Code Editors Certifications and Certificates

If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in code editors, you might be overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might also have questions, such as whether a certificate will help you get a job, what the difference is between a certificate and a certification, or how you can prepare to earn a certification or certificate. This article aims to provide answers to these questions so you can efficiently choose the right path towards a certification that will demonstrate your knowledge of code editors and other key development skills. Keep reading to find out more.

What are Code Editors?

A code editor is a type of developer tool, widely used by programmers to facilitate their writing process. It’s a standalone program that developers will write their code in before entering it where it will ultimately be executed. Code editors provide features that make coding more efficient and give the programmer more clarity about how their code functions. Code editors have been in use since 1985, when IBM developed the first one. 

Prior to the invention of code editors, coders generally wrote in a word processing program before transferring their code to be executed. The importance of code editors is that they are specifically designed for writing programs efficiently. Unlike a word processing program, the creators of a code editor build all of its features with this purpose in mind. Standard features of a code editor include live parsing, syntax highlighting, automatic indentation, auto-completion, and expandable code snippets.

One of a code editor’s most important features is color-coded syntax highlighting. The code editor parses the code in real-time to identify its key elements—such as variables, commands, and functions—and highlights them in different colors to help the programmer see the code’s structure more clearly. Another aspect of code editors that clarifies structure is the automatic indentation of code that runs inside functions or loops, so the coder can see that this code is subordinate to the larger structure of the program.

Code editors typically include built-in error-checking, which allows coders to avoid tedious debugging by hand. Like search engines, code editors also have an auto-complete feature, which saves time by anticipating and suggesting what you might want to write next. Another time-saving element of most code editors is the ability to use built-in code snippets to execute the same code repeatedly. Some editors let you create custom code snippets for your specific projects. Many of them can also work with plug-ins that increase their functionality. 

On a higher level, code editors make it easier for a Developer to navigate code files and resources as they work. Today, almost every Developer uses a code editor. For beginners, the most popular code editor is Visual Studio Code. Other beginner-friendly code editors include Atom, Notepad++, and Sublime.

Read more about what code editors are and why you should learn them.

What Can You Do with Code Editors?

Code editors allow a Developer to write error-free code more efficiently. They come equipped with features that facilitate the coding process. These features include syntax highlighting, automatic indentation, error-checking, autocomplete, and code snippets. That’s why their use is practically universal among developers today.

Color-coded syntax highlighting allows the coder to see the structure of their code. The code editor identifies in real-time what type of coding element the programmer is using, and uses color highlighting to mark variables, commands, and functions in the code. The live parsing that makes syntax highlighting possible also allows code editors to provide automatic indentation. Sections of code that are subordinate to the overall program, like those within functions or loops, are indented to show the relationship they bear to the rest of the code.

Another aspect of code editors that increases developer efficiency is the error-checking function, which allows the coder to avoid hours of tedious debugging. Many code editors have an autocomplete function, just as search engines do. This saves you time by anticipating and suggesting what you may want to write next. Code snippets also speed up your process by allowing you to avoid typing the same lengthy bit of code over and over again.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

A certification shows that you have passed an exam set by a third party (not your school) in order to assess your mastery of a subject. By contrast, a certificate is awarded by a school based on completion rather than assessment. 

Top Certifications & Certificates for Code Editors

Most code editors do not have their own certification programs that demonstrate proficiency in the software. However, in studying for a certificate or certification in coding, you will become proficient in the code editor you are using at the same time, especially if you make sure to check out and experiment with all of its features. Make sure that you’re using features that may require manual activation, like the code snippets, as well as automatic features like color-coded syntax highlighting and indentation.

Some certificate programs, like Noble’s, include direct instruction on how to use code editors as you are learning to code. What you would ultimately like to do with your coding skills should guide which one of these programs you choose. If you are interested in data science, you could learn coding and code editors by doing Noble’s Python Developer certificate. Want to become a Web Developer? There are several certificates you could go for: a certificate in JavaScript development, a front end web development certificate, or, if you want to learn it all, a certificate in full stack development. In all of these Noble programs, your class will spend dedicated instructional time on learning to use a code editor to its full potential.

Should I Get Certified in Code Editors?

While knowledge of how to use code editors is industry-standard for any programming position, employers rarely require certifications or certificates in code editors themselves. This is in part because few code editors offer their own certification programs. However, as code editors are nearly universal in coding education and practice, a certificate or certification in coding will be a sufficient indicator to potential employers that you have mastered the use of a code editor.

Learn Coding with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

When you study coding at Noble Desktop, the expert instructors and small class sizes will expedite and enhance your learning process. Noble’s varied training formats allow you to choose the type of training that will work best for you, whether that’s in-person or live online. Once you’ve finished a Noble course, you can retake that class for free, which can be helpful if you’d like to learn even more about coding. Coding courses at Noble include the use of code editors and other vital developer tools.

Noble has several certificate programs in coding. Your choice of program will depend on why you want to learn the skill. If you’re interested in becoming a Web Developer, you might want to enroll in a certificate in full stack development, unless you’re exclusively interested in front end work. In that case, the front end web development certificate program might be for you. Noble’s certificate in JavaScript development is also a good option for aspiring Web Developers. Students looking to become Data Scientists may want to check out the Python Developer certificate program.

If you’d prefer to start with an individual class before leaping into a certificate program, you can study coding in-person or take live online coding classes.

Key Insights

• Schools offer certificates based on completion, while a certification shows you have passed a third-party exam designed to evaluate mastery of the skill
• A certificate or certification in coding will also imply that you know how to use code editors
• Employers will not expect you to have a code-editor-specific certification
• You can receive comprehensive training in how to use code editors through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop