Javascript Development Tools: Best IDE To Use

Your website consists solely of dull static pages if not for JavaScript. JavaScript allows you to design user interfaces that respond to user input, adding movement and interactivity for a better user experience. So, we can say that JavaScript is the lifeblood of a website. Given how crucial JavaScript is, you should put some care into the JavaScript tools you use. While there is nothing stopping you from using Notepad exclusively, using a decent JavaScript tool would undoubtedly enhance your experience and increase your productivity. In this article, we’ll go over the best JavaScript development tools for you.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript started as a client-side scripting language to make static web pages interactive. However, now you can do server-side programming with JavaScript. It’s basically impossible to develop a meaningful website without JavaScript now. JavaScript is the most widely used programing language. Using variables, conditional statements, loops, functions, and OOP programing all are possible with JavaScript. JavaScript also comes with a lot of in-built functions. Despite having a large scope, a lot of developers consider learning JavaScript to be easier than learning most other programming languages.

Common JavaScript Terms

Before moving on, it’s crucial to understand the following commonly used JavaScript keywords.

Library

JavaScript libraries are sets of prewritten JavaScript code fragments that may be accessed and reused. Usually, libraries consist of functions that do complex tasks or code blocks that developers use repetitively. The code of a specific JavaScript library can be inserted in and out of the remainder of your project’s code as necessary. Libraries help to accelerate development and reduce the errors in your code.

Framework

A JavaScript framework is a group of JavaScript libraries that offer pre-written JavaScript code to JavaScript developers for common programming activities.  Although you can create web applications without JavaScript frameworks, they do offer a template for handling common programming patterns. There, when you use a framework, you don’t have to start from scratch every time you create an application. You can instead expand on an already-existing feature set.

Usually, these frameworks contain a specific architecture with a specific context. Therefore, you have to be careful when selecting a framework for your web application.

Tool

Tools are useful to increase the efficiency of a developer. There are tools for various software development tasks such as editing source code, creating executable files, and debugging code. 

JavaScript Used For

JavaScript is used for the following things and has a wide range of applications.

Interactive Web Pages

Users may interact with web pages using JavaScript. The following are just a few uses for JavaScript on a web page; there are virtually no restrictions on what you can do with it:

• With a touch of a button, you can reveal or conceal more information.
• When the mouse is over a button, the color of the button changes.
• On the site, scroll through a slideshow of photographs.
• Zooming in or out on a picture
• A website’s use of a timer or countdown
• in-page audio and video playback
• Animating and displaying
• Use of a hamburger drop-down menu

Web and Mobile based Apps

Different JavaScript frameworks are available for web developers to employ when creating online and mobile applications.

The well-known front-end JavaScript frameworks are React, React Native, Vue, and Angular. React, Vue, and Angular are popular web frameworks while React Native is a mobile framework. Node.js, a JavaScript runtime environment based on the JavaScript V8 engine of Google Chrome, is widely used by businesses. Paypal, LinkedIn, Netflix, and Uber are a few well-known examples. 

Building Web Servers

We host our websites on a web server that accepts requests from browsers and deliver responses to clients. With JavaScript runtime environments like Node.js, developers can use JavaScript to build web servers. 

Game Development

JavaScript for game development could be an extremely effective technology for quickly producing captivating virtual experiences. In order to construct web-based and mobile games with an almost limitless player base, you can use JavaScript on any device that can launch a web browser.

Widely used JavaScript Development Tools

Here are some of the much-awaited development tools that are used for JavaScript development:

Sencha

Sencha is a top web application development platform that offers 20+ years of expertise so you can create beautiful software and apps.

Additionally, its tech leaders and specialists have 400+ years of combined experience in cutting-edge web technologies like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. You can empower your team to concentrate on developing important applications rather than frameworks or JavaScript testing framework with this impressive combination of technology and talent.

You may rapidly create source code for framework classes, views, models, controllers, stores, etc. with Sencha IDE plugins, including your own unique classes.

You’ll appreciate how simple it is to create code, produce code snippets, and even refactor code using code completion and IDE plugins. By allowing the same functionalities for your application code as well, the plugins make it incredibly simple to explore the framework codebase and even your own custom classes and overrides.

The Ext JS Pro and Premium editions include Sencha IDE plugins. All Ext JS packages come with the Visual Studio Code Plugin.

