You can use any text editor to write code. However, most integrated development environments (IDEs) include functionality that goes beyond text editing. They provide a central interface for common developer tools, making the software development process much more efficient. Developers can start programming new applications quickly instead of manually integrating and configuring different software. They also don’t have to learn about all the tools and can instead focus on just one application. The following are some reasons why developers use IDEs:

Code editing automation

Programming languages have rules for how statements must be structured. Because an IDE knows these rules, it contains many intelligent features for automatically writing or editing the source code.

Syntax highlighting

An IDE can format the written text by automatically making some words bold or italic, or by using different font colors. These visual cues make the source code more readable and give instant feedback about accidental syntax errors.

Intelligent code completion

Various search terms show up when you start typing words in a search engine. Similarly, an IDE can make suggestions to complete a code statement when the developer begins typing.

Refactoring support

Code refactoring is the process of restructuring the source code to make it more efficient and readable without changing its core functionality. IDEs can auto-refactor to some extent, allowing developers to improve their code quickly and easily. Other team members understand readable code faster, which supports collaboration within the team.

Local build automation

IDEs increase programmer productivity by performing repeatable development tasks that are typically part of every code change. The following are some examples of regular coding tasks that an IDE carries out.

Compilation

An IDE compiles or converts the code into a simplified language that the operating system can understand. Some programming languages implement just-in-time compiling, in which the IDE converts human-readable code into machine code from within the application.

Testing

The IDE allows developers to automate unit tests locally before the software is integrated with other developers’ code and more complex integration tests are run.

Debugging

Debugging is the process of fixing any errors or bugs that testing reveals. One of the biggest values of an IDE for debugging purposes is that you can step through the code, line by line, as it runs and inspect code behavior. IDEs also integrate several debugging tools that highlight bugs caused by human error in real time, even as the developer is typing.