In this article, we will explore the JavaScript programming language.
To create a webpage, it is essential to understand HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A fully functional webpage, encompassing its layout, aesthetics, and interactive elements, is developed through these three core technologies. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, which is employed to establish the structure of the webpage. CSS, short for Cascading Style Sheets, is used to apply styles to the webpage, enhancing its visual appeal to users. JavaScript, commonly referred to as JS, works in conjunction with HTML and CSS to introduce dynamic functionality.
JavaScript is a versatile and powerful programming language that was first developed by Brendan Eich. It serves as the foundational language for the web, enabling webpages to exhibit dynamic behavior, which translates to an interactive experience for users. Without JavaScript, webpages would lack engagement, making it evident that JavaScript is fundamentally the essence of a website.
It is essential to be familiar with various software applications that allow you to utilize JavaScript effectively.
There are two categories of software applications that will be examined below:
- Text editor or Code editor
- Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Text editor or Code editor
A text editor is a type of software application designed specifically for the purpose of writing or modifying plain text. Typically, these applications are commonly referred to as "notepad." Every operating system comes equipped with its own integrated text editor.
The code editor serves as a more sophisticated iteration of a text editor. Its primary function is to facilitate the creation, modification, and execution of programming code. While it is possible to use Notepad for writing JavaScript code, this approach requires manually entering each line without any assistance. In contrast, code editors offer a range of enhanced features, including code navigation, line numbering, auto-completion, syntax highlighting, and more.
The Windows operating system is compatible with various text editors and code editors, including Notepad, Notepad++, Sublime Text, and others.
Certain code editing software tools are specifically designed for particular frameworks and programming languages. Developers have the flexibility to select any code editor that aligns with their specific needs and preferences.
Benefits of code editors
Code editors ease your work as it provides many advantages which are as follows:
- They provide flexibility and customization that means code editors have flexible interface that permits developers to customize the editor as per their needs.
- They provide various code management features such as code navigation, auto-completion, etc.
- They provide real-time collaboration that means if you are working in a team than you can share the code with your coworkers.
- They provide speed which means developers can do their without lagging.
- They provide extension support to enhance the functionality of the code editor.
- They offer the feature to find and replace option which helps developers edit the code easily and quickly.
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
The Integrated Development Environment (IDE) represents a more sophisticated iteration of the code editor. It offers a wide array of features designed to assist programmers in writing code more effectively. An IDE is an all-in-one solution that encompasses a debugger, a source code editor, and tools for build automation. Typically, it is tailored for specific programming languages. Notable examples of IDEs include Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and others.
Benefits of IDEs
IDEs are for professionals who want to do their work fast and perfectly as they provide many benefits which are given below:
- They provide preinstalled libraries for the specific programming language.
- They support external plugins so that the developers can utilize external tools on the basis of their requirements.
- They provide various characteristics such as syntax highlighting, code auto-completion, etc.
- They provide a console where you can see the output of the code and if any error occurs, then you can easily see the error details and fix them.
Both code editors and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) offer advantages for those who prefer to work with JavaScript. Ultimately, it is up to the developer to assess which features are necessary for successfully developing a JavaScript project.
Code editors and IDEs for JavaScript
Below is a selection of some of the top code editors and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) that can be employed for developing JavaScript code.
Notepad
Notepad is a straightforward text editing application that operates on the Microsoft Windows operating system. It was created and first launched 41 years ago, in 1983, by the company Microsoft.
Features of Notepad:
- It is utilized to view and edit plain text which means you can simply write the JavaScript code and save the document with the .js extension.
- It is a fast and simple text editor.
- It removes text formatting quickly.
Notepad++
Notepad++ is a source code editor that operates on the Microsoft Windows platform. It was created by Don Ho and first launched two decades ago in 2003.
Features of Notepad++:
- It is free and open source which means anyone can utilize it for free.
- It is an advanced version of Notepad.
- It provides light mode and dark mode features.
VS Code (Visual Studio Code)
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a widely recognized code editor that programmers frequently use for writing JavaScript code. This powerful tool was created by Microsoft eight years prior. It is offered at no cost and can be operated on multiple platforms. Additionally, it supports coding in a variety of other programming languages, including Java, C++, PowerShell, Python, PHP, among others.
Features of VS Code:
- It provides syntax highlighting and smart completion.
- It is extensible which means VS code allows developers to add extensions to enhance the functionality of the editor. The extensions run in a different process so they do not slow down the editor.
- It is customizable which means it permits developers to adjust the editor features according to their needs.
- It permits you to work with Git and other SCM providers.
- It is available for various operating systems such as Windows 10, Windows 11, Ubuntu and macOS.
Sublime Text
Sublime Text is an advanced code editor renowned for its intuitive user interface and swift performance. It was created sixteen years ago by Jon Skinner in collaboration with Sublime HQ. This editor is employed for writing a wide range of programming languages, including Python, Java, HTML, C, JavaScript, and more.
Features of Sublime Text:
- It allows utilization of the GPU on Windows, Linux and Mac.
- It gives native support for Apple Silicon processors.
- It provides a tab multi-select feature that effortlessly makes split views with the help of file tabs.
- It provides context-aware auto-complete.
- It provides a refreshed UI that supports auto dark-mode switching.
- It provides a syntax highlighting feature.
- It supports Windows, Linux and macOS.
