Key Features to Consider When Choosing an IDE

To get their jobs done, developers rely on highly specific tools. While some developers prefer to work strictly from the command line, most prefer using an integrated development environment (IDE) to handle their tasks. The right IDE enables a developer to write high-quality code and meet release deadlines. When using the wrong tool, the developer's work becomes exponentially harder.
So what makes a good IDE? Given that each developer uses their IDE differently and that there is a vast number of IDEs out there, this question can seem a bit vague. However, there are certain features that most developers consider essential for their work.
If you've never used an IDE or are planning to purchase or implement one for your developers, here is a list of features that most developers consider must-haves.

Incremental Search

A good search function is very important for an IDE. There are two popular types of search: Quick Search and Incremental Search. With quick search, the IDE finds the first instance of the search string and highlights the remaining matches. To go to the next match, you need to press additional key combinations.
With incremental search, you simply press the same key combination to move from one match to the next, making this type of search more efficient. Developers who prioritize efficiency over additional features prefer incremental search over any other type, since it is much easier to press the same key combination to move from item to item.

Smart Auto-Complete

Smart Auto-Complete (also known as Intelligent Code Completion) is context-sensitive code completion. It's very similar to what you might find on a smartphone. As you type, the device tries to predict what you are going to type and completes it automatically. In an IDE, smart auto-complete is oriented toward programming languages, so it is intelligent enough to automatically complete code in your chosen language.
This feature not only increases developer efficiency but also improves accuracy. It provides a convenient way to access function descriptions and parameter lists, and helps developers make fewer typing errors.

Background Compilation

Not all IDEs support background compilation. But those that do really catch developers' attention. This is because this feature provides a complete list of errors that occur while you type. As the name suggests, background compilation runs in the background, allowing developers to compile and work simultaneously (even on files that are being compiled).
Compilation runs in separate parallel threads. However, using background compilation has some limitations: you cannot close the project being compiled, change the active project, launch or debug another application, perform refactoring, or start another compilation.

Split Screen Mode

Split screen mode is an invaluable feature in an IDE because it allows you to easily compare two files side by side, or even compare two different sections of the same document. This makes finding bugs much easier, improves efficiency, and avoids eye strain caused by switching between windows.

Code Refactoring

Refactoring is the process of restructuring or cleaning up code without changing or adding to its external behavior. Refactoring happens often. Sometimes developers release an application and then realize they wrote poor-quality code in a rush to meet deadlines. They go back and clean up the code to make it more readable or reusable.
Some IDEs include automatic refactoring tools. Using such a built-in tool, you can preview the changes made by refactoring and then apply them (if the changes are acceptable).

Built-in Build Tools

Build tools include those for downloading dependencies, compiling source code, packaging binary code, running tests, and deploying to production systems. Not every IDE includes all these features, but it's important to ensure the IDE your developers use includes at least some of them.
Integrated build tools make the developer's work less tedious and more efficient.

Syntax Highlighting

Syntax highlighting is a very common feature in IDEs. It highlights code with different colors or fonts depending on a specific category of terms. This function makes reading and working with code much easier. Syntax highlighting also makes implementing code easier, since highlighting happens in real time, meaning errors are much easier to spot.

Brace and Tag Matching

Nested braces and tags can become very cumbersome. And when an opening brace lacks a corresponding closing brace, errors occur. Some IDEs include brace and tag matching, so when you type an opening brace ({), the text editor automatically adds a closing brace (}). This not only helps avoid errors but also makes work more efficient.

Code Folding

A single file in a project can be very long. So when a developer needs to compare one part of a file to another, constantly scrolling up and down to compare can be confusing and lead to errors.
Code Folding allows you to hide sections of a file so that the two parts being compared are positioned directly above and below each other. Think of it like folding a piece of paper so that everything except the top and bottom parts is hidden from view, allowing you to see only what you need.

Git/GitHub Integration

Virtually every developer works with Git or GitHub. This is especially true when working in a team or in a DevOps environment. Some IDEs include built-in integration with Git and GitHub. With this feature, developers can perform most of their work within a single tool. There's no need to manually import code from a repository into the IDE and then export new code back to the repository upon completion.
Git and GitHub integration should probably be a must-have in any IDE you use.

Conclusion

Every project and developer's needs are different. But every developer working with an IDE has a list of core features that matches or closely resembles this list. Even if your developers have higher requirements for an IDE, this list should serve as a good starting point for finding the right one.