Having control over code is an important part of a software application development process. A lot of programmers need efficient code editing and debugging tools to work with accuracy and speed. This may be the reason why an IDE (Integrated development environment) was conceptualized.
An IDE has a source code editor, a code debugger, code completion feature, build automation tool, compiler, and more all in one single software application. Modern IDEs have a graphical user interface with a single program that offers several features, such as authoring, compiling, deploying, and debugging software code.
Node.js is gaining traction in the IT space. Famous for letting developers build lightweight applications, this runtime fastens the development process too. Just use the best IDE for NodeJS development to streamline your projects better.
Node.js is an open-source, runtime environment for developing server-side and network applications in JavaScript. Its event-driven architecture and non-blocking I/O model make it ideal for building real-time applications that run across distributed devices.
Advantages of Using Node.js
Node.js is slowly rising to be one of the most popular environments in the world, with more and more companies hiring people adept at using it. In our last post on Node.js I have highlighted some of the best web hosting platforms for the Node.js application, today I have listed down the names of major IDEs for Node.js development. Most of them support multiple platforms like OSX, Linux, and Windows.
The ability to scale up quickly — Each of the nodes in Node.js is based around an “event.” A customer buys an in-app purchase, or sends an email to customer service, for instance. The amount of nodes you can add to your core programming function are nearly limitless. This means you can scale vertically, adding new capability paths that lead back to your core application code. Or, you can scale horizontally, adding new resources to existing programming. Either way, scalability gives your application room to grow, and that’s one of the key benefits of using Node.js.
Flexibility — In a discussion of Node.js pros and cons programming flexibility is perhaps the biggest benefit of all. When you make a change in Node.js, only that node is affected. Where other run-time environments or frameworks may require you to make changes all the way back to the core programming, it doesn’t require anything more than a change to the node. And that is great not just for your initial build, but for your ongoing maintenance as well. And best of all, when you combine JSON with Node.js, you can easily exchange information between client servers and the webserver. Programmers can also use APIs to build TCP, HTTP, DNS, etc. into the server.
Efficient caching — In a debate over the pros and cons of Node.js, caching always comes up as a key Node.js benefit. It has a powerful ability to cache data. When requests are made to the app, they are cached in-app memory. Consequently, when requests cycle through execution and re-execution, the nodes are still able to run efficiently and not be bogged down by historical data.
Speed and Performance — Its non-blocking, input-output operations make the environment one of the speediest options available. Code runs quickly, and that enhances the entire run-time environment. This is largely due to its sectioned-off system. But it also has to do with the fact that it runs on Google’s V8 JavaScript engine. Its apps are more likely to be programmed end-to-end in Javascript, and that plug and play interoperability contribute to speed and performance.
Fast-to-market-development — Node’s basis in JavaScript brings many benefits to the table, especially the ease at which developers can add more features and predesigned tools and templates. In fact, it has an extensive package management library, with thousands of open-source options that can be added to your app project immediately. These pre-packaged options not only reduce your time to market, but they reduce your programming budget, as well.
I have also listed down some names of popular text editors since they perform much of the required jobs.
Cloud9
Cloud9, as the name suggests, is a cloud-based IDE that aids application development using popular JavaScript frameworks such as NodeJS, Meteor, and more.
From the coding perspective, Cloud9 is one of the most powerful online code editors and debuggers that provides several important features such as live previewing, image editor, key binding editor, and much more.
Prime Features of Cloud9
- In-built terminal
- Integrated debugger
- Server-less development
- Full-featured editor
Eclipse
Eclipse is another cloud-based IDE that is far more popular than the most most-beloved one. It is an open-source code editor with useful features such as code refactoring, error checking, source code generation, and code automatic build.
It is widely used as Node JS IDE to build NodeJS applications through a simple NodeJS integration.
Prime Features of Eclipse
- Maven Integration
- Git Integration
- Eclipse Java development tools
- Code recommenders tools
Also See: 5 Free Beginner Friendly Books for Learning Node.js
Sublime Text
Sublime text is a code editor and IDE for NodeJS. It is loaded with powerful and most advanced features with options like quick project switching, split editing, and more.
