A definitive IDE
Choosing an IDE is like choosing a canvas. Each one of them has unique characteristics that suit different developers. Although there are fewer creative choices than a canvas while choosing a suitable IDE, there is still much to consider. Depending on the different languages you use to write code, extensions you may require, and the features that make you comfortable.
What to consider when considering?
A variety of factors determine which IDE would be ideal for you. Here are some key considerations to help you decide which IDE you should choose.
Languages
The programming language you use plays a vital role in deciding which IDE to choose. Typically, a programmer requires support for more than one language in their IDE unless they develop a rudimentary desktop application in Visual Basic.
Several IDEs, such as Visual Studio and Eclipse, support multiple languages, allowing developers to work on complex applications and develop sophisticated software. Although no single IDE offers support for all languages, developers must understand which tools would support their preferred set of languages when choosing an IDE.
Platforms
For developers who build applications for specific platforms, the landscape for IDEs is slightly different. For instance, developers can only work on Xcode to build applications for the Apple ecosystem. Moreover, only Xcode supports the programming languages required to build apps for different Apple devices and their respective operating systems.
Similarly, someone who builds applications for the Android operating system needs to work on Android Studio. Therefore, the platform for which an app is developed becomes another important consideration for choosing an IDE.
Capabilities
The capabilities of different IDEs stretch far beyond their support for languages and platforms. Different developers also prefer different IDEs based on the different quirks, optimizations, customizations, and features.
Features such as syntax highlighting, debugging support, and auto-indentation make it easier for developers to write code and enhance accuracy—further, support for features such as auto-completion offered by Visual Studio helps developers write code faster.
A perfect match - the IDE and the environment
There’s much to note when choosing an IDE. Consider WebStorm, an excellent tool for developers to understand what is happening in a code-base at all times. The WebStorm IDE helps developers with code completion, code refactoring, importing utilities/code, etc., making development faster and more productive.
Or we talk about VS Code, a code editor typically used by developers who do not wish to restrict themselves to a single programming language. The broad support for languages, comprehensive suite of plugins, and active community of developers discussing the tool often makes it the go-to developer tool.
Where developers pay such detailed attention to the tools, choosing an environment to run these tools must also be a top priority.
So, what is the ideal environment?
Traditionally, developers rely on expensive hardware and complicated setups to run the tools of their choice and write code. However, the process is an arduous, frustrating and immoderate affair – plagued with issues when developers move a code to a different machine, send pull requests, and review it. The vast dissimilarities in dev environments make the process more complicated and prolonged than it ought to be.
An IDE must positively affect the productivity of a developer, configured to cater to the needs of a developer out-of-the-box. Similarly, an environment where these tools run must do justice to the developer.
How Neverinstall is changing the landscape
At Neverinstall, we work on next-generation technologies to help bring the best experiences to users across multiple personas. While we optimize internet browsers for everyday users, we are changing how developers set up their dev environments.
The Neverinstall platform uses application streaming to deliver pre-installed and pre-configured developers, including IDEs, code editors, and a host of plugins, to the developer's desktop through the browser. Neverinstall’s goal is to offer a platform that can help developers navigate typical issues with the process of software development and make the most of the dev tools from any device and any location.
Suggested read - Development Environments: Upgrade or evolve?
The importance of the right IDE for a developer is comparable to the right environment to run it. And while we pay much attention to which tools we must use, it is time we consider how we use them.
