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Choosing the Right IDE
Nerval's Lobster writes: Modern software development often requires working with multiple tools in a variety of languages. The complexity can give even the most skilled developer a nasty headache, which is why many try to rely on Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) to accomplish most of the work; in addition to source-code editors and automation, some even feature intelligent code completion. With so much choice out there, it's hard to settle on an IDE, so we interviewed several developers, who collectively offered up a list of useful questions to ask when evaluating a particular IDE for use. But do developers even need an IDE at all? When you go to smaller, newer developer shops, you're seeing a lot more standalone editors and command-line tools; depending on what you do, you might just need a good editor, and to master the command-line tools for the languages you use.
What IDE do you prefer, if any, and why?
Back in the days I used to use Windows I used PFE, a multi window editor. For the past 14 or so year I have been using Linux and Kate is my favorite editor now. Does syntax highlighting, tabs vs. spaces, tiled views, profiles for project management, and allows multiple windows on multiple monitors. I'm not sure what more I can ask an editor. It's funny how some of us make the editor our "IDE" and do everything else on the command line like you say.
Is that a roll of dimes in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
To be fair the trend in IDE's these days have been to get in the way of programming, they are starting to get more obnoxious than clippy.
Using an IDE is fine but my recommendation is to use a code style that you can work with in a regular text editor and turn off all auto-coding parts of the IDE.
The time you save from the editor adding the end bracket or auto-indenting is usually lost in the frustration when it does it at the wrong time.
Syntax highlighting and keeping track of start end end parenthesis is nice and all, but if you need it that is a good sign that your code isn't readable. IDE or not you should probably rewrite that part of the code at that point.
I also don't really get your point about renaming functions. Sure, most IDE's have a rename function for that specifically, but if you include the start parenthese in the search and replace that is still a single operation in any text editor that handles multiple files.
I would agree with you as I prefer Delphi for my personal work or for prototyping a solution. Others here couldn't give a rats ass about a tool they consider obsolete.
As for IDE vs CLI? I prefer IDE. Others a text editor with, maybe, syntax highlighting. More power to them.
A good IDE brings everything together, such a code, device views, active debugging, compiler, UML design tools, etc., into a single environment. Managing things such as refactoring, unit testing, code analysis, documentation and other tasks is a big help.
I will not argue with those who prefer CLIs as some people are simply more efficient with the CLI over an IDE. Personally, I would give those in my shop the option to use alternative tools provided the code is properly written, bug free and able to be used, with ease, with the selected IDE.
I do require a lot of screen real estate regardless. One can never have too much screen real estate when debugging when using a text editor or IDE.
My favorite IDEs?
Java - IntelliJ (from JetBrains)
PHP - PHPStorm (derived from IntelliJ)
Android - Android Studio (derived from IntelliJ)
iOS/Mac - XCode, RemObject Silver (debate is out) and AppCode (derived from IntelliJ).
For cross platform, prototyping and personal work, I prefer Delphi / RADStudio with VisualParadigm for real UML work.
Joe's Own Editor. I don't use a traditional IDE, but do still use JOE. Am I alone with this? *sigh*
Actually, it doesn't do exactly the same thing.
:x writes only if the file has been modified (only the file's access time is updated).
:wq writes unconditionnally (creates an empty file if it didn't exist, updates the file's modification time).
I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of killer sig, which this margin is too narrow to contain.
Refactoring tools are very handy, if you know how to use them. For things more complicated than global-search-and-replace, there is really no substitute.
I encourage you to go back to an IDE -- /any/ IDE -- and deliberately check-out the refactoring tools. You might be surprised at how effective they are, how much time they can save you, and how much it reduces otherwise error-prone hand-work.