Top 5 JavaScript IDEs

JavaScript is going great. This popular programming language routinely ranks among developers for its dynamic and high-level style, along with its popular frameworks like Angular, Node, Ember, and Vue. In fact, JavaScript is rather well known for its frameworks.

Today, we’re taking a look at the top five IDEs for JavaScript. As always, this is a highly subjective list. It’s by no means complete or written in stone. Additionally, you might notice some repeats from our previous Top IDEs lists! We’re not being lazy, they are all cross-platform IDEs. If you think we’ve missed something, let us know in the comments below!

Here are our top five IDEs for JavaScript, in no particular order.

WebStorm

WebStorm is one of the most popular JavaScript IDEs on the market. While this solution from JetBrains isn’t exactly cheap, you’re getting a powerful IDE for modern JavaScript development with smart coding assistance. Its features include code completion, error detection, and refactorings for a number of languages like JavaScript, Node.js, HTML, and CSS.

The built-in debugger targets client-side code as well as Node.js apps. Developers can evaluate their code without having to exit the IDE. Testing can be done within WebStorm as well, with a visualized report card for debug tests. spy-js traces JavaScript code to help prevent bottlenecks.

More information about WebStorm can be found here. There is a free 30-day trial.

SEE ALSO: How is JavaScript used across industries?

Komodo Edit

Another popular option for JavaScript is Komodo Edit. This is a stripped down version of Komodo’s advanced IDE and it makes development easier than ever. It’s a powerful yet simple multi-language editor. The editor feels intuitive and can handle most problems.

Komodo supports all the functions of Node.js and other popular web-based frameworks. This powerful editor includes debugging, unit testing, collaboration, or integration with build systems. The editor’s features include track changes, multiple selections, quick bookmarks, code folding, code blocks, and even smart language detection.

More information about Komodo Edit is available here. Komodo IDE offers a free 21-day trial for developers.

Visual Studio Code

Can’t stop, won’t stop loving VS Code. We’ve already talked about how awesome VS Code is for Go, but with support for over 40 languages, there’s a lot of love to go around. This free, cross-platform IDE works well for frontend development.

VS Code offers smart completion with IntelliSense, built-in Git integration, the ability to debug code straight from the editor, and more. VS Code is highly extensible with a number of customization options through its many extensions. It also offers support in dozens of languages, making it understandable why it was ranked the most popular developer tool for Stack Overflow’s 2018 Developer Survey.

More information about VS Code can be found here. This free, open source IDE runs everywhere.

SEE ALSO: JAX Magazine is out: The darlings of the JavaScript world

Atom IDE

Oh Atom. This IDE from GitHub has made our top 5 lists several times for a good reason. (Our initial review can be found here.) Atom IDE is a set of optional packages meant to bring IDE-like functionality to Atom.io. It is compatible with JavaScript along with CSS and Node.js, thanks to a foundation of Electron and TypeScript language package.

Atom’s JavaScript package features include a wide selection of features, including context-aware auto-completion. Code navigation is easier than ever with an outline view for your document, find all references, and go to definition. Developers can also use the hover-to reveal information and the complete set of diagnostic tools (errors and warnings) to better understand their code.

More information about Atom IDE can be found here. Atom is free and open source.

Brackets

Brackets is an open source code editor for the web from Adobe. Since it is written in JavaScript, HTML and CSS, Brackets offers a native code editing experience for developers, without any compatibility issues.

Thanks to its Live Preview feature, Brackets is in sync with your browser and directly pushes code edits instantly. Developers can make changes and jump between the code and the live preview without any complications. Additionally, the Quick Edit UI will make sure that you always have the right tools at hand, no matter what kind of code you’re developing.

More information about Brackets.io can be found here. Brackets is free and open source.

SEE ALSO: The world of JavaScript: Obstacles, current front runners and what’s next

Honorable mentions

Of course, we can’t finish this list without a few honorable mentions. JavaScript has a number of IDEs that are great, but were cut for space from this list. Sublime Text 3 is a sophisticated text editor with great features for code, markup, and prose. The NetBeans IDE makes it easy to quickly develop applications for the desktop, mobile, and web with a bunch of languages. And of course, IntelliJ IDEA offers support for some JavaScript development.