Node.js takes center stage in NetBeans 8.1

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NetBeans adds capabilities for the server-side JavaScript platform, as well as boosts for PHP and C++

By Paul Krill

NetBeans, which has been a prominent Java IDE for years, is featuring Node.js and JavaScript capabilities in its latest incarnation.

Version 8.1 of the open source IDE, released late last week, offers a multitude of capabilities for the popular server-side JavaScript platform, including a new Node.js project wizard, an enhanced JavaScript editor, new support for running and debugging Node.js applications, and a redesigned interface.

In the HTM5L/JavaScript realm, NetBeans 8.1 offers new support for the Mocha JavaScript test framework and Selenium browser framework. It features enhancements for the AngularJS JavaScript framework and KnockoutJS library, and Shadow DOM support is offered via a Chrome plug-in. HTML5/JavaScript projects are recognized via package.json, bower.json, and composer.json.

Java improvements include enhanced code completion, better ordering rules in the Options window, and performance boosts in Java navigation tools, such as Go to Type, Go to File, and Go to Symbol. PHP enhancements, meanwhile, cover the Phing build system, code coverage, and installer integration for the Symfony Web framework.

NetBeans 8.1 has been enhanced for C++ with new edits, hints, and refactorings. The Subversion, Git, and Mercurial version control systems are supported in remote mode for C++ development.

The IDE, which is sponsored by Oracle, is downloadable at the NetBeans website.