Why Learn Code Editors?

A code editor is a program designed to make writing code smooth and error-free. Some features include color-coded syntax highlighting, automatic indentation, error-checking, auto-completion with suggested code, and expandable code snippets that you can also customize. Have you ever explored all of the things code editors can do? 

Employers hiring a developer will expect their candidates to be familiar with code editors. The use of code editors is industry-standard for a reason: they have many advantages for developers. Code editors can help you make your coding more efficient, reinforce the coding concepts you have learned, and help you see more clearly what your code is doing and how to improve what you have written so far.

Here, you’ll learn more about the types of careers that benefit from code editors and how they can enhance your professional life. Regardless of your overall goals, learning code editors is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume.

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.

Common Professional Uses for Code Editors

The use of code editors is almost universal among professional coders. Therefore, almost any Software Engineer or Developer will be expected to use a code editor in the course of their work. Unlike with many coding-related skills, this expectation does not differ across the varied types of programming and development one might specialize in. However, some experts argue that different code editors are best for different types of coding.

For web development, programmers favor Visual Studio Code, Atom, Brackets, Sublime, or Vim. Which one they choose will depend on their level of experience and whether they find it worth paying for a code editor. Among Data Scientists, Visual Studio Code is also popular, alongside some more Python-specific editors like PyCharm or DataSpell. Regardless of your specialty, however, knowing how to use a code editor will serve you well in any coding-based career.

Acquire an Industry-Standard Skill

Professional developers almost invariably use code editors or IDEs. Employers hiring someone as a coder will assume that that person is familiar with code editors, and fellow coders working alongside them will expect them to use code editors in the work they do together. Not knowing how to use a code editor will not only hinder your work, but will also potentially create concerns about whether you are qualified as a developer. Choosing a program that includes code editors in its coding instruction, like Noble’s certificate in full stack web development, will prevent you from encountering this problem.

Make Your Coding More Efficient

The essential purpose of a code editor is to streamline the coding process. Each standard feature of code editors plays a role in making the process more efficient. Color-coded syntax highlighting helps you see the structure of your code more easily. Automatic indentation also helps clarify structure and visualize which sections of code are subordinated to functions or loops. You save debugging time with automatic error-checking. Code editors also have an autocomplete feature which can anticipate the code you are about to write and make suggestions. They generally come equipped with tools for using code snippets, that is, small sections of source code that the programmer can reuse as they write.

Reinforce Your Knowledge of Coding Concepts

Coding concepts and code editors are mutually reinforcing bodies of knowledge. An editor’s color-coded syntax highlighting won’t make sense if you don’t know the concepts of variables, commands, and functions. But once you do have a grasp on those basics, writing your code in an editor will make that knowledge more concrete by showing you the relationships between those elements as they unfold in practice. Similarly, understanding how functions and loops work is necessary to take in the meaning of code editors’ automatic indentation. Yet after you see what the indentation indicates, that spacing will help you gain practical knowledge of how these coding elements operate.

Get Clarity about Your Code

Another advantage code editors have to offer is that they can help you get a clearer understanding of your code’s structure and function. The color-coded highlighting of syntax and automatic indentation based on live parsing can help you see the relationships between the commands, variables, and functions within your code. This is a good supplement to the expert guidance you can get in Noble’s Python Developer certificate program or by doing its certificate in JavaScript development. 

How to Start Learning Code Editors

If you want real-time access to an expert instructor, you’ll want to opt for live instruction, whether you choose to learn in-person or online. Your study of coding and code editors will benefit from working with a skilled coder and experienced teacher. They’ll be able to clarify concepts when you are confused, give feedback on the work you do, and provide guidance as you pursue your study of coding. Students who prefer to learn on-site can check out available in-person coding classes. Those who’d rather study from home may want to look at this list of live online courses in coding.

Students with a busy, demanding schedule might find a self-paced class to better suit their needs. Noble’s Classes Near Me too can help them research on-demand coding courses. These classes range from brief introductory courses of an hour or two through programs estimated to take 6-9 months and prepare you for a career in the field. If you’re a beginner but still looking for an intensive course, you can find these on subscription platforms including Udacity, Skillsoft, and Treehouse.

You can also get access to free materials that can help you learn coding and code editors. If you’re still deciding which code editor you want to use, Noble has a blog post about how to choose a code editor. Those looking to learn code editors as part of studying front end web development will likely find this free seminar introduction to front end web development useful. Noble has also created a playlist of videos on web design and development, as well as a hub of tutorials, articles, and resources to help you learn code editors. You’ll want to make sure you check out Noble’s comprehensive list of available coding classes as well.

Read the full guide on how 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.

Key Insights

• Using code editors is an industry-standard skill that employers expect when they are looking to hire Developers
• Writing your code in an editor will make the process more efficient
• Some of the features provided by code editors, such as syntax highlighting and automatic indentation, will help reinforce the coding concepts you have learned
• These features can also provide a clearer perspective on the code you’re writing as you go
• The other functions of a code editor, like error-checking, auto-completion, and code snippets, will allow you to save time as you write
• You can receive comprehensive training in how to use code editors through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop