JavaScript Cookbook, 3rd Edition

Chapter 1. Setting Up a Development Environment

You may have heard it said that the “tools make the developer.” While that’s something of an exaggeration, no one wants to be left in front of a wall of JavaScript code without their favorite tools to edit, analyze, and debug it.

When you’re setting up your own development environment, the first tool you’ll consider is a code editor. Even the most basic editor adds essentials like autocompletion and syntax highlighting—two simple features that prevent piles of potential mistakes. Modern code editors add many more features, such as integration with a source control service like GitHub, line-by-line debugging, and smart refactoring. Sometimes these features will snap into your editor with a plug-in. Sometimes you’ll run them from the terminal or as part of a build process. But no matter how you use your tools, assembling the right combination to suit your coding style, development environment, and project types is part of the fun. It’s like a home improvement pro collecting tools, or an aspiring chef investing in just the right cooking gear.

Tool choices aren’t static. As a developer, your preferences may shift. You’ll grow your kit as you evolve and as new tools prove themselves useful. This chapter explores the minimum toolset that every JavaScript developer should consider before they tackle a project. But there’s plenty of room to choose between different, broadly equivalent options. And, as many a wise person has remarked, there’s ...