Codelobster: Great IDE for browser-based RPGs

[Jackolantern]

I have been using Codelobster for months now, and I have to say I love it. It is a free PHP/HTML/CSS/JS IDE. The only thing commercial about it is that you can buy low-cost plugins for it to add additional library and framework functionality (such as auto-complete, syntax-highlighting, command help, and other plugin-specific features). For example, I bought the JQuery plugin for $19.99 because I both wanted it and wanted to support its development.

I have used Dreamweaver CS4 and Expression Web 3, and I actually have to say I like Codelobster more. The autocomplete works better, more commands get highlighted, and it can even hook directly into a WAMP Apache setup to get Visual Studio-style PHP debugging. It also has a JS interpreter built-in so you can test JS right in the IDE (although to be fair, Dreamweaver and Expression both have this as well). It is also lightweight, opens fast, has a small exe and I heard there is even a portable version of it floating around online.

While I would still probably use Dreamweaver for any visual HTML/CSS tweaking (which I rarely do anymore), Codelobster is definitely my go-to IDE for basically all PBBG development.

[hallsofvallhalla]

very kewl, thanks for sharing this. I am looking at it now.

[Jackolantern]

Let me know what you think about it! I am thoroughly impressed with it so far. I thought that a costly application like Dreamweaver would be the end-all-be-all of IDEs, but, for me, Codelobster meets or exceeds it in every way.

[PaxBritannia]

It has code folding! I might actually try it!

Currently I use Notepad++ and it works well for nearly everything - just not auto-completion.

Pax.

[Jackolantern]

If you use Notepad++, you should definitely give Codelobster a try. Beyond just code folding (which is great, particularly in PHP coding where half your page may be inconsequential HTML boiler plate code), the features CL offers over NP++ are far too many to name.

[Falken]

If you use Notepad++, you should definitely give Codelobster a try. Beyond just code folding (which is great, particularly in PHP coding where half your page may be inconsequential HTML boiler plate code), the features CL offers over NP++ are far too many to name.

Looks quite ok, altho I like Notepad++ because it don't got too many features, I just want color coding and line numbers when doing php/xhtml/css

[Jackolantern]

Well, to each their own, but if you haven't used a code-completion IDE long enough to get used to it, you should really try it out. I can easily code 5x faster with it than without because i am only having to make 1/5 the keystrokes at the most. You can even take it further and make entire IF/ELSE constructs one keystroke, and other massive time savers.

EDIT: Modern IDEs (not just Codelobster) can also basically eliminate variable name misspellings because it will suggest the name of all of your variables on the current page as you are typing them. That can be another huge time saver since now you don't have to test the page in WAMP, see that a variable name is misspelled, then go back into notepad, correct it and reload it.

It also just feels very lightweight, unlike Dreamweaver and Expression Web. It runs just as fast as Notepad++, and you could basically use it just like Notepad with the added convenience of the variable and function suggests. However, the PHP debugger is a life-saver for hard-to-fix bugs, and it is worth its weight in gold for me. PHP sorely lacks real debugging functionality without it.

[Falken]

Well, to each their own, but if you haven't used a code-completion IDE long enough to get used to it, you should really try it out. I can easily code 5x faster with it than without because i am only having to make 1/5 the keystrokes at the most. You can even take it further and make entire IF/ELSE constructs one keystroke, and other massive time savers.

Ye I know, I use codecompletion alot, currently working on a project in XNA in Visual Studio (C#) and ATI Render Monkey (HLSL) and use autocompletion in both.

But when mixing php with HTML and CSS IDE's often has a bad habit of messing stuff up Altho not making many website any longer...

[hallsofvallhalla]

I am not impressed with Dreamweaver at all. Not for the price.

[Baseball435]

I am not impressed with Dreamweaver at all. Not for the price.

I like dreamweaver because I like the how you can see the code and the way it will look