Top 5 IDEs/Code Editors for Web Development

I have curated a list of my top 5 favourite IDEs/Code Editors for web development. This list is my personal opinion. If you have another IDE/Code Editor you think should be on the list or higher/lower on the list, I would love to know in the comments. Firstly, I would like to address the difference between an IDE and a Code Editor.

What is an IDE/Code Editor?

IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment. IDEs usually come with more features (e.g. debugging, extensions, built-in terminal, and more). Think of an IDE as a code editor with superpowers.

A code editor is simply a place to write code. Usually, a code editor will only come with syntax highlighting and a few other minor features. As a code editor is lightweight and doesn't have too many features, I would definitely recommend it for a beginner or someone who doesn't want to install any heavyweight programs.

With that out of the way, let's dive right into my top 5 IDEs/Code Editors for web development.

5. Vim

My 5th favourite IDE/code editor for web development is Vim. Vim has the steepest learning curve on the list even though it is a code editor. This is because Vim has an endless amount of keyboard shortcuts to make you more productive while coding. At first, it can seem as though Vim is just a waste of time to learn but after you master the commands and keyboard shortcuts Vim has, it is the most productive editor on this list. I would highly recommend Vim for any developer looking to increase their coding productivity and is willing to spend a week or so learning how to use Vim. This is a great tutorial for getting started: https://youtu.be/IiwGbcd8S7I.

4. Sublime Text

At number four on this list is Sublime Text. Sublime Text is an extremely lightweight code editor which is blazing fast. Sublime Text has a beautiful user interface and little to no learning curve. Just download Sublime and you are up and running. Sublime Text is a great choice for any developer looking to get started with programming or a developer who wants a lightweight and fast editor.

3. Atom

My 3rd favourite IDE/editor is Atom. Atom is: "A hackable text editor for the 21st Century". This means that almost everything in Atom is customizable. One of my favourite things about Atom is its ecosystem. There are countless extensions/packages (e.g. themes, debugger, terminal) that you can get to increase your productivity when using Atom. Also, GitHub created Atom which means that it has flawless support for Git and GitHub. Atom would be a great choice for a developer looking for a customizable editor, all things you expect from an IDE, and flawless Git/GitHub support.

2. WebStorm

WebStorm is the most powerful IDE on this list. It has a built-in terminal, debugger, seamless tool integration, perfect unit testing, integration with VCS, and more. Why isn't number 1 you ask? WebStorm is a paid IDE ($129 USD per year). Since WebStorm is unaffordable for a lot of people, it's not first on this list. This doesn't mean that there is no use for WebStorm though! Try the 30-day free trial to see if you think it's worth the money. I would recommend WebStorm for any professional developers or anyone who is willing to spend the money.

1. VSCode

This one is no surprise. At number 1, we have VSCode. Like Atom, VSCode has all the features you would expect from an IDE and more. My favourite thing about VSCode is the extensions. There are tens of thousands of open-source, community-made extensions which you will love. VSCode is also very customizable and hackable. Also, if you love Vim, there is a Vim extension in VSCode where you have all the Vim commands inside a powerful IDE like VSCode. VSCode is also 100% free and open source! I would recommend VSCode to any developer!

This has been my top 5 IDEs/code editors for web development. If you have another IDE/Code Editor you think should be on the list or higher/lower on the list, I would love to know in the comments.

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Henry

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