JavaScript IDE/Compiler

Question

Now, I hope some of you people will understand what I'm asking. I'm new to programming. I got introduced to JavaScript on Codecademy.com

I use labs.codecademy.com for my JavaScript writing, but it's limited. What IDE/Compiler can I use that's pretty simplistic in terms of being new to programming. Where I'm not surrounded by buttons that I don't know how to use yet.

Does this even exist? A simple IDE?

Answer 1

I think these two editors/IDEs are simple and good for beginners:

• nodepad++ (with Plugins )
• sublimetext (with Plugins )

More "complicated", but good javascript support:

• netbeans

This is very subjective, but nevertheless have look at this editors and choose what suites best for you.

I hope I could help you.

Answer 2

Notepad? JavaScript doesn't have a compiler really. Though there are ways of shrinking the code that some people call "compiling" but it isn't "compiling" in the strictest sense of the word.

If you are looking for something JavaScript specific, give http://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm/ a try. The personal license is $50 and I'm sure that while it will do more than you need right now, it will grow with you. There is a 30 day trial.

Answer 3

I was researching this exact question for my daughter. Like you, she started learning JavaScript on Codecademy. She loves it, but she is frequently frustrated, when she doesn't understand why a program doesn't work.

So, I researched IDEs and debuggers, and I read that Visual Studio has a debugger that is easy to use. But after installing 4 different versions, I had to jump through lots of hoops to create a JavaScript project in Visual Studio Express 2013, and then I couldn't debug it.

After a while I gave up and installed Eclipse. I have used Eclipse before, and it's very powerful. I was originally looking for alternatives, because I felt using Eclipse for JavaScript is kind of like using an airplane, when all you need is a bicycle :)

There are many versions and packages of Eclipse. I think this one might be the simplest to install: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-javascript-web-developers/heliossr2 (Helios is a version, and this specific package is for JavaScript developers)

I actually used the latest version (Kepler). Unfortunately it doesn't have a package for JavaScript, so I used the Java package: http://eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-java-ee-developers/keplersr2 and then added JSDT: http://www.eclipse.org/webtools/jsdt/

Yes, Eclipse can be intimidating for a beginner, but the good thing about Eclipse is that it works on multiple platforms, you can find support for pretty much any language, and it's free :)

If you are serious about programming, I recommend you invest a little time in learning how to use Eclipse.

Let me know if this helps, or if you have more questions.