If you are looking for the best IDE to use in web development, then this article is perfect for you.
We will discuss some of the most popular IDEs and what they offer at a high level. We will also explore tips on how to choose the right one based on your needs!
If you still think the most sophisticated websites are coded out using a simple notepad editor, then you are mistaken.
The internet has seen a lot of changes in the past few decades and one thing that never changed is how people interact with it. It doesn’t matter if they are just browsing for information or creating content, but what matters more now than ever before is being able to edit the codes easily and fast.
In the web development world, things move fast. And there’s nothing more essential than a code editor with extra features, which is just another way of saying “web development IDE.” There are plenty to choose from and so it can be hard picking out what’s best for you! Here’s how We chose our favorite ones:
We took into consideration factors such as simplicity in design (so programmers don’t get lost), extensive plugin support (because HTML/CSS language updates happen often), and quickness during editing sessions all important aspects when choosing an IDE for your next project.
Table of Contents
What does IDE mean?
IDE in web development simply means “Integrated Development Environment“. It’s an application with a set of features that make web development easier and more efficient.
Top web development IDEs
1) Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is far from your typical code editor.
Visual Studio Code is a lightweight, but powerful text editor that supports plugins like nobody’s business.
It is everything you need to be productive and collaborative, without the weight of proprietary bloated engines or installed frameworks.
This software has been in production for quite some time already by Microsoft, who knows how developers like their products! With an admittedly open license, you can use VC for any project with delight!
Who needs a clumsy, bloated IDE from the 20th century? With Visual Studio Code, modern developers are architects of code. The most flexible editor in Microsoft’s stack and students can even use it for free.
Visual Studio Code is the perfect tool for developers to create and edit their code, collaborate with teammates, debug pesky bugs, and develop a rich and beautiful user interface thanks to its intuitive UI.
Since Visual Studio Code is open source, it’s available for free on virtually all major platforms (macOS/Linux/windows) and in over 50 languages – including some you might not expect! Python? PHP? Lisp? They’re all there! There’s even support for TypeScript (a superset of JavaScript).
2) Atom
Atom is a free, open-source text editor for the 21st century. It comes with all the features we know and loves from code editors like Sublime Text or Visual Studio Code and has many more cool tricks up its sleeve.
No matter how complex your project is, Atom provides you with a dedicated experience tailored to suit your needs. Plus, it’s built on Electron—an amazing web framework that makes coding faster than ever before—through which it was built using web technologies instead of traditional desktop applications.
Key Features:
- A hackable text editor for the 21st century.
- Built on Electron, a cross-platform runtime using web technologies instead of traditional desktop applications.
- Code completion comes from your language’s compiler or Node modules automatically when writing in Javascript and TypeScript, so you spend less time searching and more time coding.
- Exposes your code to the terminal with a simple keyboard shortcut, where you can run any of your system’s commands or scripts from within Atom at lightning speed.
- A responsive interface that is tuned for both mouse and touch input so it’s easy on your wrists no matter how you use it.
- A powerful package manager that lets you choose from over 40,000 open-source packages to extend Atom’s functionality.
- A vertical and horizontal split view that gives you more editing space without cluttering your screen with interface elements like tab bars or toolbars.
- Multiple cursors let you operate on several chunks of code simultaneously.
- A powerful file system browser that lets you find and open files without leaving your editor.
- Atom packages are distributed in a simple, standardized format called Source Code Packages (or .apks). You can install them with one click from the built-in package manager, just like other popular operating systems.
3) Komodo
Komodo IDE is a great JavaScript IDE with comprehensive coding and debugging, and it’s easy to collaborate on your projects in a multiuser environment.
A perfect IDE for JavaScript developers, with a sleek interface that compliments your coding needs. Whether you’re big or small on features and tools, Komodo has everything you need to keep your projects running at top performance with its autocompletion features and Syntax Checker that can catch syntax errors before they become problematic.
With single-step debugging capabilities within Komodo’s advanced functionality, teams can collaborate on projects together, saving all team members time and resources while still staying engaged in their work.
It also doesn’t hurt that Komodo plays well with any operating system no matter what kind of machine it’s installed on!
Komodo is the perfect IDE to write JavaScript projects on because of its customization, multiuser editing, and rich add-ons.
4) WebStorm
Shockingly, WebStorm is without a doubt the best IDE for coding HTML5 and JavaScript — except now it’s specialized to suit your specific needs. With features like coding assistance in popular frameworks (ReSharper integration) and an integrated unit testing tool, this is no lightweight editor.
It can also handle debugging with ease. Between version control capabilities, built-in editors for frontend resources, and astonishingly good interfaces for common command-line tools (e.g., diff), you’ll be writing code faster than ever before —and better than ever before too!
What could be better than a JavaScript IDE that gives you ReShaperlevel coding assistance and top-of-the-line debugging features, without the hefty price tag? WebStorm.
The JetBrains team extensively researched how developers were creating web apps with JavaScript frameworks like React, Angular, and Node.js to provide optimal levels of support for these technologies in one affordable product.
You can enjoy many popular features such as code completion, version control integration, integrated unit testing tools’ powerful user interfaces, and smart language injection on entering — all built by the world’s leading experts in software development technology.
Features:
- Code refactoring
- Intelligent autocomplete
- Great customization tools
- Supports a wide range of plugins
- WebStorm automatically detects errors in your code
- Create and execute custom code with the keyboard
- Build powerful addons to save time on repetitive tasks
5) Brackets
Building a website from scratch? Bracket’s got you! Constructed by Adobe Systems Inc., it is an open-source editor with powerful and convenient features such as inline editing, split window view, and instant preview mode.
