We all have our preferred tools for coding. But did you know there are a huge number of tools to choose from? Each tool offers a unique feature set and it can be hard to find the one that best fits your requirement.
If you were wondering, here’s an in-depth review on the best code editors available to help you make up mind.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Dreamweaver is a multifunction web development tool that features HTML and CSS editing capabilities. This advanced tool offers a number of unusual features, such as a connection to the Creative Cloud. This makes it easy to work on a project across devices and access assets from other sources.
Dreamweaver features dynamic display tools for desktop and mobile, along with live WYSIWYG editing capabilities. Like most Adobe products, Dreamweaver features a modern and easy-to-navigate user interface. Adobe included built-in Git support, making Dreamweaver a favorite for developers who use the tool.
A free trial version of Dreamweaver is available, and Adobe offers monthly payment options to make it more affordable. A license to use the program is available from month-to-month, annually, or prepaid.
This is a powerful tool launched by tech giant Adobe Inc. that fulfils both front-end and back-end needs. Completely integrated with Adobe ecosystem, Adobe Dreamweaver CC supports most major programming languages and shows amazing performance.
Furthermore, it supports both textual and WYSIWYG methods, giving you the option to code and instantly see changes in a visual presentation. This makes it a fantastic tool among existing IDE software’s for inexperienced developers. In case you need a specific feature, you can customize this software with numerous plugins and add-ons provided by Adobe.
Pros:
- Code and preview
- Intuitive interface
- Allows access to numerous libraries and plugins via Adobe support (unlike other options on our list of IDEs)
Cons:
- Lack of cross-browser compatibility
- Steep learning curve;
- Bulky dynamic code
For all front end devs and visual programming buffs out there, here are also some of the best IDE for web development in terms of CSS.
CoffeeCup HTML Editor
CoffeeCup HTML Editor is a robust WYSIWYG tool that enables users to create and customize website code with ease. This powerful tool features HTML and CSS editing capabilities. Plus, CoffeeCup includes an interactive preview that allows users to customize attributes on the page, not just in the code. Combined, these features make the CoffeeCup HTML Editor a worthwhile investment.
As of 2021, this tool costs $29 to download. For the price, the tool includes powerful features like a live preview and WYSIWYG function, and multiple direct publishing tools. CoffeeCup also offers a free trial, and multiple responsive design packs to increase functionality.
Coda
Coda is a premium web development tool that helps users organize and manage all of their site code. Code features site-wide indexing and autocomplete, making it easy to manage classes and functions across the entire project.
The Coda UI is praised around the internet, and developers stand to gain a lot with this program. Plus, Coda takes live editing to a new level–users can edit CSS in real-time, all from the program window. Coda also features direct publishing, making it easy to update a site directly from the software itself.
Sublime Text
The first one on this list is a lightweight code editor called Sublime Text that supports various languages including HTML. This cross-platform software has everything that the best IDE for web development should have
Sublime Text also has several unique features, such as GoTo Anything, which grants the ability to instantly jump to the file you need. It supports multiple selections, so you can change many lines at once, and has a convenient Command Palette with all your frequently used tools in one place.
Due to its powerful API and plugin support, Sublime Text is among the best IDE software for web developers.
Pros:
- Unique features for efficient development
- Lightweight
- Highly customizable
Cons:
- Lacks advanced functionality
Aptana Studio 3
An outstanding open-source IDE for HTML, Aptana Studio 3 provides an intuitive and convenient environment for web developers. It minimizes compatibility challenges with its wide browser support, enabling users to develop and deploy a range of web apps from a single IDE.
This IDE assists greatly in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding, and features an integrated debugger to test the apps before release. With a convenient command line, you will get access to hundreds of useful commands that will make web development much more productive. Therefore, it is included in some of the best IDE for web development.
Pros:
- Code assistance
- Integrated debugger, deployment wizard, command line, and other convenient tools.
Cons:
- Stability issues
- Slow
- Less efficient for complex projects
PyCharm
Primarily created for Python, PyCharm also supports a wide range of other languages. Comprehensive code assistance and a customizable interface make it ideal for professional web development projects.
PyCharm automatically completes code, checks and fixes errors on-the-fly, and offers easy project navigation. Another useful feature of this web development IDE is the possibility of integration with Git and Mercurial. Therefore, it is a great solution for cross-technology projects.
Pros:
- Easy to customize
- Functionality for cross-technology development
- Intelligent assistance
Cons:
- Contains some performance bugs
Brackets
An open-source editor, Brackets is indeed one of the outstanding examples of IDE. Lightweight but powerful, it provides developers with convenient visual tools, such as inline editor, split view, and live preview. An excellent user interface and intuitive navigation make it easy to browse and make changes to large pieces of code.
Another great feature of Brackets is its real-time connection with a browser so you can instantly see all code changes on screen. If you work with preprocessors, you will enjoy how this IDE supports them, making it much easier to modify your LESS and SCSS files.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Made for web development
- Real-time preview
Cons:
- Lacks advanced IDE functionality
- Gets slower after installing plugins
RJ TextEd
The next in our list is RJ TextEd, a powerful editor that supports all major web development languages. It is much more than a text editor: it features all the functions of a good CSS IDE — integrated CSS/HTML preview, auto-completion, templates, and many more tools for productive web development.
You can also benefit from some advanced features like multi-select and edit, smart sorting, and document map. If you work with a CSS IDE such as RJ TextEd, you will get the following additional features: advanced colour hint, highlighting of colours, and convenient code explorer.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Autocompleting and spell checking
- Great CSS editing
Cons:
- Lacks advanced functionality
Light Table
An elegant and lightweight IDE, Light Table represents a new era of IDEs. It is not just an editor but a complete functional environment where you can code and move things around without unnecessary clutter.
Light Table encourages you to try different variants of code – and see instantaneous results. You can benefit from an inline evaluation, powerful editing functionality, and a plugin manager that lets you quickly add any extension you need.
Pros:
- Easily customizable
- Instant visualization
- Numerous plugins available
Cons:
- Limited features
PhpStorm
PhpStorm, one of the best CSS, HTML and JavaScript IDE, is a closed-source software solution launched by JetBrains. Its slick user interface creates a fantastic coding environment where you can efficiently develop any project you need without worrying about typos and errors.
PhpStorm supports major frameworks like WordPress and Symfony and features built-in command-line tools along with a smart code navigator. Furthermore, there are many different themes and extensions that you can use to customize the IDE.
Another great advantage is that PhpStorm is relatively lightweight compared to its competitors.
Pros:
- Fully functional IDE
- Framework support
- Highly customizable
Cons:
- Commercially-sold software
Vim
A favourite of many developers, Vim is a highly configurable program with some powerful functionalities. This terminal-based editor supports the majority of programming and markup languages and offers all standard features, such as mouse gestures and syntax highlighting.
But what makes it one of the best IDE for web development? It is lightweight and fast, so it performs well even for big projects. Developers also commend the keyboard-based interface as it grants better efficiency. However, that also makes it a little complicated for newbies.
Pros:
- Excellent performance
- Lightweight and fast
- Boosts productivity
Cons:
- Difficult learning curve
Are you a C++ developer looking for more advanced programming solutions? Continue reading for some suitable IDE options.
Conclusion
Language is powerful. It can be used to get someone’s attention, to get people excited about what you’re doing, and to create an image of who you are. For marketing purposes, I like to use words like modern, fast, lightweight, powerful and easy. Using these little descriptive words allows potential users to immediately find my tool useful.