proper IDE for JavaScript will help you take your coding skills to the next level.

The popularity of JavaScript as a programming language is immense. It provides the right mix of control and precision while working to build dynamic content for the web.

Now, with each passing day, the Web is becoming more complex and challenging for the front-end developers and web engineers to handle. Since productivity is necessary to sustain your presence; it is high time you one up your skills. An IDE can help to maximize output and help meet project deadlines without headaches.

If you are looking for universal IDE’s, then we have already listed the best text editors for Programmers. Confused which language to learn in 2017? Check the 11 programming languages that you should know. With so much going on, we have also covered the 7 Best PHP IDE for Developers and Programmers.

Also, if you are Interested in taking a free online course? Check the Free Online Course to Improve Your Tech Skills

Now before indulging with the list of best IDEs for JavaScript here is one question I would like to tackle. Why do we have specialized tools and IDEs for each programming language? Why is programming getting seemingly more complicated day by day? Why isn’t it enough to just code, but also worry about on which environment(IDE) to code? Well, the mere answer is competition and rapid evolution. You have to improve yourself, or you will be left behind. And one of the ways to make your codes better is to use a dedicated IDE.

For example, JavaScript has evolved through time and now supports server side programming using the Node.js. So you have to consider this advancement and upgrade yourself with the times you are living.

What to Look for in JavaScript IDE?

Without understanding what features to look for in the JavaScript IDE, reading the rest of the article would be futile. There are hundreds of  IDEs available on the market. To find the best amongst them, you would have to know what you are searching.

  • Set your eyes to search out something extensible, flexible and easy to use.
  • The IDE should also load fast and have quick shortcut keys to increase productivity.
  • Make Sure support is provided for Intellisense programming, syntax highlighting, code folding.
  • Don’t spend a lot of money. Open-source and free IDEs are good.
  • There should be debugging tools built into the IDE.
  • It should Support HTML and CSS(No web page is ever made without them).
  • Features like AutoCompletion of syntaxes such as bracers, common functions and more should be provided.
  • Also, keep your eyes peeled for Flow Analysis to identifying different errors within the code.

Best JavaScript IDE For Front-End and Web Engineers

1. WebStorm

WebStorm

JetBrains is one of the leading IDE development company. In the past, they have developed wonderful IDE’s for Python, Ruby, and other programming languages.

WebStorm IDE is their product targeted at JavaScript and server-side Node.js development. The IDE is full of features and is light-weight.

Features of WebStrom

  • Great for Writing Efficient Code.
  • Offers Intelligent Code Completion for better productivity.
  • Have options for on-the-fly syntax error detection.
  • Automated Refactoring of Code.
  • Also supports latest technologies such as ECMAScript 6, Angular JS and more.
  • Offers Cross-platform features — Can be installed in any system.
  • The New version comes with the support of TypeScript.

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2. Komodo IDE

komodo

Komodo IDE is one of the most popular multi-purpose IDE. The IDE can serve many programmers out there, and it is available for 21-day trial. With the support for all the major language, you will not have to leave the IDE at all! and that’s a great advantage for any programmer or developer.

Moreover, they offer a plethora of tools to help you code more efficiently. In fact, programmers can build complete applications without having to leave the IDE. This proves a vital point in end-to-end project implementation.

Now, regarding JavaScript, it supports all the features that are required for an optimal experience. It supports debugging, navigation, syntax highlighting and Editing and more.

Recently, Komodo 10.2 has been released, and it came up with powerful new features. Here is a short list on what you are promised with Komodo.

Features of Komodo 10.2

  • Slack Sharing
  • Glup, Grunt, NM, Yarn
  • Cordova and PhoneGap
  • Tutorial Tools
  • Chrome Debugging
  • Support for popular modern web frameworks like Angular, Ember, React and others.
  • Offers tons of Add-Ons and Customization
  • Unit Testing for better testing experience

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3. NetBeans

NetBeans

NetBeans is another extremely popular name in the programming community. No programmer can make the claim, not to have heard about NetBeans. And there is a reason behind this popularity.

The Netbeans IDE supports all the basic functionality for building JavaScript based applications and many more feature discussed below. It also has full support for HTML5 and CSS3, making it a full package for web development.

Features of Netbeans

  • Support HTML, CSS for creating complete application
  • Supports Syntax Highlighting, code folding, auto-completion and more
  • Supports jQuery
  • Supports debugging
  • It is free to download.

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4. Visual Studio Community Edition

Visual Studio

Microsoft has been popular for their IDE in the past, and I am not amazed that Visual Studio made it to the list. It has all the tools and features to make it a great choice for developing JavaScript applications.

