10 Best Angular IDE for Angular Development [2024]

Angular is the framework of JavaScript development developed by Google in the year 2009. In the process of software development, coding, and testing, a developer adopts different types of tools and frameworks. Those tools chosen in the market for some development processes provide hands-on productivity, especially for Angular development. A revolution occurred in web development with the advent of Angular. It allowed developers to combine JavaScript with HTML and CSS.

Why Choose the Right Angular IDE?

Choosing the right IDE for Angular will bring great consequences in your productivity and efficiency of development. You will be able to speed up the process of coding, minimize errors, and take full advantage of powerful features provided for debugging, code completion, and real-time validation by setting up an environment with the right tools. A well-matched IDE not only provides great comfort during coding but also helps to sustain neat and readable code, which is a must for performance and ease of maintenance.

Key Features to Look for in an Angular IDE

When selecting an Angular IDE, consider the following features:

TypeScript Support: Angular is TypeScript-based, so strong TypeScript support is essential.
Integrated Debugging: Look for IDEs with robust debugging tools to help you identify and fix issues quickly.
Code Completion: Intelligent code completion might give you a very fast pace in development.
Version Control Integration: Obviously, integration with Git or other version controls is an added advantage in teamwork.
Customization: IDE-supporting theming, keybindings, and workflows can allow you to tailor your productivity experience.

1. Angular IDE

Angular IDE by Webclipse is an IDE that targets specifically Angular. It is ideal for both the beginner and the expert in equal measure since it provides a smooth experience when it comes to the coding, testing, as well as debugging of Angular applications.

Features:

Angular CLI integration
Real-time error display
Advanced TypeScript 3.0 support
Supports Angular 7
Syntax-aware source coloring

Pros and Cons:

Pros: It targets Angular, ease of use, and validation in real-time.
Cons: Can only work on Angular projects; hence, not flexible compared to other IDEs.

2. Atom

Atom is a highly configurable text editor developed by GitHub, for developers who like simplicity. It was built using Electron, which makes it a pretty flexible tool to create desktop applications using web technologies.

Features:

Cross-platform
Built-in package manager for plugins.
Smart autocompletion
Multiple panes for side-by-side editing.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Lightweight, customizable, open-source.
Cons: Slow with large files or lots of plugins, out-of-the-box features minimal for Angular.

3. Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is a powerhouse and cross-platform code editor developed by Microsoft. It supports Angular development provides with built-in TypeScript support and supports a variety of extensions.

Features:

Built-in debugging capabilities.
IntelliSense to smartly complete your code.
Extensions for Angular, TypeScript, and JavaScript.
Integrated Git

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Very versatile, highly extensible, and great for beginners and advanced developers.
Cons: Resource-heavy, requires quite a lot of configuration to tap into its full potential for Angular development.

4. Sublime Text

Sublime Text represents a lightweight code editor that opens and runs faster. Due to the big set of extensions, Sublime Text is quite appropriate for Angular development when complemented with proper plugins.

Features:

Syntax highlighting
TypeScript support with plugins.
Command Palette for immediate navigation.
Multi-selections for fast editing.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Pretty fast, highly customizable, and supports numerous programming languages.
Cons: By default does not support Angular; needs plugins for fully-fledged functionality.

5. WebStorm

WebStorm is a powerful JavaScript IDE from JetBrains. It brings to your fingertips the most intelligent code completion and refactoring. It is also highly responsive and features deep integration with Angular.

Features:

Intelligent code completion
Built-in terminal
Support for VCS
Built-in app debugger and test runner

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Feature-rich, ideal for significant projects, outstanding TypeScript support.
Cons: Extremely expensive, heavy on resources.

6. Brackets

Brackets is an open code editor that has mixed the power of visual tools along with an easy-to-use interface. Being open-source, this makes Brackets a fine option for Angular developers who do not want to complicate their environment.

Features:

Support for preprocessors
Inline editors
Live preview for instant feedback
Cross-platform

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Lightweight, simple, free.
Cons: Compared to full-scale IDEs, limited functionality; less powerful for big projects.

7. ALM IDE

An IDE for ALM is a cloud-based IDE that's made appropriate on a project basis, precisely for TypeScript projects, and thus ideal for Angular development. It removes the barriers to entry and makes it easier for developers to get started with TypeScript.

Features:

Lightweight and fast.
Integrated TypeScript support.
Simple npm installation.
Cloud-based, accessible from anywhere.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Lightweight, easy to set up, cloud-based.
Cons: Limited offline capabilities, and lacks advanced features.

8. Aptana Studio

Aptana Studio is an open-source IDE based on Eclipse. It is good and well-suited for web development, featuring deep support for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other web technologies, including Angular with the needed plugins.

Features:

Fully customizable interface
Deployment wizard
Terminal built inside
Rich support of plugins

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Open-source and customizable, having strong tools for web development.
Cons: Will require setup for Angular support; for some people, it may seem outdated compared to new IDEs.

9. NetBeans

NetBeans being a known open-source IDE, carries strong capabilities of support to Java. However, a few solid features for web development in general also contain the support for Angular. It is a versatile tool used by developers working for different types of projects.

Features:

Highly cross-platform.
Solid debugging and profiling tools.
Supports a slew of languages.
Version control is integral to it.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Versatile, open-source, strong community support.
Cons: Not very modern or lightweight; the UI is not impressive without extra plugins for Angular support.

10. IntelliJ IDEA

Another JetBrains IDE for developers is IntelliJ IDEA. This is a very complete IDE and provides amazing support for Angular. Besides, the tool is popular among users for smart coding assistance and a lot of professional tools.

Features:

Smart code completion.
Integrated tools for testing and debugging.
Version control integration.
Plugin ecosystem for added functionality.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: Powerful, highly customizable, great for large-scale projects.
Cons: Expensive, resource-heavy.

FAQs

Why is Visual Studio Code a popular choice for Angular developers?

Visual Studio Code is popular because of its versatility and its big ecosystem of plugins. In particular, strong support for TypeScript, without which it's hard to develop Angular applications.

How does WebStorm compare to other IDEs for Angular?

WebStorm offers a more integrated experience with smart coding assistance, built-in testing tools, and strong TypeScript support, making it a preferred choice for professional Angular developers.

Can I use Sublime Text for Angular development?

Yes, it is quite possible to use Sublime Text for developing in Angular; however, for features like supporting TypeScript and snippets in Angular, plugins will be required.

What is the difference between an IDE and a code editor for Angular?

An IDE is a complete development environment, containing writing, testing, and debugging tools, while a code editor is a lightweight tool used for just editing code, and some additional plugins would let it become a full-force editor.

Are there free IDEs available for Angular development?

Yes, most IDEs and code editors are free for Angular developments, including Visual Studio Code, Atom, and Brackets.

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