With its easy-to-navigate user interface; full support for preprocessors like Sass or Less; a plugin for debugging code in Chrome Dev Editor; and the real-time connection between browser live preview (based on JavaScript), this software is undoubtedly your flawless app!
As it integrates with your browser to provide quality-of-life tools like editing a CSS class from the HTML that makes use of it and live previewing similar to the days of Adobe Dreamweaver, building your own site has never been easier.
And if you’re already using WordPress or Tumblr for creating content then Brackets is perfect for tweaking all those pesky stylesheets in between posts without having to switch back and forth between different browsers.
Brackets’ outstanding features make it ideal for both seasoned developers and beginners.
This lightweight, yet powerful editor can be seamlessly integrated with your browser, so you’ll never miss a chance again – right there in front of you! With a mouse click or keystroke, the IDE switches to
Split View Mode and displays two parts of the same file side by side. Brackets also support CSS3 in its latest version.
You won’t regret trying this fantastic open-source program if you’re on the search for a new tool that’s not expensive but provides many perks!
6) Rider
Rider will make your coding experience painless and fun with its IntelliJ platform, built specifically for C# and . NET.
One major perk of this product is its inclusion of ReSharper, the most popular extension for Visual Studio that has already saved countless programmers hours in coding time.
It can also handle front-end languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as mono frameworks such as Unity or Xamarin.
Rider features database tools to simplify your process but you may still need other extensions depending on what you’re working on — it’s all there if you need it!
Rider is a modern IDE by JetBrains with intelligent support for programming in C# and .NET languages while including powerful refactoring and debugging functionalities.
You can also use it for front-end languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as mono frameworks such as Unity or Xamarin with its Database tools to simplify your process but you may still need other extensions depending on what you’re working on — Rider has all the features that will help make programming a joy.
7) Sublime Text 3
Simplify your workflow with Sublime Text 3 – the perfect IDE for programmers and power users alike.
A streamlined, fast, easy-to-use software designed with a focus on programming and markup languages. The interface has been painstakingly designed to be clutter-free and speedy for you to pick up programming skills in no time! And best of all, Sublime Text is completely free – no limitations or scores.
This fast, clutter-free text editor supports a number of different programming and markup languages. Whether you’re coding Python, C++, HTML or CSS—you’ll never be stuck without the right tool.
The cross-platform, flexible interface of Sublime Text 3 allows you to code in style with customizable key bindings, menus, and more.
Enjoy features like pairing activity so that collaborators can edit files simultaneously; snapshot; the command palette which gives easy access to commands by name or keyword; and instant project switch functionality which lets you change projects seamlessly without breaking focus on what’s happening now.
8) IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA provides a full suite of tools for developers regardless of the style they develop.
This Java-centric IDE has an intuitive and lightning-fast interface that empowers users in ways other IDEs can’t.
With IntelliJ, your workflow will be clear and more productive than ever before with its custom search functionality, code generation, refactoring options, etc.
Alongside all these features is a lightweight agent that automatically integrates into existing workflows to constantly keep you up to date about development issues or performance concerns at any given time. Be much more efficient with this tool today!
It simplifies development tasks and promotes speed by automating additional tools for you, providing a seamless experience when switching from one codebase to another, or developing new ideas.
Packed full of features that make life easier, it’s no wonder over 25 million developers trust IntelliJ IDEA as their go-to Java IDE. Choose your upgrade plan today!
9) PyCharm
PyCharm is a free, open-source IDE that proves to be well worth its price. The best part: it’s compatible with OSX, Windows, and Linux.
It’s flexible in the sense that you can customize the interface to feel like VIM and add custom plugins such as debuggers for Python or JavaScript.
From debugging your code to integrating with Git, PyCharm makes it easy for you to build beautiful websites and other applications on the web or any other operating system.
You may not realize how important your IDE is while you’re designing and debugging, but it can save you hours of time in the long run.
It also works seamlessly with Git and Mercurial repositories—just choose your favorite among them!
PyCharm is a free IDE that includes so many features that you’ll appreciate.
With VIM emulation, customizable interface options, an HTML5-ready debugger, and so much more built-in functionality behind an intuitive UI, this software can’t be beaten!
The interface can be modified to be more Vim-like if desired or switched to insert mode so hotkeys are easier than on-screen menus.
If you want an ultimate version of PyCharm by all means purchase it because the free version does have its faults from time to time – particularly with autocomplete when typing out projects. Overall though this software will provide enough testing and debugging tools that many programmers will find this to be the best IDE for them.
10) PHPStorm
PHPStorm is the perfect environment in which to develop your PHP code and your websites for any project that needs a touch of sophistication.
PHPStorm is a code editor made for those who want an advanced coding process that’s beautiful to look at and easy to use. Available on Mac, Linux, and Windows.
Compatible with PHP frameworks like WordPress, Drupal, and Magento. Supports HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, and other languages. Customizable and able to be enhanced by themes & extensions.
You’ve built a great WordPress site using PHPStorm and now you want to publish it. No problem just hit publish from inside your IDE! That’s one of many features of this great programming tool that is compatible with many different types of platforms and languages.
This open-source cross-platform application includes a visual debugger, automatic code completion, error highlighting, remote deployment, databases/SQL, HTML editor with CSS & JavaScript support as well as command-line tools.
Explore our rich set of topics on this blog or reach out to us at techsuppo[email protected] if you have any questions about our robust IDE.
PHPStorm has one of the best and most complete PHP IDEs on the market. With features like debugging, error highlighting, and databases/SQL for MySQL* Databases*, not to mention tools for CSS, HTML including HTML5*, JavaScript*, etc.
If you’ve never used an IDE before then this one will turn into the software program you use every day in no time flat!