Have you ever come across the term IDE? Well, if you have been working in the software development realm or are willing to give it a shot as a programmer then I am pretty sure you must know what I am talking about.
Introduction
For those who don’t know, IDE is basically an Integrated Development Environment allowing programmers irrespective of their skills and experience to develop software codes seamlessly. In other words, IDEs tend to facilitate the overall development of a variety of applications. What earlier used to happen was, software programmers were compelled to write about programs in different text editors. Now they didn’t just write these programs but also had to save an application in the text editor and all this is done before things are run in the compiler. Here they used to take note of error messages and then move back to the text editor and revise the code accordingly. Quite lengthy, time-consuming and way more tedious. Well, fortunately, after the inception of the Integrated Development Environment, this is certainly not the case anymore!
Now what does a typical IDE consist of?
- Source Code Editor – Here you will find a text editor featuring several aspects such as syntax highlighting with visual cues, providing language-specific auto-completion, and looking around for bugs, etc. Also, here it is possible to write different codes.
- Local Build Automation – Automating simple and repeatable tasks such as compiling computer source code into binary code, packaging binary code, and running automated tests.
- Debugger – Now this turns out to be a very interesting program which has the potential of testing different programs that can display the location of a bug in the original code.
IDE or Integrated Development Environment enables software developers to get started with their respective applications in a pretty seamless manner. You see in today’s fast pacing times, multiple utilities don’t require to be manually configured and integrated separately. This also means developers are no longer required to spend hours and hours individually learning how to make the most of different tools and technologies. Now IDEs are pretty useful for those who have just recently been onboarded in the development realm. You see it saves lots and lots of time, due to a plethora of its features such as compiling computer source code into binary code, packaging binary code, and running automated tests.
Apart from all these, not just the overall work become streamlined but several ongoing and potential issues can be solved in a single go. You see here the code is well-written, so in case any issue or error caused by human effort can be spotted then and there without any issue. Also, since all the utilities are represented by a single GUI, all the actions can be well executed without even switching between different applications. Another common aspect found in most IDEs is syntax highlighting, seamless refactoring support, intelligent code completion, local build automation, seamless compilation, debugging and a lot more.
Types of IDEs
- Local IDEs – As the name implies, these types of IDEs are installed and run on local machines. However, this doesn’t mean everything is given here. You have to download and install a wide range of libraries based on your coding preferences, project requirements, and programming languages. And do you know what’s the best part here? All the local IDEs can be customized seamlessly. And there won’t be any problem if the internet connection is lost or doesn’t work, because these IDEs tend to work without any internet connection as well.
- Local IDEs are pretty time-consuming
- Local machine resources are consumed which slows down the overall performance of the machine significantly
- Configuration differences shouldn’t be ignored by local machines and the production environment as it could lead to numerous software errors.
- Cloud IDEs
Cloud IDEs are mainly used to write, edit, and compile a wide range of codes directly in the browser. So in other words, cloud IDEs do not require to be downloaded on a separate basis, especially on the local machines. Also, Cloud IDEs tend to be way more beneficial than traditional IDEs. Some of its core advantages include:
- Standardized Development Environment – Here software development teams tend to configure cloud-based IDEs to develop standard development environments. As a result, lots and lots of errors can be avoided and you may find a significant decrease in machine configuration differences.
- Platform independence – Most of the cloud IDEs tend to work on the browser and remain independent of local development environments. It means they can be used from any machine.
- Seamless Performance – Building and compiling functions are pretty much common among these IDEs. As a result, a lot of developers tend to complain about lots of memory usage and slowing down the computing device. Well, cloud IDEs most of the time use computer resources and free up local machine resources.
- Mobile Development IDE – With the seamless expansion of mobile development, the scope of mobile development IDEs also seems to increase to a great extent. Mobile app developers all across the globe are found using such development tools and technologies to create effective and resourceful applications. Some of the best examples of mobile development IDEs include Android Studio and Xcode.
- Specific Language IDE – These IDEs are recommended for developers who work on specific languages such as Jikes and Jcreator for Java, CodeLite and C-Free for C/C++, and Idle for Python.
- Multi-language IDE – These are considered to support more than one programming language such as Visual Studio is a multi-language IDE.
Benefits of Using IDEs
#1 Lots of Time and effort can be saved
One of the obvious advantages of using an Integrated Development Environment is that it streamlines the entire development process. All the tools here are meant to ease your journey as a software developer and ensure that there is no scope for errors and mistakes.