In addition, Sublime text offers multiple selection options to manipulate files faster, giving you the highest performance with an option to customize just about everything with simple JSON files.
The best part of this IDE is that it is built using custom components that provide unmatched responsiveness.
Prime Features of Sublime Text
- Instant Project Switch
- Split Editing
- Powerful Package Ecosystem & API
- Cross-Platform
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA is a robust IDE for web application development using popular technologies, such as Node.js, Angular.js, JavaScript, HTML5 and more. You need a Node.js plugin to enable the IDE and use features, including syntax highlighting, code assistance, code completion, and more. You can run and debug Node.js apps and see the results right in the IDE. Its JavaScript debugger offers conditional breakpoints, expression evaluation, and other features.
WebStorm
WebStorm is a popular JavaScript IDE, which is ideal for server-side development with Node.js. The IDE provides intelligent code completion, navigation, automated and safe refactorings, and other features. Additionally, you can use the debugger, VCS, terminal and other tools right in the IDE.
WebStorm is a popular JavaScript IDE built by JetBrains.
It is packed with an impeccable smart coding assistance along with features like on-the-fly error detection, code completion, refactoring, and powerful navigation features for most JavaScript programming languages, which is ideal for server-side development with NodeJS.
Prime Features of WebStorm
- Seamless tool integration
- Highly customization
- Powerful built-in tools
- Intelligent coding assistance
Also Check: How Node.js is changing the way we use JavaScript
Codenvy
GitHub: 277 stars
If you are a development team and thinking which NodeJS IDE free will be good for crafting the next applications, Codenvy is the best IDE for node js development. It allows nodeJS professionals to code with portable Docker runtimes in its cloud workspace. Codenvy lets you perform issue management, and a version control mechanism is available if you’ve initiated a catastrophe.
The best features of Codenvy IDE are:
- One-click docker environment
- Team-onboarding & Collaboration
- DevOps workspace platform
Though Codenvy is built on Eclipse Che, it has enough unique features, which made us mention it separately in the list. It is a more customized IDE for NodeJS developers; for example, its dev mode configures the runtime and integrates root-privileged terminal, SSH access, debugger, and language-related services.
Koding
Koding is an open-source, cloud-based IDE for developing applications using Node.js, PHP, Ruby and more. The IDE offers a variety of features, including syntax highlighting, keyboard shortcuts, collapsible panes, workspace, auto indenting, code folding and code preview using built-in browser. Koding offers multi-cursor support to allow making similar edits at once.
Eclipse
Eclipse is a popular cloud-based IDE for web development using Java, PHP, C++ and more. You can easily avail the features of Eclipse IDE using the Node.js plugin, which is a nodeclipse.
WebMatrix
WebMatrix is a free and cloud-based IDE for the Windows platform. It supports web development using Node.js with features, such as code completion, built-in templates and publishing to the cloud. WebMatrix has built-in Node.js templates for website and web application development that use Express, routing, OAuth, and more.
Sublime Text
Sublime Text uses a custom UI toolkit with a powerful text editor for code, markup, and prose. You can jump to symbols, lines or words using shortcuts and use multiple selection options to rename variables and manipulate files faster. Sublime Text also offers options for split editing, customizing, project switching and more.
Atom
Atom is a text editor with modern code completion features. It comes pre-installed with four UI and eight syntax themes and is easily customizable. Atom is an open-source application, which is built with HTML, JavaScript, CSS and Node.js integration. It runs on the Electron framework for building cross-platform apps using popular web technologies.
Brackets
Brackets is a text editor offering advanced features, such as inline editing, live code previewing, preprocessor support, code folding, and command line integration. Brackets is an open-source project started by Adobe Systems. Extract for Brackets is an Adobe extension that lets you pull design information from PSD files, such as colors, fonts, gradients, and measurement information, and turn it into CSS.
