Shopping for the best laptop for programming should be a fun experience, and by compiling a list of some of the top products, we hope to make your life easier. Below, you’ll find a table and reviews for some of the best laptops for coding and programming. Best Coding Editors for Mac OS Some word processing programs are designed to work not only with plain text, but for coding (programming) as well. Some of such “notepads” became at least a functional addition to an IDE.

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Updated on July 11, 2017

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or you’re just learning how to code, staying on top of the latest integrated development environments is a constant challenge. Truthfully, there is no best IDE for everyone. The best IDE is the IDE that works best for you, so below is a selection of 10 of the most popular choices to help you figure out which one to pick.

How is an IDE Different From a Text Editor?

An IDE is more than a simple text editor. While code-centric text editors such as Sublime or Atom offer many convenient features such as syntax highlighting, customizable interfaces and extensive navigation tools, they only allow you to write code. To make functioning applications, you at least need a compiler and a debugger.

An IDE includes all of these components and then more. Some IDEs come with additional tools for automating, testing and visualizing the development process. The term “integrated development environment” means that you have everything you need to turn code into functioning apps and programs.

Which is the best IDE on the market? The better question is: “Which is the best IDE for my purposes?” General factors to consider when choosing the best IDE include the languages it can support, ease of use and cost.

Check out the list below outlining the features and drawbacks of each of the top 10 best IDE software programs.

1. Microsoft Visual Studio

Microsoft Visual Studio is a premium IDE ranging in price from$699 - $2,900 depending on the edition and licensing. The many editions of this IDE are capable of creating all types of programs ranging from web applications to mobile apps to video games. This series of software includes tons of tools for compatibility testing so that you can see how your apps run on more than 300 devices and browsers. Thanks to its flexibility, Visual Studio is a great tool for both students and professionals.

Languages Supported: ASP.NET, DHTML, JavaScript, JScript, Visual Basic, Visual C#, Visual C++, Visual F#, XAML and more

Notable Features:

A massive library of extensions that is always growing
IntelliSense
Customizable dashboard and dockable windows
Straightforward workflow and file hierarchy
Insights for monitoring performance in real time
Automation tools
Easy refactoring and code snippet insertion
Split screen support
Error list that allows debugging while building
Approval checks when deploying apps via ClickOnce, Windows Installer or Publish Wizard

Drawbacks: Because the Visual Studio is a heavyweight IDE, it takes considerable resources to open and run, so making simple edits may be time consuming on some devices. For simpler task, it may be easier to use a lightweight editor.

2. NetBeans

Netbeans is a free and open source IDE. Ideal for editing existing projects or starting from scratch, NetBeans boasts a simple drag-and-drop interface that comes with a myriad of convenient project templates. It is primarily used to develop Java applications, but you can download bundles that support other languages.

Languages Supported: C, C++, C++11, Fortan, HTML 5, Java, PHP and more

Notable Features:

Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
Dynamic and static libraries
Multi-session GNU debugger integration with code assistance
Allows for remote development
Compatible with Windows, Linux, OS X, and Solaris platforms
Supports Qt Toolkit
Supports Fortan and Assembler files
Supports a number of compilers including CLang/LLVM, Cygwin, GNU, MinGW and Oracle Solaris Studio

Drawbacks: This free IDE consumes a lot of memory, so it may perform sluggishly on some machines.

3. PyCharm

PyCharm is developed by the folks over at Jet Brains and provides users a free Community Edition, 30-day free trial for the Professional Edition, $213 - $690 for an annual subscription. Comprehensive code assistance and analysis make PyCharm the best IDE for Python programmers of all ability levels. PyCharm also supports other languages and works on multiple platforms, so practically anyone can use it.

Languages Supported: AngularJS, Coffee Script, CSS, Cython, HTML, JavaScript, Node.js, Python, TypeScript and template languages

Notable Features:

Compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac OS
Comes with Django IDE
Easy to integrate with Git, Mercurial and SVN
Customizable interface with VIM emulation
JavaScript, Python and Django debuggers
Supports Google App Engine

Drawbacks: Users complain that PyCharm has some bugs, such as the autocomplete feature occasionally not working, which can be a minor inconvenience.

4. IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is another IDE developed by Jet Brains. This IDE offers users a free Community Edition, 30-day free trial for the Ultimate Edition, and costs $533 - $693 annually depending on features. IntelliJ IDEA, which supports Java 8 and Java EE 7, comes with extensive tools to develop mobile apps and enterprise technologies for different platforms. When it comes to cost, IntelliJ is a real deal due to the massive of list of features you get.

Languages Supported: AngularJS, CoffeeScript, CS, HTML, JavaScript, LESS, Node JS, PHP, Python, Ruby, Sass, TypeScript and more.

Notable Features:

Extensive database editor and UML designer
Supports multiple build systems
Test runner UI
Code coverage
Git integration
Supports Google App Engine, Grails, GWT, Hibernate, Java EE, OSGi, Play, Spring, Struts and more
Deployment and debugging tools for most application servers
Intelligent text editors for HTML, CSS, and Java
Integrated version control
AIR Mobile supports Android and iOS devices

Drawbacks: This IDE comes with a learning curve, so it may not the best for beginners. There are many shortcuts to remember, and some users complain about the clunky UI.

5. Eclipse

Eclipse is a free and flexible open source editor useful for beginners and pros alike. Originally a Java environment, Eclipse now has a wide range of capabilities thanks to a large number of plug-ins and extensions. In addition to debugging tools and Git/CVS support, the standard edition of Eclipse comes with Java and Plugin Development Tooling. If that’s not enough for you, there’s plenty of other packages to choose from that include tools for charting, modeling, reporting, testing and building GUIs. The Eclipse Marketplace Client gives users access to a treasure trove of plugins and information supplied by an expanding community of developers.

Languages Supported: C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby and more

Notable Features:

A plethora of package solutions allowing for multi-language support
Java IDE enhancements such as hierarchical views of nested projects with customizable perspectives
Task-focused interface including system-tray notifications
Automated error reporting
Tooling options for JEE projects
JUnit integration

Drawbacks: While Eclipse is very versatile software, the many options may be intimidating to newcomers. Eclipse doesn’t have all of the same features as IntelliJ IDEA, but it is open source.

6. Code::Blocks

Code::Blocks is another popular free and open source option. It is a highly customizable IDE that performs consistently across all platforms, so it is great for developers who frequently switch between workspaces. The plug-in framework let

Best Coding Programs For Mac