All software programmers use an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to develop a project, no matter which programming language they are working in. An IDE is a software application that provides an exhaustive set of tools for software development, such as code editing, debugging, version control, project management and many more. Here we will be discussing about ‘CodeLobster’, which is a cross-platform, multifunctional, portable IDE used in PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript development. In this article we will talk about CodeLobster Multipurpose IDE Download, Features, Reviews.

Why to Use CodeLobster IDE?

CodeLobster IDE is a powerful, cross-platform and reliable tool for web development. It supports multiple programming languages such as PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and many others. Moreover, it provides a wide range of tools to create, edit, and debug code efficiently. CodeLobster IDE is compatible with different operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS.

How to Practice JavaScript Programming With CodeLobster IDE?

JavaScript is the only programming language that is fully supported by browsers without the need for additional extensions. If you are planning to create an interactive website with a functional front-end, you will need to develop software logic for your user interface. The CodeLobster IDE provides a fast and versatile programming environment that efficiently supports JavaScript project development, saving you time and effort. As that JavaScript is essential for every advanced developer, it’s worth exploring the benefits that CodeLobster offers for working with JS, Node, and modern frameworks.

Support for Client-side JavaScript for Browsers

CodeLobster IDE provides tools for testing and debugging client-side JavaScript code in different web browsers. This can help ensure that the code works correctly across different platforms and browsers. Here are some of the crucial features:

CodeLobster IDE supports syntax highlighting for JavaScript, making it easier to read and write code. It also provides auto-completion for JavaScript code, which can help reduce typing errors and speed up coding. DOM inspection: CodeLobster IDE provides tools for inspecting and manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) of a web page. This can help developers understand how their JavaScript code interacts with the DOM and debug issues related to the user interface. CodeLobster IDE supports popular JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as jQuery, AngularJS, React, and Vue.js. This makes it easier for developers to work with these technologies and take advantage of their features and functionality.

Flash is now a thing of the past, as the new HTML5 capabilities, combined with CSS and JavaScript, allow you to perform any task without having to write a vast amount of code. For instance, while CSS properties like “animation” and “transition” are ideal for creating effects on a site, complex animations may require the use of JavaScript.

In this scenario, we have created a simple HTML page with a moving object. You can learn how to create and debug a script in the programming environment. To speed up the process of entering code, use hotkeys by pressing ‘Ctrl + Space’ and selecting the desired function from the list.

While working with the browser environment, having access to a comprehensive set of APIs is crucial for efficient programming. With the CodeLobster IDE, you can have the convenience of a built-in help system that provides you with up-to-date information on the programming languages you are working with. This saves you valuable time and eliminates the need to search the internet for resources. The  “Dynamic Help” tab contains links to the official documentation, which are automatically selected for you and displayed on the right panel.

By hovering the mouse pointer over any function, HTML element, or CSS property, you can receive an instant tooltip.

It’s worth noting that you no longer need to utilize the setInterval() or setTimeout() functions to execute animations, as this is an outdated approach. Instead, use requestAnimationFrame() for optimal performance across all modern browsers.

Overall, CodeLobster IDE provides robust support for client-side JavaScript development, making it a worthy tool for web developers.

Inspecting Scripts with the Built-in Debugger

Even a novice programmer practices a general way to debug JavaScript using the function console.log(). Obviously, this is the simplest and quicker approach, but it is convenient for verifying small scripts. The disadvantage is that you get the data after the program has already completed its work. If you are developing a complicated application, you need an additional control over the script execution process.

CodeLobster IDE has a built-in debugger that offers debugging of JavaScript code, allowing developers to set breakpoints, inspect variables, and analyze runtime errors. This can help identify and fix bugs in client-side JavaScript code. The built-in debugger allows you to halt the program at any step of execution and evaluate the state of variables and the environment.

To start the debugging, set a breakpoint. By setting a breakpoint at a specific line of code, the developer can examine the value of variables, step through the code, and identify potential errors in the program’s logic.

Similar to other IDEs, you can put one or multiple breakpoints by clicking the mouse to the left of the column with line numbers in the editor. Afterwards, press the F5 key to initiate the process or click on the “Live view” tab at the bottom of the program window. It will open the application in the default browser window and script execution will be discontinued on the first breakpoint. Now, you can move through each line of code sequentially by pressing the F11 key. By pressing the F5 key again, you can jump to the next breakpoint instantly.

In order to see the current value of any variable, you can hover the pointer over its name. Although it is better to use the special tabs on the bottom panel of the IDE in order to get extra details in a handy table view.

In this case we should be concerned in the following tabs:

•  Call Stack – In the Call Stack, you can check the call stack and trace as the chain of function calls.
•  Locals – It allows you to immediately measure the state of all available variables in the current script execution context.
• Watch – the so-called “watch list”, here you can place your preferred variables, the values of which you want to control. To add to a list, simply right-click on the variable name and select ‘Add Watch’ from the context menu.

If you want to complete the debugger, press Shift + F5. You can also disable the breakpoints by making a mouse click again.

CodeLobster ensures that your code is free of syntax errors and highlights the lines containing errors in the editor.

The integrated debugger comes with extra features that enable you to quickly identify bugs, inspect scripts, and debug both front-end and back-end JavaScript using a unified IDE interface.

Node.js Support for Server-side Programming

When working in a browser, our primary focus is on manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) and utilizing the available API. This is typically done within a isolated environment. In contrast, Node.js grants unrestricted access to system functions and computer files through its specialized modules. Of course, creating Node applications and writing client scripts are entirely different stuffs. However, the programming is done in the same JavaScript, but the ecosystem and the objectives are different.

A specialist in web development can create a mini-site or Single Page Application (SPA) using familiar technologies and subsequently craft a small back-end to test the new web application. In CodeLobster, working with Node is just as simple as with other libraries. Features like autocompletion and hints assist in speeding up typing, adhering to the standard asynchronous style, and enabling greater focus on the programming logics.

Debugging Node scripts follows the same pattern as debugging client-side JavaScript. Simply set a breakpoint and press F5 to launch the debugger. From there, the debugging process is similar to that of client-side JavaScript.

Support for JavaScript Frameworks

Continuously improving, CodeLobster has evolved into a fully-fledged JavaScript IDE. Currently, the platform already supports the new syntax when coding in pure JavaScript or utilizing popular general-purpose libraries like Bootstrap API, JQuery, and Node. Additionally, CodeLobster offers support for specialized frameworks for building Single Page Applications (SPA) and designing dynamic user interfaces. These include AngularJS, ReactJS, BackboneJS, EmberJS, MeteorJS, and VueJS.

You can download any of the supported libraries from the “Plugins” section in the main menu of the program. Simply select the desired item and click “Download Framework”, and the IDE will automatically download and add the latest version of the framework to your project.

Conclusion

The development of Node has motivated JavaScript’s expansion across all platforms and devices. Nowadays, JavaScript programs can operate on internet users’ browsers, servers, and even embedded systems. Furthermore, with the implementation of the ES6 standard, JavaScript has experienced drastic changes. What exactly has been accomplished?

JavaScript has grown to more closely traditional object-oriented languages, resulting in simplified development and maintenance of complex, feature-rich programs. Consequently, it’s now possible to produce clean, concise, and readable code, making JavaScript an even more programmer-friendly language. With CodeLobster IDE, developers can create distributed client-server applications, mobile or desktop applications for major operating systems, including Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. As a result, web specialists are now in an advantageous position, fully prepared to develop any type of software.