How to Choose the Best JavaScript Editor for Web Development
As a web developer, your code editor is one of your most important tools. It‘s where you spend countless hours writing, testing and debugging code. Choosing the right JavaScript editor can make a huge difference in your productivity and coding experience.
But with so many excellent options available, how do you pick the best JavaScript editor for your needs? In this guide, we‘ll walk through the key factors to consider and compare some of the most popular editors for web development.
Key Features to Look for in a JavaScript Editor
While editors vary in their specific features and implementation, here are some of the most important capabilities to look for as a web developer:
Syntax Highlighting and Auto-Completion
Syntax highlighting colorizes text to distinguish between different elements like variables, keywords and strings. This makes code easier to read and spot syntax errors. Auto-completion suggests code as you type, based on variable names, functions and keywords. It saves you time and reduces typos.
Look for an editor with robust syntax highlighting for JavaScript as well as HTML, CSS and other web languages you code in. More advanced auto-completion that factors in scope, JSDoc comments and object properties is also valuable.
Debugging Tools
Tracking down bugs is inevitable in web development. While you can always use the browser‘s built-in developer tools, having integrated debugging features in your code editor is very convenient.
Look for the ability to set breakpoints, step through code and inspect variables without leaving your editor. Some editors also offer more advanced debugging features like network request profiling, code coverage reports and integration with browser dev tools.
Git Integration
If you use Git for version control (and you should!), having Git commands and visualizations integrated into your editor workflow is a big productivity boost. Look for features like:
- Side-by-side diff viewing
- Inline indications of changed/added/removed lines
- One-click commits, pushes, and pulls
- Branching visualizations and commands
- Merge conflict resolution help
Extensibility and Customization
No code editor will satisfy everyone‘s preferences and needs perfectly out-of-the-box. That‘s why extensibility via plugins and customizations is key, especially for more experienced developers.
Check if the editor has an extensions marketplace with a wide variety of quality add-ons. Also consider how much customization the editor allows for things like themes, keyboard shortcuts, code snippets, toolbar commands and more. Some editors allow you to customize them with CSS/JS.
Performance and Resource Usage
Code editors, especially ones with a lot of extensions installed, can be resource-intensive and slow to load and run. This is especially problematic if you work on a laptop or an older machine.
Consider how each editor performs in terms of speed and memory/CPU usage. Look for editors that are lightweight and snappy by default but can be customized if needed. Some editors may sacrifice a bit of performance for more advanced features.
Ease of Use
If you‘re newer to web development, ease of use should be a top consideration. Some editors throw a lot of features and configuration options at you up front, while others take a more minimalist and guided approach.
Think about whether you prefer a more bare-bones editor that you can build up over time or one that gives you more assistance and structure out-of-the-box. Also consider the learning curve required to become productive with each editor‘s specific setup and keyboard shortcuts.
Price
Many great code editors are completely free or offer free versions, while some require a paid license. In general, paid editors tend to be more polished and include more advanced built-in features, but that‘s not always the case.
Think about what features are most important for your budget. A free editor that you can extend with plugins may work just as well as a paid one. On the other hand, a paid editor may be worth it for the support, documentation and more sophisticated capabilities.
Comparison of Popular JavaScript Editors
With those key considerations in mind, let‘s take a look at some of the most popular JavaScript editors and IDEs and how they stack up:
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It‘s quickly become one of the most popular choices for web development, and for good reason.
Out of the box, VS Code offers a clean, polished interface with syntax highlighting, auto-completion (IntelliSense), and debugging for JavaScript and web languages. It also has convenient built-in Git tools for seeing changes and performing commits.
Where VS Code really shines is its vast library of extensions. There are thousands of free extensions for web frameworks, linters, themes, and more. You can easily customize VS Code to fit your specific workflow.
VS Code is also relatively lightweight and fast compared to some other editors. The main downside is that some advanced features for debugging and type checking are not built-in. But overall, VS Code is an excellent choice for beginners and experienced developers alike.
Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a popular code editor known for its speed, ease of use and strong community. It‘s a paid app, although you can use the free evaluation version indefinitely (with occasional nags to purchase).
Sublime Text has excellent default features like multiple cursors, a command palette, goto anything, and split editing. Its performance is extremely fast, even when loading large files or projects.
Sublime Text also has a powerful API and package ecosystem. There are thousands of community-developed packages to customize the editor for specific languages and workflows.
One downside of Sublime Text is that it doesn‘t offer as much hand-holding as other editors. It also requires a bit more configuration to set up your ideal development experience. But for those who prefer a highly customizable editor, Sublime Text is a great choice.
Atom
Atom is a free, open-source editor developed by GitHub. Like VS Code, it‘s built with web technologies and offers a wide range of extensions and themes.
