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JavaScript Tools
Writing JavaScript is a lot like writing in any other programming language, with tools designed to make development easier. The number of tools available for JavaScript developers continues to grow, making it much easier to locate problems, optimize, and deploy JavaScript-based solutions. Some of the tools are designed to be used from JavaScript, whereas others can be run outside the browser. This appendix provides an overview of some of these tools, as well as additional resources for more information.
VALIDATORS
Part of the problem with JavaScript debugging is that there aren’t many IDEs that automatically indicate syntax errors as you type. Most developers write some code and then load it into a browser to look for errors. You can significantly reduce the instances of such errors by validating your JavaScript code before deployment. Validators check basic syntax and provide warnings about style.
JSLint
JSLint is a JavaScript validator written by Douglas Crockford. It checks for syntax errors at a core level, going with the lowest common denominator for cross-browser issues. (It follows the strictest rules to ensure your code works everywhere.) You can enable Crockford’s warnings about coding style, including code format, use of undeclared global variables, and more. Even though JSLint is written in JavaScript, it can be run on the command line through the Java-based Rhino interpreter, as well as through WScript and other JavaScript interpreters. The web site ...