Brackets
Brackets is an innovative, robust, and open-source code editor designed to assist developers in crafting JavaScript code. It was created by Adobe in the year 2014. This editor is specifically tailored for web designers and front-end developers.
Features of Brackets:
- It is lightweight and powerful.
- It provides inline editors which means you can open a window into the code you want most.
- It provides a live preview feature that lets you connect to the browser in real-time, which means if you change HTML, CSS or JavaScript then you will be able to see those changes instantly on the web browsers.
- It supports preprocessors.
Atom is a source code editor designed for programming. It is a flexible code editor, allowing for customization through the use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This tool was created a decade ago by GitHub.
Features of Atom:
- It permits cross-platform editing which means it can be utilized on Windows, OS X and Linux.
- It provides a built-in package manager so that you can install new packages.
- It provides smart autocomplete features which helps you code faster.
- It permits to split Atom interface into multiple window panes which makes it easy to compare files.
- It permits us to find and replace text.
- It provides themes in dark and light colors that you can install in the editor and change its appearance.
- It is simple to customize the Atom as per your desire.
Eclipse
Eclipse is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that facilitates the creation of software applications in multiple programming languages, including JavaScript, Java, Ruby, Python, C++, PHP, and several others. This platform was established 22 years ago by the Eclipse Foundation.
Features of Eclipse:
- It is a free and open source tool which means anyone can utilize it without paying.
- It provides various platform plugins.
- It provides Windows Defender automatic configuration.
- It is supported by various operating systems such as macOS, Windows and Linux.
Komodo IDE
Komodo IDE serves as a comprehensive integrated development environment designed for dynamic programming languages, one of which is JavaScript. This tool was created by ActiveState 23 years prior.
Features of Komodo IDE:
- It is a free and open source tool which means anyone can use it without paying.
- It supports many programming languages such as JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, HTML, Python, CSS, PHP, etc.
- It offers code intelligence features which means syntax highlighting, code refactoring, autocomplete, etc.
- It provides a debugger which helps you debug and test the code.
- It is extensible which means it allows you to add extensions to enhance the feature of the IDE.
- It permits you to collaborate with others.
- It is supported by many operating systems such as Windows, macOS and Linux.
Apache NetBeans IDE
Apache NetBeans IDE serves as an integrated development environment suitable for various dynamic programming languages, such as JavaScript. The development of this software was led by the Apache Software Foundation in collaboration with Oracle Corporation.
Features of Apache NetBeans IDE:
- It allows you to create applications in various different languages such as JavaScript, C++, PHP, C, HTML5, and C++.
- It highlights the source code according to syntax and semantics.
- It is supported by Solaris, macOS, Linux and Windows.
JavaScript Playground
The JavaScript Playground serves as an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) designed specifically for developing projects in JavaScript. This IDE boasts user-friendly features that make it straightforward to work with.
Features of JavaScript Playground:
- It allows you to collaborate with others, which means you can work with your team.
- It provides around two million NPM packages.
- It provides the fastest live view means that as you type the code, you can see the result instantly.
- It provides a smart code autocomplete feature that helps you type code in an easier and faster way.
SlickEdit
SlickEdit serves as both a code editor and an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), designed for developing projects in multiple programming languages, including JavaScript. Historically, it was referred to as Visual SlickEdit.
Features of SlickEdit:
- It comes with two editions which are Standard edition and Pro edition. You can buy either of these editions to start working. It also gives a free trial.
- It offers a syntax highlighting feature.
- It helps to enhance the code while typing.
- It provides code navigation so that you can easily work.
- It provides intelligent code completion which makes you code faster.
Codelobster
Codelobster is a versatile portable Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that facilitates coding in multiple programming languages, including HTML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, among others. This software was created by Codelobster Software.
Features of Codelobster:
- It is a free cross-platform IDE for web languages like HTML, PHP, JavaScript, Python, TypeScript, etc.
- It offers code highlighting and code collapsing features.
- It offers autocomplete features like auto-completion of tags, auto-completion of keywords, etc.
- It provides a JavaScript debugger which helps in detecting errors.
- It provides a split window feature that helps you compare one code with another.
- It provides plugins for various platforms such as JQuery, WordPress, Joomla, etc.
CodeLite
CodeLite is a cross-platform, open-source integrated development environment (IDE) designed for creating projects in multiple programming languages, including PHP, C, C++, JavaScript, and more. The IDE was created by Eran Ifrah.
Features of CodeLite:
- It permits to create, debug and run applications based on Node.js.
- It is a lightweight and efficient integrated development environment (IDE).
- It provides code completion and code refactoring feature which means it autocompletes keywords and it reconstructs the code by changing the factoring.
- It provides a syntax highlighting feature.
- It supports various platforms such as Fedora/OpenSUSE, macOS, Ubuntu/ Debian, FreeBSD and Windows.
Conclusion:
We have understood the JavaScript software in this article. Some points to remember are given below:
- There are various software applications that are used to create JavaScript projects.
- Software applications like text editor, code editor and integrated development environment (IDE) are available in which JavaScript code can be written.
- The text editor is utilized to write or edit the plain text.
- The code editor is an enhanced version of the text editor. It lets users write, edit and run the code.
- The IDE is a more advanced version of the code editor that provides various features and helps developers create a JavaScript project professionally.