If you want to create cutting-edge, high-performing applications quickly and easily, Sencha is a good choice.

Regardless of whether you own a startup, agency, SME, or enterprise, this platform is great for developers and businesses. Not only will you save having to write dozens of lines of code, but it will also save you money. To satisfy client requests, you can quicken the app manufacturing process and release your software goods to the market.

Atom

Let’s first define the Electron before moving on to the characteristics of the Atom. A JavaScript framework called Electron is used to create cross-platform desktop applications. Atom’s foundation is, in essence, the electron.

Atom is one of the top source code editors for JavaScript. And what’s the best part, do you know? Atom is completely free! Various operating systems, including Mac, Windows, and Linux, support the editor. Installing this open-source JavaScript editor is likewise really simple. Smart code completion and a natural file system browser are further benefits.

Atom makes it simple to integrate Git control and GitHub. The editor also accepts Node.js-written plugins. The interface supports a number of languages, including HTML, CSS, and JS. In addition, Atom features a function known as a fuzzy finder. You can work more quickly with fuzzy finder because it allows for rapid file switching. Need more? By integrating programs such as Minimap, auto-close HTML tags, and a linter, Atom’s functionality can be increased.

SublimeText

Another free JS editor is Sublime Text. Because it is cross-platform, there is a ton of possibilities for customization. The user interface is clutter-free. The editor is now user-friendly as a result. The fantastic performance increase and enhanced pane management are just a couple of its great advantages. Other functions include Go to Definition and Go to Symbol. Additionally, items like SideBar Enhancements for copy, paste, move, and rename are available for download.

It takes some time to get things set up initially. However, Sublime Text will guarantee a smooth experience once you have it set up. Additionally, if you’re considering using Sublime Text, you need to install the following plugins: DocBlockr, JsFormat, SideBar Enhancements, and SublimeLinter.

ReactJS

Developers can construct user interfaces (UI) for sites, mobile applications, and web applications using the reusable code package React.js.

Developers can reuse components several times with React. They can use React libraries to identify shortcodes that other developers have already written, add those to the workflows, and move on to other coding chores rather than continuously writing the same code.

React.js helps developers save time, shorten their time to market, and facilitate quick changes to the interface of their applications. Peer-reviewed code can raise code quality in addition to lowering coding errors.

Nevertheless, React.js also has several characteristics with a full-fledged JavaScript framework. However, you’d be better off evaluating Angular first for its robustness if you’re searching for a JavaScript framework.

Today, a lot of people rely on websites and programs to interact online. These resources, in turn, strongly rely on React JS. In fact, React.js was undoubtedly used to develop all of the responsive features you are familiar with and enjoy, including animated GIFs, image slideshows, and instant messaging.

As websites and JavaScript apps incorporate more interactive features in their user interfaces, such as live chat, and interactive forms, React’s popularity is also set to rise.

Visual Studio

The first thing that many people think of when discussing the best development tool for web development in Visual Studio (VS) Code. There are versions of this open-source editor for Linux, Windows, and macOS. Automatic completions are made possible by IntelliSense support while a user is programming in HTML, CSS, JS, or PHP. Another function that this editor boasts is code refactoring and syntax highlighting. Additionally, the editor produces native and managed code. This code editor has built-in support for JS. TypeScript, Node.js, and JavaScript debugging tools are additional functionalities.

In addition, VS Code offers a peek function. Instead of going straight to the section in which the function is defined, you can use this feature to extend a function in line and examine the code. Another fantastic feature that VS Code provides is Task Runner. For setup-related tasks, it enables the usage of Gulp, Grunt, or MSBuild.

You can use operations like publish, commit, push, pull, and rebase thanks to the built-in Git functionality. In addition, you can add more features and plugins to Visual Studio Code to personalize and expand it.

Final Thoughts

This list includes some of the top JavaScript IDEs that may easily help you improve your workflow.

The truth is that there isn’t one JS development tool that can do everything. Because each of them has unique strengths and weaknesses, it would be unfair to say that any one of them is the best. Therefore, before choosing one, you must clearly state all of your requirements.

If you work as a developer, you probably want to improve the comfort and productivity of your workplace. You can read our article on the Top 5 Tools for Web Developing to gain more insight. 

Sencha brings solution to developers with many products and services. For instance, Ext JS is Sencha’s JavaScript framework that builds modern web apps on any platform. If this is something you’d love to explore, try it for free today!