Have you ever asked yourself which is the best IDE for HTML, CSS, or JavaScript? I’m sure you have; it is one of the most popular topics on the Internet. You can find some good answers but some are not that good.
My opinion is that there isn’t just one best IDE for HTML, CSS, or JavaScript if by IDE we mean an application where you write code, compile it and run the program. I prefer to see several IDEs designed with different solutions for this task.
Editing HTML and CSS code can be done with nothing but a simple text editor. However, if you’d like to take your programming skills (and output) to the next level, it’s worth looking into an integrated development environment or IDE.
PyCharm
If your primary focus is high-level programming, you may want to choose an IDE that specializes in the language you use the most. IntelliJ IDEA’s Python-based counterpart is PyCharm:
As JetBrains’ Python IDE, this program includes many features you’ll likely find useful. For starters, like IntelliJ, it’s available on all three major Operating Systems. Its Professional license includes support for HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Plus, you can always tap into the plugin library for extensions.
With this IDE in your corner, you can:
- Take advantage of code completion to speed up development (and type less).
- Use smart navigation to quickly jump to problem areas, switch tools, and more.
- Implement Python profiling to determine execution times.
- Integrate PyCharm with iPython Notebook, Anaconda, and other libraries for scientific development.
Like IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm also has a free, open-source version available with limited features. Without a paid plan, you’ll miss out on the Python Profiler as well as the available scientific development tools.
A Professional license provides a more comprehensive Python IDE experience. Paid plans for individuals start at $89 for your first year. If you need PyCharm for your entire team, your first year will cost $199.
PhpStorm
If JetBrains seems like the IDE company for you but you’re more into PHP than Python, never fear. PhpStorm has you covered:
JetBrains’ PHP IDE shares many similarities with IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm. You can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines, and it includes support for JavaScript, CSS, and HTML as well as its titular coding language.
Additionally, PhpStorm is specifically recommended by JetBrains for WordPress development. If you build for our favorite Content Management System (CMS) – that’s WordPress! – this IDE should definitely be a contender on your shortlist.
Some of its handier features include:
- High-quality code completion and error detection for speedy, flawless development
- Live editing for a front end view of your current project
- Built-in version control integration, command-line tools, SQL database management features, and more
- A Visual Debugger to help you stay on top of your project throughout its development
As far as pricing goes, PhpStorm is a little different than the other JetBrains platforms we’ve mentioned because it doesn’t offer a free, open-source version. Licenses start at $89 for the first year for individual use and $199 for the first year for teams. However, there’s a 30-day free trial to let you test drive it before purchasing.
WebStorm
The last JetBrains IDE we’ll mention in this post is their JavaScript platform, WebStorm:
WebStorm is more or less the same platform as PhpStorm, minus the support for PHP. Really, the only reason to choose this IDE over its PHP-focused cousin is if you’re sure you won’t be using PHP and want to save a few bucks.
Price-wise, WebStorm is quite a bit cheaper. Individual licenses start at $59 for your first year, and team licenses are available for $129 for the first year.
Another option is to choose JetBrains’ All Products Pack. This will give you access to all of the company’s IDEs (including the four mentioned in this post), which comprehensively provides a full-stack development system. Individual pricing starts at $249 for the first year and team licenses at $649 for the first year.
Komodo IDE
Diving into some other IDE providers, we have ActiveState‘s Komodo IDE. This platform prides itself on providing support for a wide variety of coding languages, including Python, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and more:
Whereas JetBrains’ IDEs are specialized, Komodo is a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’. If the thought of dealing with multiple platforms and plugins makes you feel like you’re about to break out in hives, this solution provides a much simpler route to pretty much the same result.
Key features from Komodo IDE include:
- Code intelligence for syntax highlighting and autocomplete to streamline development
- A Visual Debugger and testing features to make sure your code runs smoothly
- Live previewing and editing so you don’t have to switch back and forth between windows
- Integration with Devdocs.io so you can quickly reference documentation for multiple languages, libraries, and tools, even offline
In order to use this platform, you’ll need to create an ActiveState account. Signing up is free, and includes a free trial of Komodo IDE. Long term, pricing starts at $7 per month for individual use.
If you’re a front-end developer or designer, you may want to look into Komodo Edit as an alternative. This is a multi-language code editor you can use to write code in all the languages we’ve discussed in this post. It’s free to use and open-source.
