Whether you’re new to programming or an experienced developer, you’re probably going to be spending a lot of time in an IDE, an Integrated Development Environment. IDEs are apps that bring features like writing code, syntax highlighting, app previews, debugging, compiling, and virtual machines into a single app. You can think of it as Photoshop for writing code. And in this post, we’re going to cover the best IDE apps for Mac.
There are tons of options to choose from, but also a lot of redundancy. In curating this post, I realized that there aren’t too many differences between most IDE apps. It primarily comes down to your needs and your programming language of choice.
That said, I’ve still done my best to create a list of the IDE apps for Mac that I truly believe are the best. I’ve also included some of the best code editor apps at the end since IDEs and editors are terms that might be used interchangeably.
Alright, let’s get into it!
Contents
The best IDE apps for Mac
Visual Studio Code
First up is a classic IDE app, Visual Studio Code. Currently maintained and designed by Microsoft, VS Code truly offers a best-in-class experience. It supports a broad array of languages. So you shouldn’t have an issue writing in your programming language of choice.
VS Code is also packed with features. From a built-in terminal and compiler to an elegant and un-intimidating interface, VS Code is a pleasure to use. I’ve been using it to follow along with Harvard’s CS50x course (check it out if you’re new to programming!) and have loved it so far.
This is the go-to IDE app, so if you just want the fast answer, grab this one. It’s truly one of the best IDE apps, on Mac and elsewhere.
Xcode
Next on our list of the best IDE apps, we of course have to mention Xcode. Xcode is the built-in IDE for macOS. Though it’s not installed by default, you can download it for free from Apple through the Terminal or from Apple’s website.
Xcode is a bit more limited than Visual Studio since it has a more singular purpose. It’s for developing apps for Apple products, not apps at large. So it only supports languages that can be compiled into apps for various Apple devices.
This includes most of the major app-building languages as well as Apple’s native languages, Swift and AppleScript. If you want to build apps for Apple devices, then this is the exception to Visual Studio Code. This is your go-to, and it’s a solid IDE.
CLion
For those building apps in C and C++, CLion makes for one of the best IDE apps on Mac. It specializes in just these two languages, allowing it to implement useful features that other IDE don’t for C and C++.
These extra features include assuring the quality of your code, automated refactoring, and integration with the CMake build system. With these features and the other standard IDE features present in CLion, developers will be able to easily build, debug, and compile apps.
The one drawback of CLion is that it’s pricey. It costs $89/year. That means this one is best left to the professionals. Hobbyists will be better off sticking with free apps like Xcode and Visual Studio Code, even if they’re planning on writing in C and/or C++ primarily.
AppCode
Fourth of the best IDE apps for Mac is AppCode. AppCode is another standby IDE for Mac developers, and similar to Xcode and CLion, it’s a specialty IDE. Specifically, it’s used for writing iOS, macOS, and Android apps.
It supports languages like Swift, C, C++, and Objective-C, all of which are useful for creating standalone apps. It includes handy features like refactoring your code and supporting a variety of version controllers. Another great feature of AppCode is that it has real-time error checking. This means it’ll look for missing brackets, semi-colons, and other common syntax errors.
All in all, AppCode is a solid app for writing in these languages and a great app for compiling these languages into mobile and Mac apps. It’s an easy app to get the hang of while having rich features for experienced developers.
This is another pricey IDE, however, at $89/year. You do get discounts each year that you resubscribe, eventually bringing the price down to $54/year. Still, the steep price point means this is another app best left to professionals.
PhpStorm
Another popular programming language is PHP. Used for developing websites and web apps, it’s a great alternative to languages like Ruby. And similar to C and C++, it can be useful to have an IDE that’s tailor-made for writing in PHP.
That’s because PHP is packed with unique frameworks, relies on front-end technologies, and has a host of needs specific to it as a result of being used for web development.
It’s these needs that make PhpStorm one of the best IDE apps. It incorporates all of these features into a single interface, making for a streamlined application for developing PHP apps and websites.
PhpStorm supports a plethora of front-end languages, including HTML5, CSS, Sass, Less, Stylus, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, Emmet, and JavaScript. It also supports nearly every modern PHP framework there is and it comes with features like debugging, refactoring, and unit testing.
This is another $89/year app, but you can try it for free for thirty days to see if it’s right for you. You can also pay monthly, which comes to $19.90/month.
The best code editors for Mac
Now that we’ve covered the best IDE apps, it’s to dive into the best code editor apps on Mac. Code editors are distinct from IDEs in that they’re generally broader and simpler.