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is developed by Microsoft and is free to download and use. It has built-in support for Nodejs, JavaScript. Support other programming languages like Java, Python, C++, PHP, and more. It has OS for macOS, Windows and Linux. You can even install extensions In-built Command Line Interface. Provide Git Integration. You can debug code right from the editor and many more features.
Visual Studio Code is one of the best Node.js IDEs developed by Microsoft. It is a lightweight yet powerful code editor that is available for free to download and use.
The best part about Visual Studio Code is that it has built-in support for JavaScript as well as NodeJS and runs on all OS such as MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
Apart from this, Microsoft has also added a very rich ecosystem of plugins & extensions to support other popular programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, PHP, and more.
Prime Features of Visual Studio Code
- In-built CLI (Command Line Interface)
- Integrated TerminalSplit View & Zen Mode
- Helpers (Context Menus, Intellisense)
- Git Integration
Aptana Studio
Aptana is a free, open-source tool. It was recently rebuilt from the ground-up. Aptana Studio is available as a standalone on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, or as a plugin for Eclipse, It’s now much faster, customizable, and includes new features to help you be more productive. It supports JavaScript code assist. It even supports HTML, CSS, PHP, and Ruby & HTML5 specifications. Includes information about the level of support for each element in the major web browsers Provides Git integration and comes with an integrated debugger. You can even customize the IDE according to your liking.
Gitpod
It is now an open-source platform. Gitpod provides an IDE using VS Code as an editor who’s contents it keeps track of. It provides a full operating-system environment to run code developed there. In-built support for JavaScript, TypeScript, and tools like Node.js, npm. Further optimization is possible. Gitpod comes with the latest stable Node.js version pre-installed. Integrated GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket
Vim
Vim is a text editor and requires a steep learning curve. Vim is standard on Unix and Mac. It’s light and easy. It is free for Windows. Vim uses a small portion of the system’s memory and loads instantly, all the while delivering the same features as compared to other text editors. It allows users to include many features.
Komodo IDE
Komodo is a cross-platform IDE supporting major programming languages, including Node.js, Ruby, PHP, JavaScript and more. The IDE allows you to run commands, create custom configurations, track changes and use shortcuts. It also provides syntax/highlighting, code intelligence, language icons, multiple selections, markdown viewer, DOM viewer, graphical debugging, and more.
It is a cross-platform IDE that allows developers to build powerful applications using varied programming languages such as Ruby, Node JS, Perl, and more.
With the help of Komodo IDE, NodeJS developers can create custom configurations, implement similar changes with multiple selections, track changes, and run commands.
Prime Features of Komodo
- Built-in browser
- Version management
- Syntax highlighting
- Markdown and DOM viewer
- Split view and muti window editing
WebMatrix
WebMatrix is one of the best IDEs for NodeJS app development. It is a cloud-based IDE developed by Microsoft. The tool is accessible to only Windows developers and supports web development still it empowers developers to build robust web applications in an efficient and fast way using Node.js.
The IDE offers cloud publishing, code completion, and built-in templates.
Prime Features of WebMatrix
- Code editors with integrated interface
- Built-in Node JS templates
- Optimization
- Simple coding and database
Notepad++
Notepad++ is a free & open-source text editor. It works on Windows. It supports multi-language and is a text editor. Has bracket matching & autocomplete the feature. It has built-in support for syntax highlighting for various programming languages.
Conclusion
If you are a Node.js developer, then there is no lack of necessary tools to get your job done. There are a lot of testing tools, frameworks, and IDEs available for Node.js application development. A lot of application developers are currently working to develop an array of useful applications using the Node.js framework.
One can easily develop real-time web applications, such as instant messaging or chat applications using Node.js. KeystoneJS is an example of a content management system (CMS) built using Node.js. It is used for building database-driven, modern websites as well as applications and application programming interfaces (APIs). Another is Ghost, a popular blogging platform. Moreover, you can also build servers, games, websites, content management systems, and a lot more using this powerful technology.
To gain the very best of each application you should know the features presented and how it applies to what you need.