Additionally, with other extensions you can:
React
Are you trying to build a complex single-page web application? React is an excellent tool for you. This tool is user-friendly, provides a web app, and encourages modularity to components. However, React does not suit simple websites or static content. But using frameworks like Gatsby, you can build an HTML website using React.
Key features
- Component-based architecture
- Has one-way data binding
- Virtual Dom: it helps developers to create a fast and flexible application
- React native: this feature allows a developer to use native components instead of using web components.
Pros
- React is a brilliant tool when you want to write structured code
- React is a fantastic tool when you are building a performing user interface
- It is flexible for developers to use
Cons
- React world moves quickly, and their code can become outdated quickly
- It lacks a view layer, which means developers must patch it together with the web instead of having a single solution
Atom
Atom is a free and open-source editor initially released on 26th February 2014 by GitHub. This powerful JavaScript code editor is based on an Electron framework that can cross-platform, meaning it supports Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Atom is highly flexible and fully customizable in HTML, CSS, and JS. This tool comes with a built-in package manager that allows the installation of new tools and themes to expand its functionality.
Like other popular IDE, it supports multiple programming languages such as Java and the C family.
Key features
- It comes with an integrated package manager
- Provides real-time debugging and allows cross-platform editing
- It has multiple panes and found and replaces the tool
- It allows smart auto-completion
Pros
- GitHub integration
- Atom is flexible and easy to use
- Cross-platform support
- It is entirely free to use
Cons
- It slower than other popular EDIs
- Its functions are limited
- Atom lack of code execution
XCode
XCode is an Apple IDE that was initially released in 2003. It is a free platform for developers who want to create apps to run on app devices.
XCode is fully integrated with several frameworks such as Cocoa and Cocoa Touch to allow users to have a productive platform for applications development. In addition, it features a smooth environment that ensures seamless workflow.
Using XCode, developers can automatically analyze and test JavaScript code at any stage of development. Also, this integrated development environment features an LLVM compiler that enables developers to assess performance issues effectively.
Furthermore, XCode is also equipped with an interface builder that enables users to build prototypes without coding. It also features tools that allow it to communicate with the Apple developer.
Key features
- It allows the user interface prototyping and split-window view
- It has an integrated build system and a graphical debugger.
- Powerful open-source LLVM
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- Great testing capabilities
- Impressive tool kit
Cons
- It is only limited to Apple devices
Eclipse
Eclipse is one of the most popular JavaScript IDE you can consider. Initially released in November 2001, Eclipse is a free, open-source JavaScript development environment suitable for novice and experienced developers.
This integrated development environment comes in both cloud and desktop editions and has an extensible plugin that enables users to customize functionalities for application development.
Although it was initially developed as a Java environment, Eclipse today supports various programming languages, including JAVA, PHP, C/C++, Python, Ruby, and many more.
Key features
- Built-in version control
- Multi-language support
- Straight out of the box functionality
Pros
- Powerful project management
- Advanced debugging
- Ability to program in multiple Languages
- Ability to integrate Junit
Cons
- Complex for beginners
- You need to install plugins to get most of it
Komodo IDE
If you are looking for an all-inclusive integrated development environment for your web and mobile app development, you can consider having Komodo IDE. This tool is a single polyglot IDE that provides multiple integrations and frameworks.
Komodo Edit – Free text editor
Komodo Edit was introduced in 2007 to complement the commercial Komodo IDE. The tool is among the free and open-source text editors used to perform dynamic programming languages.
This software supports over 100 languages such as Go, PHP, Tcl, Perl, HTML, Python, CSS, and many more. It also incorporates a limited vim mode (if you’re not familiar with vim, suffice you to know that Vim is a highly configurable text editor. Born as an improved version of the vi editor distributed with most UNIX systems, many developers consider it an IDE for its effectiveness when programming). Using this tool as a JavaScript developer, you will code faster and smarter.
Key features
- Multiple language support
- Advanced editor and error markup
- It has a source control integration
- It allows cross-platform and collaborative editing.
- File and workflow management
Pros
- It has a built-in FTP
- It supports a limited vim mode
- It is free and open-source, a counterpart of Komodo IDE
Cons
- Adds project files to project code
- Its slows down during start-up
Conclusion
There are plenty of great IDEs out there for web development. Picking the right one for you comes down to selecting an IDE that works best with the programming languages you’re most comfortable with.
Many web developers prefer to write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a text editor. An IDE is still needed to make sure the JavaScript is valid and readable by other developers. Here are a good start option IDEs for writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.