#2 Easy to Set Up
Another crucial advantage of using these IDEs is that it is pretty easy to set up. You see, an IDE has the potential to bring different capabilities in one place. So on and all, there is no struggle with switching between tools and technologies now and then. Also, here there is a large scope for collaboration and integration.
#3 Speeds Up Everything
Of course, no development project is and will be without any errors or issues. Sooner or later you will be facing some issues. The only concern is how quickly these issues can be resolved. Is it possible for software developers to perform code analysis and syntax checking while editing? If yes, they can easily address every syntax mistake in no time which eventually leads to speedy development, enhances overall productivity, and makes sure all the projects are carried out seamlessly.
Now enough is being said about IDEs and their types and their significant advantages. Time to focus on one particular Node.js IDE. Now we all know that Node.js is one of the popular Javascript frameworks used for conducting a wide range of development projects. Fortunately, you may come across a plethora of IDEs to choose from when working with Node.js. Here I would like to mention the top Node.js IDEs for application development. Let us go through them one by one.
Top 5 Node.js IDEs
Visual Studio Code
The first and foremost Node.js IDE to take into consideration is the Visual Studio code. Developed and successfully backed by Microsoft, this particular Node.js IDE is lightweight and still considered one of the most powerful code editors available, and that too for free. Another aspect that makes Visual Studio Code a cut above is that it offers seamless built-in support for Javascript and works well with different OSes such as MacOS, Windows, Linux, and a lot more. Not to mention that the Visual Studio code offers insane support for different and some of the most promising programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, PHP and the list goes on.
- In-built CLI (Command Line Interface)
- Integrated TerminalSplit View and Zen Mode
- Helpers (Context Menus, Intellisense)
- Git Integration
IntelliJ IDEA
Another excellent Node.js IDE to consider is IntelliJ IDEA. In comparison to other available IDEs, this one tends to offer a wide range of functionalities that enable software developers to focus on the coding part. This IDE in particular is best suitable for Node.js, Angular.js, React, JavaScript, etc. Some of the core aspects of IntelliJ IDEA include syntax highlighting, code completion, and assistance, good version control, an inline debugger, smart code completion and so more.
So if you are seeking around for a Node.js IDE that offers multiple framework support, a well-integrated environment for the text editor, test runner, coverage, Compilation, and execution directly from IDE, IntelliJ IDEA is the ultimate choice to consider.
Cloud 9
The next interesting Node.js IDE that must be taken into account should be Cloud 9. As the name implies, this one is a cloud-based IDE that assists pretty well when it comes to application development. Here some of the most amazing Javascript frameworks can be recommended such as Node.js, Meteor, and the list goes on.
If you are looking for one of the best code editors or debuggers then Cloud 9 is worth considering. Also, here you may find a wide variety of features including live previewing, image editor, key binding editor, and so forth. Other than these, Cloud 9 also comprises the in-built terminal, integrated debugger, server-less development, and of course, it turns out to be a full-featured editor. And you know what the best part here is, it is possible to conduct code development without making use of the server. Also, here you get a seamless view of the application. So yes, Cloud 9 indeed turns out to be one of the best Node.js IDEs across the globe.
Eclipse
Now this one is also a cloud-based IDE which turns out to be way more popular than any other here. As an open-source code editor comprising a wide range of useful features: code refactoring, error checking, source code generation, and code automatic build.
Now do you think this is it? Of course, not! Several other features make Eclipse a cut above such as Maven Integration, Git Integration, Eclipse Java development tools, Code recommenders tools, and so forth. Here it is quite possible to swap IDEs with the same code. Eclipse is highly recommendable for conducting IoT application development.
Sublime Text
Are you looking for a custom UI toolkit? Sublime Text is the ultimate solution for your concerns. The toolkit comes with a powerful text editor where software developers can easily code, markup, and prose. you must be wondering why Sublime Text is here in the list of the best Node.js IDEs. Well, it is a robust and configurable editor featuring a toolkit that is pretty strong and flexible. Some of its mesmerizing features include split editing, fast project switching and so more.
So if you want to conduct cross-platform with split editing, and require a strong and robust package ecosystem, and support for a wide range of frontend development tools, and auto-indentation, look no further than sublime text.
Final Words
So basically these are our top or some of the best Node.js IDEs to take into account. Of course, this is not it! There are several other IDEs available, which are striving hard to enter the top 5 realms by offering a fast and effective development approach. So what are you sitting tight for? Time to make a choice and create a wonderful development experience.