Visual Studio is mainly targeted at developing with C#, but with the integration of other languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, developers can have much better experience with the IDE.

It offers code completion, Jump to, debugging tools and more. The support for plugins makes it much more desirable for the community. I choose to list the community edition and not the professional for many reasons. The first reason is cost. Visual Studio IDE is costly and the benefits are not obvious after long use of the IDE. Another reason is that it is slow.

With control over the code, you can build amazing JavaScript applications. The IDE also comes with Page Inspector.

Features of Visual Studio 2013 Community Edition

  • Comes with a lot of tools.
  • Support varied languages including C++, Python, HTML5 and more.
  • Can build Cloud application with ease.
  • Also supports Node.js, JavaScript.

One drawback of the Visual Studio is the requirement. To leverage and work properly, you need to have a good machine.

Available: Free

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5. Sublime Text

sublime text

Sublime Text is my most favorite text editor/IDE. With a clean interface, tons of plugins, the text editor/IDE beats everyone out there(I might be biased here).

So, why I love Sublime Text so much? And, why you should give it a try if you have not tried it until now. The two main reason is speed and the cost. If you download the free trial, it works similar to the full version(with a nagging screen, yup, just like WinRar). One more reason that sets the text editor apart from others is the support of 70 different programming languages(scripts). This makes it a complete package and you will sure not regret it anytime soon.

The text editors also support TextMate and Vim emulation. There are tons of keyboard shortcuts to improve productivity and this makes you feel powerful(I felt it and you will too!)

Features of Sublime Text

  • Multiple Selections for better editing
  • GoTo Anything for faster refactoring
  • Command Palette for quick referencing
  • Distraction Free Mode for better productivity and concentration
  • Split Editing(the name says it all)
  • Instant Project Switch (for better translation)
  • Tons of plugins to improve functionality
  • Plugin API for customization
  • Cross Platform for working on different platforms

Available: Free(With a bugging reminder). $70 for one license

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What are the other options?

Do Note: In one of my earlier posts, I have also discussed how much one has to practice to gain mastery in one skill. it can be programming, swimming, and anything else you can think of. Right Now, the magic number is 10,000 hours, but there is still some amount of evidence that the number can differ for different persons learning different skills.

There are also other options for choosing the best JavaScript IDE. The best options that come to my mind are Text Mate, NotePad++ and others. They are editors and not IDE and may not work as desired. But, with add-ons and plugins you can also extract the most out of them.

Atom is also a good JavaScript IDE. It supports advanced features and tons of plugins. So, if you can find an editor of your choice, you can also go forward and install some plugins or add-ons to make it work for you.

Choosing an IDE for maximum productivity and experience should be the first priority to any programmer out there. With so many options, I tried to list the 5 best JavaScript IDE. These IDE can be used to work on complex projects and also offer features to improve working experience.

So, which IDE, you are using? Comment below and let us know! Also, share the article so that your friends can choose the best IDE for their projects.

14 thoughts on “5 Best JavaScript IDE For Front-End and Web Engineers 2017 – 2018”

  1. I tried Webstorm and decided not to use it because you can’t disable the file autosave feature. If you close a file there is no popup asking whether you want to save the file or not. There are times when you make chances to files and decide you don’t want to keep those changes but with Webstorm those files are automatically saved and you can’t disable this feature. The approach taken by Webstorm is to always save the files when you close them. If you decide you didn’t want the changes you must go to local history and revert all the files you changed (that you didn’t want to save in the first place) back to what they were before you changed them.

    1. I think the feature is a necessary one. Just think of the opposite scenario, you forget to turn on the autosave and closed the file by mistake.
      And, now you are left with lost work. No one wants this scenario. Losing precious time and work. On the other hand, autosave feature still gives you the option to revert back to the previous state. All you need to do is some clicks and you are done.

      For me, the feature is a necessary one.

  2. I haven’t used any IDE’s before even though I have developed few pure Javascript based application. I am thinking to use 1 for my next angular js application. which one do you suggest?

  3. I am a teacher and going to teach javascript to my a level students as it is in theie course. Could you recommend me ide that can benefit in their practical exam and save their time. And yes easy to learn aswell.

    1. Atom editor will be a nice tool and easy to handle with some completion, it is also open source. Great for students.
      On the other hand, if you want to prepare them to be ready in a “company mind”, I’d recommand Webstorm (I know you can get free licence for student). It contains all the necessary tools out of the box to help people to write nice code.

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