What Is an IDE? How Does It Accelerate Development

Developing software applications is a complex activity. You need to build many things that work together: code, UI, project structure, environment configurations, and more.

Efforts to simplify the software development process have resulted in a wide array of software tools that facilitate many different design and development aspects.

One such collection of tools is an integrated development environment (IDE). 

Developers use an IDE to write, manage, and execute code while running their applications. It makes the development process much easier by abstracting different aspects of editing code into standalone programs.

How does an IDE work

An IDE provides an editor, compiler, and debugger, streamlining the coding process. It typically performs tasks like code completion and generic code management. While some IDEs focus on specific programming languages, such as Python or Java, many offer cross-language capabilities.

Developers use a variety of tools throughout the software development lifecycle, including top text editors, code libraries, bug-tracking software, compilers, and software testing tools. Without an IDE, developers must choose, deploy, integrate, and monitor these tools individually, which can be time-consuming and complex.

By integrating various development-related technologies into a single framework, an IDE reduces the time spent learning to operate each tool separately. This is particularly beneficial for new developers, who can use an IDE to familiarize themselves with a team’s standard tools and practices.

In terms of text editing, IDEs often support the insertion of frameworks and element libraries, allowing developers to build upon base-level code. During the development process, users can create hierarchies within the IDE and assign groups of code to designated regions. These groupings can then be compiled and executed together.

Common features of an IDE

IDEs have existed for decades. From being merely a platform for debugging and testing purposes to an integrated piece of software that can be an extension of the developer, IDEs continue to evolve and change with time.

Here are some standard features of an IDE:

• Text editor: Virtually every IDE has a text editor designed to write and manipulate source code. Some tools may have visual components for dragging and dropping front-end components, but most have a simple interface highlighting language-specific syntax.
• Debugger: Debugging tools assist users in identifying and remedying errors within source code. They often simulate real-world scenarios to test functionality and performance. Programmers and software engineers can usually test the various code segments and identify errors before the application is released.
• Compiler: Compilers are components that translate programming language into a form machines can process, such as binary code. The machine code is analyzed to ensure its accuracy. The compiler then parses and optimizes the code to optimize performance.
• Code completion: Code complete features assist programmers by intelligently identifying and inserting common code components. These features save developers time writing code and reduce the likelihood of typos and bugs.
• Programming language support: IDEs are typically specific to a single programming language, though several also offer multi-language support. As such, the first step is to figure out which languages you will be coding in and narrow your prospective IDE list down accordingly. Examples include Ruby, Python, and Java IDE tools.
• Integrations and plugins: With the name integrated development environment, it is no surprise that integrations need to be considered when looking at IDEs. Your IDE is your development portal, so incorporating all your other development tools will improve development workflows and productivity. Poor integrations can cause numerous issues and lead to many headaches.

IDE vs. text editor

While IDEs have a significantly more extensive range of capabilities, there are situations when text editors are easier to use and better suited to complete a task. Users who write a simple script or whip up some basic HTML will likely utilize a text editor rather than a complex IDE. Text editor software still has syntax highlighters and search capabilities.

IDE vs. command-line tool

"Command line" is a term most relatively tech-savvy people have heard of but often don't understand; in simple terms, it is the interface you think of when picturing 1980s computers. Command lines let programmers communicate directly with resources and access program source code.

They look relatively archaic, but some users prefer this traditional, purely text-based interface. To program directly into a command line interface (or portal if you’re a Mac user), you need a lot of experience and documentation because users are somewhat blind to visualizations and errors.

Types of IDE

There are IDEs for virtually every programming language in existence. Each offers different features that help programmers develop high-quality code quickly and efficiently.

