IntelliJ IDEA for Web Development — A Guide to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

3 min readJun 19, 2023

Introduction

In this modern digital era, web development tools are sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, each one promising to make the development process smoother and more efficient. One tool that stands out in this crowded field is IntelliJ IDEA, a strong and comprehensive IDE (Integrated Development Environment) created by JetBrains. This article will serve as a guide for utilizing IntelliJ IDEA for web development, focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Introduction to IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is a popular IDE primarily used for Java development. Still, its versatility makes it an excellent choice for various languages and frameworks, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the cornerstones of web development. Among its best features are advanced code navigation, an integrated terminal, version control system support, and many others that boost productivity and streamline the coding process.

Setting Up IntelliJ IDEA for Web Development

Before we can use IntelliJ IDEA for web development, we first need to ensure it’s correctly set up. Download and install the latest version of IntelliJ IDEA from the official JetBrains website. Once the software is installed, open it and navigate to File > New > Project. Choose Static Web in the left pane and then click Next and Finish. IntelliJ IDEA will create a new project for you with an ideal structure for web development.

Coding HTML with IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA offers several handy features to streamline HTML coding. Code completion is one such feature that reduces typos and speeds up the coding process. As you start typing an HTML tag, IntelliJ IDEA will suggest possible completions. When you select a suggestion and press ‘Enter’, it will complete the tag for you. For example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>My First Web Page</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1></h1>
</body>
</html>

As you start typing <h1> in the body section, IntelliJ IDEA will offer suggestions. Select 'h1', press 'Enter', and IntelliJ will complete the tag for you.

Another significant feature is the automatic insertion of closing tags. When you type an opening HTML tag and press ‘>’, IntelliJ IDEA will automatically insert the corresponding closing tag.

Working with CSS in IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA also offers excellent support for CSS. It includes code completion, quick navigation, refactoring tools, and more. You can either create a new .css file or include a <style> tag in your HTML file.

body {
    background-color: lightblue;
}

h1 {
    color: white;
    text-align: center;
}

As you start typing a property name after the opening brace ‘{‘, IntelliJ IDEA will suggest possible CSS properties. After typing the property and a colon ‘:’, IntelliJ will suggest potential values.

Leveraging JavaScript in IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is a powerful tool for JavaScript development. With features like code completion, syntax highlighting, and error detection, it makes JavaScript development a breeze.

Consider this JavaScript example:

function greet(name) {
    alert("Hello, " + name);
}

greet("World");

When typing this code in IntelliJ IDEA, you’ll notice that it suggests functions and variables as you type, highlighting any syntax errors. It’s also easy to navigate through the code and refactor it using IntelliJ’s powerful tools.

Debugging in IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA includes an inbuilt debugger for JavaScript. This allows you to set breakpoints in your code, step through it, and inspect variables and expressions as your code is executing. You can access this feature via Run > Debug. This is invaluable for tracking down and fixing any issues that may arise in your code.

Conclusion

IntelliJ IDEA provides a full suite of tools that streamline the process of web development, whether you’re working with HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Its features like code completion, error detection, debugging, and more allow you to write, refactor, and debug your code more efficiently. This makes IntelliJ IDEA an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced developers alike in the realm of web development.