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Thursday, April 12, 2012
IDE for JavaScript development
What do you suggest for JS development IDE. Is there something similar to VisualStudio IDE, so I can run/debug my application in it?
Visual Studio 2008 (including VWD Express, http://www.berniecode.com/blog/2007/03/08/how-to-debug-javascript-with-visual-web-developer-express/) Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Notepad++ (or any other text editor), Firefox and Firebug
At JetBrains we've just developed lightweight HTML/Javascript/CSS IDE WebStorm that includes very smart JavaScript Editor with DOM-based autocompletion and HTML5 API support. It allows you to debug(breakpoints supported) and run your scripts directly from IDE.
In the past I used Aptana Standalone or as a Eclipse plugin. The Pro version has some nice addons like the embedded IE (to the always embedded Firefox) and debugging support for both browsers. I found after hours of testing, that Suns Netbeans is the best PHP and Python IDE for Windows and Linux. I was surprised that also Javascript support can hold the candle to Aptana. So Netbeans is my recommendation (not only for Javascript).
I tend to recommand more and more Netbeans that has not been proposed yet (I am blind sometimes). Netbeans is developed by Sun and support not only Java but also a few other languages (PHP,Ruby,Python, Javascript).
I use it for a while now and I am very satisfied. It is fast, provides code completion and integers easily major JS libraries (Prototype, YUI). It has also a debugger that you can tight to FF or IE.
Firebug and a good syntax highlighting text editor is about the best combo. It's not necessary to add in much else. With just this combo you get:
Ability to set breakpoints Inspect objects Traverse the DOM Alter CSS rules on the fly See network traffic/responses Evaluate and substitute code on the fly in production
And there are tools which add on to Firebug:
YSlow - Determine "why" your page is slow Fireunit - Run unit tests
One of the advantage of Javascript development is that it's flexible and you can get instantaneous feedback while developing. I see no reason to get in the way of that by adding an IDE which includes a "deployment" step.
I tried few IDE last week and NetBeans is my winner. It got silent upload option for file upload in background. And very good code completion, folding, etc.
Nowadays I am using JetBrains' PHPStorm and I can easily say, this is the best editor I've ever tried. Comes with lots of features that I have not seen at other editors like,
find a word in a directory (grep equivalent) extended and useful intellisense feature with multiple files and parent classes internal GIT support a tree view for application structure an awesome version history support that works with GIT and your local history. This is very useful when you want to take a look at a GIT untracked file, you can see all history details of the file for weeks. with a great addon named CSSXFire that works with Firebug and tracks the CSS changes and import them to editor and allows you easily reproduce the same changes that you've done in Firebug CSS Console. This is really awesome another useful feature is, when you want to delete or rename a file, editor searches the file has been used in this directory and notifies you. This is called safe-refactor intellisense for files, while you typing a css background-image, a src or an href attribute
Sometimes I deal with PHP so I prefer PHPStorm, so Front End Developers should prefer WebStrorm that is specialized for us.
I think, every FE Developer should try PHPStorm or WebStorm with Firefox and Firebug.
Aptana is a great IDE as it will provide intelli-sense for CSS, javascript, html, java, etc. The debugger gives you the choice to run in FF or IE and is a full featured debugger. The community edition allows you to run a server side javascript as well. A very solid and feature rich platform for free.
Notepad++ comes with built-in javascript syntax highlighting and JSlint plugin is very handy. IMHO for debugging there is nothing better than Chrome developer tools or Firebug.
A few options:
ReplyDeleteVisual Studio 2008 (including VWD Express, http://www.berniecode.com/blog/2007/03/08/how-to-debug-javascript-with-visual-web-developer-express/)
Adobe Dreamweaver CS4
Notepad++ (or any other text editor), Firefox and Firebug
At JetBrains we've just developed lightweight HTML/Javascript/CSS IDE WebStorm that includes very smart JavaScript Editor with DOM-based autocompletion and HTML5 API support.
ReplyDeleteIt allows you to debug(breakpoints supported) and run your scripts directly from IDE.
I think IntellJ's JavaScript support is excellent, just like everything else that they do.
ReplyDeleteNetbeans 6.x and Firefox+Firebug
ReplyDeleteIn the past I used Aptana Standalone or as a Eclipse plugin. The Pro version has some nice addons like the embedded IE (to the always embedded Firefox) and debugging support for both browsers.
I found after hours of testing, that Suns Netbeans is the best PHP and Python IDE for Windows and Linux. I was surprised that also Javascript support can hold the candle to Aptana.
So Netbeans is my recommendation (not only for Javascript).
Give it a try, its free!
I've found Aptana Studio to be good.
ReplyDeleteI tend to recommand more and more Netbeans that has not been proposed yet (I am blind sometimes). Netbeans is developed by Sun and support not only Java but also a few other languages (PHP,Ruby,Python, Javascript).
ReplyDeleteI use it for a while now and I am very satisfied. It is fast, provides code completion and integers easily major JS libraries (Prototype, YUI). It has also a debugger that you can tight to FF or IE.
Try it you won't be disappointed!
Firebug and a good syntax highlighting text editor is about the best combo. It's not necessary to add in much else. With just this combo you get:
ReplyDeleteAbility to set breakpoints
Inspect objects
Traverse the DOM
Alter CSS rules on the fly
See network traffic/responses
Evaluate and substitute code on the fly in production
And there are tools which add on to Firebug:
YSlow - Determine "why" your page is slow
Fireunit - Run unit tests
One of the advantage of Javascript development is that it's flexible and you can get instantaneous feedback while developing. I see no reason to get in the way of that by adding an IDE which includes a "deployment" step.
Komodo IDE (or the free Komodo Edit if you can live without an integrated debugger) are pretty nice.
ReplyDeleteI tried few IDE last week and NetBeans is my winner. It got silent upload option for file upload in background. And very good code completion, folding, etc.
ReplyDeleteNowadays I am using JetBrains' PHPStorm and I can easily say, this is the best editor I've ever tried. Comes with lots of features that I have not seen at other editors like,
ReplyDeletefind a word in a directory (grep equivalent)
extended and useful intellisense feature with multiple files and parent classes
internal GIT support
a tree view for application structure
an awesome version history support that works with GIT and your local history. This is very useful when you want to take a look at a GIT untracked file, you can see all history details of the file for weeks.
with a great addon named CSSXFire that works with Firebug and tracks the CSS changes and import them to editor and allows you easily reproduce the same changes that you've done in Firebug CSS Console. This is really awesome
another useful feature is, when you want to delete or rename a file, editor searches the file has been used in this directory and notifies you. This is called safe-refactor
intellisense for files, while you typing a css background-image, a src or an href attribute
Sometimes I deal with PHP so I prefer PHPStorm, so Front End Developers should prefer WebStrorm that is specialized for us.
I think, every FE Developer should try PHPStorm or WebStorm with Firefox and Firebug.
Eclipse and JSEclipse plugin and of course Firefox + Firebug the ultimate duo. You'll find this development setup satisfactory.
ReplyDeleteAptana is a great IDE as it will provide intelli-sense for CSS, javascript, html, java, etc. The debugger gives you the choice to run in FF or IE and is a full featured debugger. The community edition allows you to run a server side javascript as well. A very solid and feature rich platform for free.
ReplyDeleteHere's a good list of IDEs you can use for writing JavaScript:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.programmerfish.com/top-8-ide-integrated-development-environment-for-java-script-html5-ajax/
Notepad++ comes with built-in javascript syntax highlighting and JSlint plugin is very handy. IMHO for debugging there is nothing better than Chrome developer tools or Firebug.
ReplyDelete