• Multi-language IDE: These are IDEs that support more than one programming language. As a novice programmer (with plans to increase your expertise later), you might want to explore learning to use a multi-language IDE. For example, Visual Studio is a multi-language IDE well-known for its incredible features and ongoing support for extensions and upgrades. It's simple to add support for a new programming language by adding an extension.
• Mobile development IDE: As the mobile app development market expands, many new tools can assist. Mobile app developers want a platform focused on this sort of development to create effective and resourceful apps. For example, Android Studio and Xcode are mobile development IDEs for the Android and iOS platforms.
• Web/Cloud-Based IDE: Cloud-based IDEs provide several unique benefits compared to local development environments. A SaaS IDE can execute long-running jobs without seizing the computational resources of a local workstation. Cloud IDEs are often platform-independent, allowing connections to several cloud suppliers.
• Specific language IDE: There are IDEs specifically designed for developers who only work in one language. For example, Jikes and Jcreator for Java, CodeLite and C-Free for C/C++, and Idle for Python.Benefits of IDE

Benefits of IDE

There are several reasons to use an IDE, most of which revolve around software development. The platform centralizes three critical tools most developers use: source code editors, debuggers, and compilers. This allows users to write, perfect, and process code within a single environment.

Centralizing these tools also makes it easier to navigate the source code in question. Many include additional capabilities to test, organize and refactor code. Other features such as autocomplete, along with build and deployment capabilities, significantly expand a developer's capabilities and improve their development speed.

Other benefits include:

• Serves as a single environment for most, if not all, of a developer’s needs, such as version control systems, debugging tools, and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).
• Code completion capabilities improve programming workflow.
• Automatically checks for errors to ensure top-quality code.
• Refactoring capabilities allow developers to make comprehensive and mistake-free renaming changes.
• Maintain a smooth development cycle.
• Increase developer efficiency and satisfaction.
• Deliver top-quality software on schedule.

Challenges of IDE

IDEs are not just faster, they also considerably shorten the time spent on testing and debugging. After all, who doesn't want to save time and be more productive? However, there are also some disadvantages you should be aware of before deciding whether or not to use one.

• Complex IDEs are not the best option for beginners. It isn't easy when you have to learn an IDE on top of learning how to code. Furthermore, advanced coding features and shortcuts sometimes mask important but commonplace language nuances. When learning a new language, attention to detail is crucial. Using an IDE may make learning a new language more difficult.
• Keeping up with upgrades. It's challenging to keep up with the regular upgrades, including new samples, templates, and functionality

Best IDEs

The “integrated” component of IDEs is really what sets these tools apart from simple code-editing tools. Debuggers, compilers, and automation capabilities contribute as well. But one of the biggest reasons IDEs can be more beneficial than other tools is the ability to customize an environment with plugins and integrations. Plugins help customize workflows and add functionality.

The plugins can be as simple as color themes and schedules or as complicated as continuous deployment and database development extensions. The following are some of the top multifunctional IDE solutions that support C, C++, PHP, Java, JavaScript, Python, and many other languages.

Python IDE

Python integrated development environments contain all of the tools required for Python software development. It supports the automation of processes and increases the developer's productivity and efficiency. Python's expanding popularity across a wide range of computer and scientific applications, as seen by the development of analytics and business intelligence, necessitates the need for an IDE to execute it.

While elementary programs don't necessitate the use of specialized tools, once reaching that point, some sort of Python IDE is required; however, there are several types, and some are better at supporting specific languages than others.

Java IDE

Java is a popular programming language. It's widely used for creating powerful and secure desktop, workplace, mobile, and online applications. Java integrated development environments are platforms that offer programmers a complete set of software development tools. Java IDEs are designed to operate with specific application platforms and reduce the software development life cycle (SDLC) hurdles.

To IDE or not to IDE?

Developers use integrated development environments to facilitate their work. They help make the coding process a lot more streamlined and straightforward, especially for complex codes.

Choosing an IDE depends on the scope of the project and other factors such as programming language, version control system, and budget. Of course, businesses must also consider their personal preferences.

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This article was originally published in 2021. It has been updated with new information.