Code Editors Video Tutorials

A code editor is a program Developers can write their code in. Its features are designed to make writing code smooth and error-free. Watching video tutorials online is a popular method of learning code editors. Students tend to appreciate videos because being able to pause and rewatch them as many times as you need makes it easier to go at your own pace. These tutorials are also typically free, and you can follow along with them in real-time as you practice. Visual learners tend to find video tutorials particularly helpful. This article will cover a range of videos, including what they teach and where to find them.

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.

Why Are Video Tutorials Helpful When Learning Code Editors?

Watching video tutorials is the start of many students’ journey toward learning to use a code editor. Beginners frequently choose to use video tutorials because they make it possible to get a quick introduction to the basics of using a code editor for free. Video tutorials can be especially helpful because, in addition to following along with the video in real-time, you can also pause the video whenever it is convenient for you and go back to rewatch it whenever you find it helpful. For those with busy schedules or who are trying to learn in a distracting environment, video tutorials are an excellent tool. Students who are strong visual learners also find video tutorials a highly effective learning tool.

Types of Code Editors Videos

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly code editor, Visual Studio Code will be a good fit for you. You canget started by checking out Noble’s tutorial on the Visual Studio Code editor. Are you studying code editors because you want to become a front end web Developer? If so, check out this video introduction to front end web development. Another useful resource could be Noble’s playlist of videos on web design and development. Udemy and Codecademy also offer free video tutorials on how to get started with Visual Studio Code. Microsoft itself has tutorial resources on how to use Visual Studio Code as well.

Why Learn Code Editors?

It’s important to learn code editors because they are an industry-standard skill. They have become nearly universal among developers because they make the coding process more efficient. The error-checking feature allows you to avoid a long and tedious process of debugging your code by hand. As with a search engine, auto-complete anticipates the code you will want to write next so that you don’t have to type the whole thing out. Code snippets also save you time by providing a shorthand that you can employ when using the same module of code over and over again, which is particularly relevant if you’re working in an object-oriented programming language.

Using a code editor can also help you understand your own code more clearly. The syntax highlighting function of a code editor identifies elements of your code in real-time and marks variables, commands, and functions in different colors. This feature, along with the automatic indentation that clarifies relationships between sections of code, allows a developer a clearer perspective on the structure of their programs.

Read more about why you should learn code editors.

How Difficult is It to Learn Code Editors?

The difficulty of learning code editors can vary. Your particular experience will depend in part on the code editor you choose. When you’re getting started, especially if you are also new to coding, you’ll want to make sure you choose a beginner-friendly program like Visual Studio Code. If you choose the right code editor, the challenges you encounter while learning it will be more the challenges of learning to code than challenges specific to the code editor. For example, the color-coded syntax highlighting in a code editor won’t tell you anything until you are familiar with coding concepts like variables, commands, and functions.

Before you learn how to use code editors, you will need basic computer skills, an understanding of basic coding concepts, and at least some knowledge of a programming language. The computer skills you will need include the ability to save a file in multiple versions. In addition to the basic coding concepts mentioned above, you’ll want to learn about loops, so that you can make sense (and use) of the automatic indentation feature in a code editor.

Most code editors are free to download. The cost of coding-focused training can range from $0 for introductory video tutorials through $3500-17,000 for a bootcamp. Opting for more traditional study through a four-year college degree can cost up to an average of $54,501 yearly for tuition at a private university.

Read about how difficult it is to learn code editors.

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.