Atom has a beautiful, highly customizable interface out-of-the-box. It offers key features like file system browser, multiple panes, and find-and-replace. It also has useful built-in packages for debugging, auto-completion, and code formatting.
One of Atom‘s biggest selling points is its focus on collaboration. The Teletype feature allows developers to collaborate on the same code in real-time, which is great for pair programming and debugging.
On the downside, Atom can be slow to start up and may struggle with larger files and projects. It also doesn‘t offer as many advanced IDE features as other editors. But for those who want a highly customizable editor and don‘t mind installing some extensions, Atom is a great free option.
WebStorm
WebStorm is a full-featured JavaScript IDE (Integrated Development Environment) from JetBrains. It‘s a paid app, although it offers a free 30-day trial.
As an IDE, WebStorm includes just about everything you could need for JavaScript development out-of-the-box. It has excellent code completion, on-the-fly error detection, refactoring tools, debugging, and built-in tools for testing, code coverage, and more.
WebStorm offers a deep understanding of your code and can provide smart suggestions and quick fixes. It also has a clean, polished UI and supports a wide range of modern JavaScript libraries and frameworks.
On the downside, WebStorm is one of the pricier options and may be overkill for simpler web development projects. It also requires more system resources than lightweight code editors. But for larger, more complex JavaScript projects, WebStorm can be a wise investment.
Brackets
Brackets is a free, open-source code editor developed by Adobe. It‘s targeted specifically for web development and has some unique features for working with HTML, CSS and JavaScript together.
Brackets offers a live preview feature that instantly updates your browser as you code. It also has powerful CSS tools like quick edit and live highlighting of related CSS rules. Brackets fully supports preprocessors like Sass and LESS.
For JavaScript, Brackets has JSLint integration for code quality, inline editors for functions, and refactoring tools. It also supports extensions to add additional features and themes.
The main downside of Brackets is that it‘s not as actively maintained as some other options. It also doesn‘t support as many advanced JavaScript frameworks. But for smaller web projects and designers who do some coding, Brackets can be a nice lightweight option.
Vim
Vim is a free, command-line based code editor that‘s been around for decades. It‘s known for being lightweight, fast, and highly customizable (with a steep learning curve).
For web development, Vim supports syntax highlighting and auto-indentation for HTML, CSS, JavaScript and more. There are also many plugins available for features like auto-completion, linting, debugging and Git integration.
Vim is completely keyboard-driven, which can be much faster than using a mouse (once you learn the key bindings). Vim also has powerful commands for navigating and editing code quickly.
The downside of Vim is that it can be quite challenging to learn, especially if you‘re used to GUI-based editors. It also requires more manual setup and configuration to get your ideal development environment. But for experienced developers who invest the time to learn it, Vim can be a fast and efficient editor.
Which JavaScript Editor Should You Choose?
Ultimately, the best JavaScript editor for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. Here are some general recommendations for different situations:
For Beginners
If you‘re just getting started with JavaScript and web development, Visual Studio Code is a great choice. It offers a good balance of simplicity and power, with a gentle learning curve. Brackets is also a solid option if you‘re mainly working with HTML/CSS with a bit of JavaScript.
For Experienced Developers
If you‘re a more experienced developer who likes to customize your tools extensively, Sublime Text or Atom are good picks. They‘re fast, lightweight, and endlessly customizable with a bit of configuration.
For Power Users
If you‘re a keyboard junkie who wants the fastest possible interface and don‘t mind a steep learning curve, Vim is a great choice. It takes some practice but can be extremely efficient in the hands of an expert.
For Advanced JavaScript Projects
If you‘re working on a larger, more complex JavaScript project and want the most powerful tools for type checking, refactoring, debugging and more, WebStorm is the way to go. It‘s pricey but includes just about every feature you could ever need.
Tips for Evaluating JavaScript Editors
To find your ideal JavaScript editor, here are a few tips:
-
Try out several editors to get a feel for their interfaces, features and customization options. Most have free trials or free versions you can use.
-
Customize each editor with themes, keyboard shortcuts and extensions to fit your preferences. Don‘t judge an editor solely on its default configuration.
-
Use the editor for an actual project for a while to see how you like the workflow. Building a small website or application will give you a more realistic sense than just playing around with sample code.
-
Pay attention to performance, especially if you work on larger projects or older hardware. Note how quickly the editor starts up, loads files and responds to actions.
-
Consider using different editors for different types of tasks. For example, you might use VS Code for everyday coding but fire up Vim for quick edits. Or you might use WebStorm for backend Node.js code but switch to Sublime Text for lightweight frontend tasks.
-
Invest time in learning your editor deeply, including keyboard shortcuts, advanced features, and extensions. The more you customize it to fit your needs, the more productive you can become.
Choosing the best JavaScript editor may seem daunting at first, but it‘s worth taking the time to find the right fit for you. With the right setup, you can write cleaner, faster code and ultimately become a more productive web developer.