Code Editors Prerequisites

A code editor is a program developers can write their code in. Their features are designed to make writing code smooth and error-free. You might worry that code editors will be too hard to learn. This guide will help you understand the best methods for learning code editors and what you should study first to make the learning process easier. This way, you’ll be successful however you choose to apply your new skills.

What are Code Editors?

{Module #1}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.

Are Code Editors Easy to Learn?

The available options for code editors vary somewhat in how easy they are to learn. Certain code editors, like Visual Studio Code, are specifically designed for beginners. Other popular editors that experts consider beginner-friendly include Sublime, Atom, and Notepad ++. Vim, another popular code editor, is not recommended for beginners, as its highly customizable design offers such a wealth of tools that it can make novice coders feel lost among the options. Experienced developers also suggest that beginners start with a code editor before exploring the more complex—though also more powerful—Integrated Development Environments (IDEs). While Visual Studio Code is a code editor, Visual Studio is an IDE, so you’ll want to make sure you’re downloading the Visual Studio Code editor.

What to Know Before Learning Code Editors

Basic Computer Skills

Before you can use a code editor, you’ll need to master the basic functions of a computer. For example, you must be able to save files in different versions, so that you can keep old code available in case you decide you want to use it after all. (Git is the industry-standard tool for version control, but you don’t need to know Git specifically in order to get started with a code editor.)

Coding Concepts

One of the features that make a code editor so helpful is the color highlighting of different elements of syntax in your code. To understand what you’re seeing, you’ll need to know the difference between a command and a variable. It will also be helpful to understand what functions, loops, and conditionals are, so that you can make better use of the automatic indentation feature.

A Programming Language

You can learn a code editor alongside a programming language (and you probably will.) But you can’t learn a code editor before you start learning a programming language because you’ll have nothing to put into it. A code editor is simply a tool to facilitate the process of coding.

Key Insights

• There are several skills you’ll need to acquire before or during your study of code editors
• You’ll need to start with basic computer skills, such as the ability to save files in different versions
• Familiarizing yourself with basic coding concepts will help you understand how the editor can help you
• Naturally, you’ll also need to learn a programming language to use a code editor, whether before you start using a code editor or (preferably) as you go
• You can receive comprehensive training in how to use code editors through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop 

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.