Web Development
Technologies
2022-11-09
9 min. read

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8 Best IDE for Web Development

8 Best IDE for Web Development

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If you want the best Web Development IDE, keep reading. The area of web development has made giant leaps in recent years. But, at the same time, the approach to it is different.

We at mDevelopers, having over 12 years of experience in web and mobile app development, know how important the work area is during work. This is the basis of our work, so it is important that it is properly adapted to our needs.

Although some things have changed over the years in web development, one thing that has remained constant is the use of an integrated development environment (IDE). With this article on the best free Web Development IDE in 2022, we want to show you what is currently available. So if that sounds interesting to you, let's get started!

What is Web Development IDE?

We've come a long way from having to write shell scripts and code exclusively in the command line. Now, there are Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) that take care of all the heavy lifting for us developers.

While web development IDEs arguably originally created an integrated development environment (IDE) for their commercial or personal use, TurboC-which was released in 1991 and designed for the C programming language, is the most chosen option. Since then, IDE software has been developed for every written language, including Java, JavaScript, and HTML.

A web development IDE is a toolkit that comes with several features, like autocomplete and grammar checking. A debugger lets you identify errors in your code so you can fix them. And the ability to see a live preview of your work makes it easier to understand how the final product will look.

An IDE's arsenal is whatever the programmer needs it to be. I prefer to think of integrated development environments (IDEs) as a helping hand; the more functionality they provide, the easier it is for programmers to create code. In other words, an IDE should make life simpler for the programmer, not harder.

The Best Web Development IDE Software

We know how difficult it can be to find the right IDE for website development, so we’ve compiled a list of 8 of the best on the market. Each IDE supports at least macOS and Windows systems and can be used to write HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and Python (at a minimum).

Lastly, we'll touch on a few pricing options and use cases. No matter if you're with an agency that has money to spare on technology or you're a penny-pinching freelancer, there's bound to be a tool below that suits you well. Let's get started.

IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA

JetBrains is a web development software company that specializes in building IDEs and plugins. IntelliJ IDEA is their Java-focused platform.

HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and Python are all viable languages to learn for coding. If you want to work with all five of them, IntelliJ IDEA may be the best platform for you.

Out of the box, you can use this IDE to write and edit HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. With two free plugins from JetBrains' extensive catalog, you can add support for PHP and Python. This is one of the more flexible tools available from JetBrains that adapts well to a wide range of projects.

Moreover, IntelliJ IDEA can be utilized on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. However, that is not all; you will also have access to vital features such as:

  • Code completion can predict what you need next and make suggestions to speed up your workflow.
  • Inline debugging locates and presents errors in your source code where they occur, so you don’t have to go searching for them.
  • Being able to track and revert changes in your project is essential, which is why our version control system exists.
  • If you're using build tools such as Apache Maven, Gradle, or Webpack, integrating with Proof is a breeze.

IntelliJ IDEA provides three pricing options, with the free and open-source Community versions available at no cost. The community edition hinders the choice of selecting an IDE that supports a wide range of languages as it lacks support for language editing features, such as JavaScript.

Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code

The Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is widely used for web development and is one of the best programming environments available. It can be used to construct anything from large computer programs to basic web pages and lightweight web applications.

An IDE is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development. Microsoft's prominent platforms, such as the Windows API, forms, and presentation foundation, can all be used in this one environment. In other words, it helps you write code that will work on different machines without having to change it each time.

The included code editor supports IntelliSense, an intelligent code completion tool that speeds up developers' work by making recommendations as they finish coding. In addition, the debugger can handle source-level and machine-level debugging at the same time.

CodePen

CodePen

Codepen is a web-based community of developers who share their work online. The website’s main focus is the Codepen free IDE, which is entirely cloud-based. This means that developers only need a browser and an internet connection to use it. Codepen is extremely fast and popular among web development professionals. As an open source ide, it functions as an online code editor while also providing a learning environment for users to create code snippets.

PyCharm

PyCharm

If you primarily focus on high-level programming, choose an IDE that specializes in the language you use the most. IntelliJ IDEA's Python-based counterpart is PyCharm.

In addition to being JetBrains’ Python IDE, this program offers a number of features that will likely come in handy. For example, like IntelliJ, it is available on all three major operating systems. Its Professional license also provides support for HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. In addition, you can always access the plugin library for additional extensions.

