Navigation
It can be a hassle to navigate through large JavaScript files. The NetBeans JavaScript editor provides several features to make this task easier. First, whenever you are editing JavaScript code, a tree-like navigation view sums up the entire contents of the script (see
Figure 8).
Figure 8. The JavaScript Navigation View: It can be a hassle to navigate through large JavaScript files. |
Second, you can move the code around quite easily from within the editor. For example, jumping to the declaration of a function is easy using the “Navigate → Go to declaration” menu option. If several functions share the same name, NetBeans will propose a list and let you choose.
A JavaScript-Hating Java Guy's Dream Come True
The latest NetBeans release has come up with something we've always dreamed ofa powerful, fully-featured, out-of-the-box JavaScript editor for us poor Java developers. Intelligent syntax coloring, real-time syntax error detection, code-quality checks, code completion, navigationthis editor has it all!
According to the documentation, some of the features, such as the code completion and the navigation, are still a bit shaky, but I didn't encounter any particular problems. The overall impression I got was of a highly usable, well thought-out JavaScript editor that makes Java developers feel at home. Check it out!