Rather than acting as an all-in-one suite of tools, code editors are just there to make writing code easy. Nearly all of them provide syntax highlighting and they generally support all programming languages. Some are more configurable than others, offering the ability to customize features and themes as you like.
These are also usually free. So rather than these being right for different sects of programmers, picking a code editor just comes down to personal preference and comfort level.
With all that said, let’s get into it!
Atom is one of the
First on this list of the best code editor apps should be no surprise. It’s Atom! If you’ve spent any time writing code, you’ve either used or had Atom recommended to you.
And for good reason. Atom is an excellent text editor. It’s currently being developed and maintained by GitHub, which should immediately inspire some confidence in its performance. It’s free, too, so you can download it right now and start using it.
Aside from the great syntax highlighting and stellar interface, what makes Atom so powerful is its configurability. It’s open-source, so you can essentially change anything and everything that has to do with this app. That means you can configure it, or you can let other people create awesome configurations for you and download them for free to your Mac.
Yep, there are hundreds if not thousands of packages you can download for Atom for free. These range from themes to seriously useful features like a built-in terminal. I noticed the other day that my partner, a graphic designer, downloaded a package that displays an HTML website in real-time.
Similar to Visual Studio Code, Atom is the go-to option for writing code. New or veteran, whatever your experience level, if you don’t know what to grab, go for Atom.
Brackets
Next up is Brackets. Brackets is similar to Atom in several ways. It has a simple and beautiful interface, useful syntax highlighting, broad language support, Git and GitHub integration, and it’s open-source, so you can download extensions to make it even more personalized.
What sets it apart, however, is that Brackets is geared towards web development. Remember how I mentioned my partner downloading a package that displays HTML code in real-time? Features like this come built into Brackets. They aren’t add-ons, but the core of what makes Brackets great.
This makes Brackets an ideal option for those developing websites. Whether you’re writing CSS, HTML, Ruby, PHP, or another web development language, Brackets offers rich features that will keep you creative and fast. It’s free as well, so go ahead and grab it today!
Sublime Text
Another great and lightweight editor is Sublime Text. It’s a bit faster than Atom as well as a bit older. As a result, it’s also a bit less feature-packed and receives less frequent updates.
That said, if speed and simplicity are more important to you than features, Sublime Text is a great alternative to Atom. It’s free, too, though you can purchase a license for free upgrades and to help support the developers.
Overall this is a very similar option to Atom. There are small differences that set it apart, so it just comes down to personal preference.
Espresso
Next on our list of the best code editor apps is Espresso. Like Brackets, Espresso has been built to serve the needs of web developers. It differs from Brackets, though, in that it’s more focused on the front-end of web development than the back-end.
You’ll find rich and plentiful features to help you outline, visualize, and tweak the visual and aesthetic aspects of your website. You can of course write back-end code as well. But it’s the front-end features that shine.
Espresso is costly at $99, making this yet another option that’s best left for professionals that will be using it daily. It does offer a free trial, though, so you can give it a go before you make a final purchase.
TextMate
Last on this list of the best code editor apps and the best IDE apps is TextMate. Again, TextMate is very similar to Atom and Sublime Text, albeit less popular. Its design is a bit more Mac-like, so for users who like the uniform look of most macOS apps, TextMate is a solid option.
One feature that helps TextMate stand out, though, is its implementation of macros. For those familiar with my posts on automation, you’ll know that a macro is an automated routine. There is a lot of busy work involved in writing code, which makes it a perfect candidate for automation.
Having this built into TextMate will allow you to save a considerable amount of time while also making fewer errors. You can also view your clipboard history, snippets, select multiple carets at once, and access a bunch of other features that make TextMate great for the efficient programmer.
TextMate is open source and free, so grab it if you want it!
Start using the best IDE apps and the best code editor apps today
And that’s it! Those are our recommendations for the best IDE apps and the best code editor apps currently available for Mac. Again, if you don’t know what to go with, grab Visual Studio Code, Xcode, and/or Atom. Those three will cover all of your needs for free. I use Atom for 99% of my programming needs and VS Code when I need a true IDE.
For more insights, news, and guides on all things Apple, check out the rest of the AppleToolBox blog.
See you next time!
lschofield says
Atom is sunset end of 2022. The Atom site recommends VScode as the migration point.
Percival says
Sublime really shouldn’t be anywhere near this list. eg: No find all / replace in a macro? Might as well use Notepad+