With this IDE in your corner, you can:

  • Code completion can help you work faster and avoid mistakes.
  • Use our smart navigation tool to quickly jump to problem areas, switch tools, and more.
  • To find out how long each process takes to execute, use Python profiling.
  • PyCharm can be integrated with Jupyter Notebook (formerly iPython Notebook), Anaconda, and other scientific development libraries.

IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm share a lot of similarities, with the main difference being that IntelliJ has more features in its paid version. For example, if you don't have a paid plan for IntelliJ, you won't be able to access the Python Profiler or scientific web development tools.

Brackets

Brackets

Adobe Systems developed Brackets, and it is now one of the most popular web development integrated development environments (IDEs) among developers. This is because it provides them with visual tools like an inline editor and a live preview that make their work more efficient. Moreover, the editor has a great interface and easy navigation, making editing enjoyable rather than tedious.

Not only do Brackets have a real-time connection to a browser, but web developers can also view code changes on the screen in real time. If you work with preprocessors and different web technologies, then you will find it much easier to edit your LESS and SCSS files within Brackets.

With features like inline editors and preprocessor support, this cross-platform IDE definitely stands out against the competition. Furthermore, it is open-source and free to use, so let's explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of brackets.

With Brackets, you can see updates to the front end of your project in real time as you make edits without needing to refresh the page. This is extremely beneficial because it allows for a preview of changes before they're saved. Currently, Brackets supports the Language Server Protocol, which permits robust navigation features and code hinting - giving Brackets an edge over other IDEs.

NetBeans

NetBeans

There's no doubt that NetBeans is one of the most popular open-source web development integrated Development environments (IDEs) for C++, JavaScript, and Java applications. And it has a large fan base with active communities all over the world.

NetBeans' drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to change an existing project or start from scratch. Its modules also enable you to create high-performance applications from the ground up. Best of all, this web development IDE works on a variety of systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris, without any problems.

To help you with your software development process, NetBeans offers a variety of integrated modules. The most useful ones include the NetBeans profiler, the GUI design tool, and the JavaScript editor.

PHPStorm

PHPStorm

If you're looking for an IDE that can handle HTML, CSS, and JavaScript development, then PHPStorm should be near the top of your list. Additionally, if you need to develop commercial or cross-platform PHP applications, PHPStorm is likely your best option. Although it's designed in Java, other programming languages are compatible with PHPStorm through plugins.

With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, PHPStorm is the perfect coding environment for small projects or large-scale ones. You can stop worrying about typos and other mistakes thanks to the smart functionality of this software.

Some of the many powerful features of PHPStorm include a code editor with syntax highlighting, code auto-completion, and coding style support. There is also a simple to-set-up visual debugging tool. In addition, PHPStorm includes support for some of the most popular frameworks, such as WordPress and Symfony. Finally, you can personalize your IDE by using various themes and add-ons.

  • There is a debugger built-in.
  • Very simple to use, with a friendly user interface.
  • Integrates well with frameworks and content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress.
  • Refactoring of code is available.

WebStorm

WebStorm

Among all the Integrated Development Environments available, WebStorm is arguably the smartest with its intelligent code editor. What makes it stand out even more, is that it offers features like on-the-fly mistake detection and sophisticated navigation. The only downside to this software is that JetBrains built it as a closed-source piece of software instead of open source.

Though it has a sleek and user-friendly interface, this app is also packed with incredible features that both expanding businesses and individual users will find. However, because it is commercial software rather than open source, you have to pay for Proof monthly or yearly.

It is a web development IDE that is both simple to use and extremely lightweight, making it ideal for creating online apps that stand out. WebStorm unquestionably has some of the best code editor capabilities and is one of the most popular JavaScript-integrated development environments (IDEs). It also has remarkable other abilities that will assist you in developing apps unlike any other. Let’s have a look at some of these advantages and disadvantages of using WebStorm now.

Conclusion

The integrated development environments (IDEs) mentioned earlier all come with fantastic features, and the best part is that most of them are free. If you're a software or web developer, using these IDEs could make your work process easier while also enhancing your coding skills.

While you may need to spend money to access some web development services, you'll actually find that they are quite affordable and will work within your budge.

About the author
Peter Koffer - Chief Technology Officer

With 13 years of experience in the IT industry and in-depth technical training, Peter could not be anything but our CTO. He had contact with every possible architecture and helped create many solutions for large and small companies. His daily duties include managing clients' projects, consulting on technical issues, and managing a team of highly qualified developers.

Piotr Koffer

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