What Is an IDE and Which One Is Best for You?

Those who work in web development and other programming fields know plenty of coding languages and how to use them. Working as a programmer can involve repetitive and time-consuming tasks, though, and an integrated development environment (IDE) helps to take care of these issues. But, exactly what is an IDE, and what does it do to ease the way for developers? Knowing all about IDEs helps you stay on top of your work and keeps you focused on the important problems.

Our guide is here to give you information on some of the top IDEs around today. We delve into four IDEs that automate tasks and make programmers happier and more productive. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie considering which coding bootcamp might be right for them, an IDE will help you get through the day and come out with progress toward your goal. Our article helps you find the right IDE for your needs.

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AppBuilder

A person holds an iPhone in front of a laptop — **AppBuilder lets you develop for multiple mobile and desktop platforms.**

A big part of becoming an effective app developer or web designer involves engaging in practices that allow you to make your work compatible with multiple platforms. That can involve lots of repetition and reinvention in order to successfully shoehorn your work onto mobile platforms. AppBuilder makes developing for multiple platforms, including mobile and desktop environments, a breeze.

Developers can use AppBuilder on Windows, iOS, and Android. AppBuilder allows for a single JavaScript codebase that you share across all mobile environments, and it makes changes instantly and seamlessly. The IDE plays well with Angular, NativeScript, Ionic, JQuery, and many other tools. APPBuilder costs $39 a month for an individual license and runs $149 a month for business licensing.

Atom

Free doesn’t always mean inferior, and nowhere is that more true than in software development. There are lots of open-source IDEs that do amazing work and fill gaps in your workflow. Atom is one of the most popular free IDEs you’ll run across—it lets coders edit their text across all platforms. With Atom in place, developers no longer have to worry about individual configuration files and can focus on making their products as solid as possible.

Atom is highly customizable, thanks to its open-source origins. The app contains a package manager built into the system and also features find and replace and auto-completion functions to speed up your work. Atom includes integration for JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and Node.js. The IDE comes pre-installed with multiple syntax and UI themes to help you find an atmosphere that aids you in your tasks. Best of all, it won’t cost you anything to try this solution.

CLion

A person works on a laptop next to a mobile phone — **CLion allows you to delegate routine tasks and focus on the good stuff.**

C and C++ are both powerful and effective languages, but they also require programmers to go through a lot of task completion and drudgery. Before they get to more crucial areas of software development, coders who use C and C++ have to engage in routine housekeeping. CLion allows developers to bypass all the mundane tasks and concentrate on the more high-level programming work.

CLion includes automated refactoring and allows for easy and quick keyboard shortcuts when you wish to generate code. The IDE has data flow analysis and an integrated debugger, and it also offers semantic highlighting and identification of possible issues with your code. CLion costs $199 for the first year and drops in price per year after that. You can also purchase CLion as part of a JetBrains suite for $649 a year and a reduced price per year going forward.

Cloud9

Sunshine through the clouds — **Cloud9 is heaven-sent for workspace collaboration.**

One of the key points when working on a development team is effective collaboration. A team that pulls in unison makes great strides toward completion and maintains a high level of quality. However, getting people together when they work in remote locations can be akin to pulling teeth. Cloud9 helps to alleviate that issue by providing a platform for private and public workspace collaboration.

Cloud9 is a breeze to install and includes options for deployment with Windows Azure, Cloud Foundry, and Heroku. The IDE allows you to clone your workspace and replicate your environment remotely and features goodies like a debugger, split view, and more than 30 themes to make your experience a pleasant one. Cloud9 is free for public workspaces and offers one private workspace for free as well. Individuals can get private workspaces for $19 a month, while businesses pay $29 a month.

So, there you have it, development pros and hopefuls. Working with code can often be a time-consuming and tedious experience, but an IDE helps to tame the issues so you can focus on the crucial and complex problems. Our guide introduces you to top IDEs to help you get on top of your work and stay there.

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