New IDE with JavaScript (Node.js) Support: First Look
The JavaScript ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, and choosing development tools is becoming critically important. A new integrated development environment (IDE) focused on backend development using Node.js has appeared on the market. In this article, we share our first impressions of working with it.
What is this IDE?
The new product was created by a team previously involved in tools for Python and Go. The developers decided to fill the niche for a truly modern environment for Node.js that combines the lightness of a code editor with the power of a full-fledged IDE. The main feature is deep integration with the npm ecosystem and a built-in AI assistant that understands the context of backend applications.
Key Features
- Smart autocomplete for Express and Fastify. The IDE doesn't just suggest methods; it analyzes routes, middleware, and data schemas directly from your code.
- Visual debugger for asynchronous operations. Now you can track Promise chains and async/await in real time without switching between tabs.
- Built-in package manager. Work with package.json, update dependencies, and check for vulnerabilities (based on npm audit) directly from the side panel.
- AI assistant for APIs. Generate endpoints, tests, and documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI) based on a description in natural language.
First Impressions of Working
Immediately after installation, the IDE offers to import settings from VS Code or WebStorm. This is convenient: most plugins and hotkeys are picked up automatically. Starting a project from scratch took just a couple of minutes — the built-in template generator offers ready-made structures for REST APIs, GraphQL servers, or microservices.
The terminal deserves special attention. It is not just built-in, but integrated with the debugger: errors are highlighted directly in the code with links to the call stack. When launching a Node.js application, the IDE automatically detects the port and opens the local URL in its own browser.
What Didn't We Like?
- High memory consumption. On a medium-sized project (about 50 files), the IDE took up over 1.2 GB of RAM. This is comparable to WebStorm but more than VS Code.
- Rough TypeScript support. Although full compatibility is claimed, when working with complex generic types, autocomplete sometimes lagged.
- Lack of plugins. Only basic extensions are available so far; the plugin store is promised to launch in the coming months.
Is It Worth Switching?
If you write in pure JavaScript and actively use Node.js for backend development — definitely yes. The tool already offers unique features for debugging asynchronicity and managing packages. For those who work heavily with TypeScript, it's better to wait for the first major update. Follow the news on pythonlib.ru — we will publish a detailed benchmark and comparison with competitors after the stable version release.