So, you have decided to build a unique website in accordance with your vision and for the front-end framework, you want to use Angular Js. It’s a good choice and I commend you for that. But before we dive in further let us explore the nuances and fine details of Angular Js so that you can make the right choice of selecting the correct IDE to go with it.
From the excerpt below it is clearly shown that you are not alone in making the choice to use Angular Js. It is a very popular front-end framework and many websites run on it.
Developed by Google many industry heavyweights also use this framework. It is widely used across many verticals as evidenced in the excerpt below from Similar Tech a leading web analytics company:
Angular Js is an open-source front-end framework that runs on Javascript. The features of this framework make it very popular and have contributed to its steady rise as the most sought-after framework. The excerpt below from Thinkwik a web developing company is a testament to this.
Features of Angular Js
- This app keeps you away from doing a lot of coding through its two-way data binding. This leaves you free to utilize your time concentrating on the website or the app.
- This framework has ready-to-use templates that help people with little computing skills make their apps a reality. The ready to use templates are in simple HTML which go into the DOM and are transformed into the Angular JS compiler.
- It also has a testing feature. That means it can you can easily test what you have built.
Now, that I have elaborated on the features of this framework I hope you get a better picture of it. These features of Angular Js are giving many benefits to its users. So much so an entire web community has developed online that guides and helps new developers like yourself with any difficulties. I am also discussing the benefits of Angular Js so that you know how to use this framework to your advantage.
Benefits of Angular Js
- This framework saves a lot of time. Projects can be completed faster on this framework because it can split the app into several MVC components and additional coding isn’t required.
- This app is very easy to learn because the language is HTML. By including attributes to the HTML you can design and complete your first website or app within minutes.
- This is also very affordable as it is an open end source framework. This will help you in creating customized websites or apps at a lower cost.
- This framework’s UI (User interface) is seamless and fully structured. Due to this, understanding and manipulating the various components is easy even a designer who is not a developer can easily learn markups. This helps in making your team understand the UI easily.
From the points I have made, I am sure you are quite happy with your decision to select Angular JS as your front-end framework. Now that you are confident with your choice let us discuss IDE and which one is better suited to make your vision a reality.
Integrated Development Environment
IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment and provides users to develop their own applications from scratch by combining common developer tools into a single graphical user interface. Here I am discussing some of the common and well-known IDEs that go well with Angularjs to help you build your dreams’ code.
IDEs are designed so that it makes coding easier for the user. It acts as a text editor, debugger, and compiler all rolled into one. These are the features that I am further elaborating down below:
- Text editor: It is designed to write and edit your code. It is also very easy to read the code in IDE. It helps in completing your codes, highlights the syntax with visual cues and automatically checks for bugs when it is written.
- Debugger: It helps identify any bugs in your code or program by graphically displaying the location of the bug in the code you have written.
- Compiler: This IDE function helps perform repeatable tasks like compiling the source code into binary code, packaging binary code, and running automated tests. Basically, it helps in transforming human written code into machine language.
So, if you are a new developer using IDE is the best way to get started in the world of coding. IDEs are popular among developers because they have features that will make the job of a developer easier.IDEs also host a range of benefits and are definitely a leg up compared to an editor.
Through IDEs, you can save time when working on a code at an enterprise level, and there will be standardization of the code that you write. This is why most companies opt for an IDE suited to their needs and the question changes from “whether to go or not to go for an IDE?” to “which IDE needs to be selected?”
Types of IDEs
There are many types of IDEs available in the market which makes it overwhelming to choose. But we can classify different IDEs based on their common characteristics. I have discussed them below, which should help you in understanding the different choices available in the market.
- Some IDEs are programmed for 1 language only whereas other IDEs may support many languages. For example, Intelli J supports Java and is known as a Java IDE, but the Eclipse IDE supports multiple languages like Java, XML, Python, etc.
- You need to check whether your operating system supports a particular IDE. Unless an IDE is cloud-based, you need to know whether your website or app will run on Android OS or iOSand this will add further constraints.
- Though the basic features like debugger, compiler and text editor are present in most IDEs many come with additional features like refactoring, code search, continuous integration and continuous deployment, etc. which needs to be taken into account.
- IDEs also impact your system performance. It is better to understand the memory footprint of the IDE you are buying especially if you want to run memory intensive applications concurrently
- This is a fun characteristic. Most IDEs come with plugins and extensions that include the ability to customize workflows. This is an easily discernable factor.
Once you have understood the various characteristics and special features of the IDEs in the market you need to decide on which to buy. Let me help you further by discussing what factors need to be kept in mind before opting for an IDE.
How to choose an IDE?
There are certain factors to be kept in mind while selecting an IDE.
- The first foremost factor that comes to my mind is the cost. Although most IDEs are free their plugins and add ons are not. Most of them have premium features, so choose wisely according to your needs.
- Many IDEs that have a lot of packages and libraries become cumbersome to use after a while. This depends on how you use the IDE, so make sure you choose the right one with easily implementable packages and libraries and caters to your needs.
- Last but not least, take a look at your server connection. You should be able to deploy your code to the server from your IDE without any hassles. If this is not happening, you need to revisit the drawing board.
Furthering my discussion I have also listed some of the best IDEs that is well suited to the Angular JS framework. Hopefully, this can give you a better idea of selecting the perfect IDE.
Best IDE for Angular JS
- Angular IDEwas developed to work well with the Angular framework. It is also free and simple for beginners to learn. It is fast and is fully optimized to take advantage of the angular framework. There are many features to Angular IDE and it includes Type script 3.0 validation and debugging, angular CLI integration, HTML templates with validation and auto complete and block and full file formatting.
- Visual Studio Code is one of the renowned IDEs developed by Microsoft for Windows, OS X and Linus. The excerpt below shows how heavily this IDE is used.
The features of this IDE include tremendous language support, debugging, inbuilt git commands. It also provides refactoring, among others. It is easy to customize and is a powerful code editor as well.
AML IDE is a cloud-based IDE and allows you to code in Typescript. It is easy to use and is supported by all browsers. It is lightweight and highly integrable. It removes obstacles of entry into Typescript.
AptanaStudio is a fully equipped IDE used in developing websites and apps. It is open-source and is based on Eclipse, another well-known IDE. It also comes with numerous plugins and third-party applications.
It is customizable and has an inbuilt terminal. It focuses on AJAX application development and offers very good support.
Webstorm is a powerful and intelligent IDE built on Intelli J. It works really well with the Angular framework. It supports languages like Javascript, HTML, and CSS. It has a built in terminal and robust navigation and refactoring. It is a comprehensive package and supports debugging, tracing testing, and smart coding assistance.
Brackets is a famous IDE that can be used to create web and mobile apps. Its USP is its lightweight nature. It has many features like live editing and real-time preview, quick go-to navigation, and inline javascript editors. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. It is also open-source and free.
With the features of various IDEs listed above, I hope you can choose that will be following your needs, goals, and vision. Be it website development or any other coding you want to do, knowing the features of your tools and their limitations is very important in making your goals a reality.
Final Takeaway
The Angular framework is quite extensive and well known. It is primarily used for large-scale projects. So, in choosing Angular JS as your front-end framework, I assume you have a large project to work on. The IDEs listed above go very well with Angular and can be customized according to your needs and preferences.
Angular also has a perfect web community that can always come to your aid if you get stuck. Most of the IDEs I have listed above are open source and free. But do look into the plugins and add ons that you might need while coding before coming to a decision. Hopefully, this list will help you create some of the best-performing applications.
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