3.3 Developer tools
06.09.2025
Editors
Editors are programmes in which you write code. They are usually lightweight and designed to edit text efficiently. Well-known recommendations include Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text and Atom. They offer syntax highlighting, auto-completion and plugins for many programming languages, which makes coding faster and clearer.
In addition, there are specific editors for LaTeX (BibTeX and Co.), such as TeXShop, texmaker, etc.
Development environments
A development environment combines several tools for programmers: code editor, debugger, compiler and version control in one. Well-known examples are IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse and PyCharm. IDEs are particularly suitable for larger projects because they automate many work steps and facilitate troubleshooting.
Source code
Source code shows how a website is programmed. In browsers such as Safari, Chrome or Firefox, you can use developer tools (e.g. ‘Inspect Element’) to view the source code, adjust CSS styles or test JavaScript. This is useful for understanding how websites work, finding errors or optimising your own design.