What's New in NetBeans 7.3: HTML5!

Owing to my rapidly increasing age I’ve used many, many IDEs and text editors over the years. Visual Studio, Aptana, Eclipse, HomeSite, CoffeeCup, Bluefish, Komodo, Vim, Crimson, jEdit, TextPad, PSPad, ConTEXT, PHPEdit, ScITE — I’ve probably forgotten more than I remember. Most annoy me. They often miss features I want or add bloat I don’t need. My current editor of choice is Notepad++

: it’s simple, lightweight and very configurable. Historically, HTML editors have been fairly awful. Many IDEs forced you to create dumb projects, insisted on particular doctypes, or favored deprecated tags. JavaScript editing could be worse: the editor programmers didn’t understand the language so even basic features such as function lists could fail. Fortunately, the situation has improved and NetBeans 7.3 has been released with full support for HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. The cross-platform IDE now includes an HTML project wizard which allows you to select popular boilerplate templates and JavaScript frameworks:

There’s a lightweight internal server, embedded WebKit browser, Chrome integration and responsive web design facilities:

CSS styles can be edited directly or changed within the Inspector-like rule editor:

The JavaScript editor has been rewritten to include better code completion, jQuery support and pattern recognition:

There’s also a new debugger which can analyze code running in the internal browser or Chrome. You can apply breakpoints on lines, when a DOM element changes, when events are raised and when Ajax requests are called. Very useful:

Finally, there’s a great browser log which displays exceptions, errors and warnings as they occur:

Don’t forget that NetBeans also provides first-class development facilities for PHP, Java and C/C++. If you’re into that sort of thing. It’s great to see client side browser technologies finally receiving the tools they deserve. I’m going to give NetBeans another look … will you? NetBeans is available for free from netbeans.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NetBeans 7.3 HTML5 Support

How do I start a new HTML5 project in NetBeans 7.3?

Starting a new HTML5 project in NetBeans 7.3 is straightforward. First, open the NetBeans IDE and click on “File” in the menu bar. From the dropdown menu, select “New Project”. In the “New Project” dialog box, select “HTML5” from the categories and “HTML5 Application” from the projects. Click “Next” and follow the prompts to complete the setup of your new HTML5 project.

Can I use NetBeans 7.3 for PHP development?

Yes, NetBeans 7.3 supports PHP development. It provides a rich environment for PHP developers, including syntax highlighting, code completion, code folding, debugging, and more. To start a new PHP project, go to “File” > “New Project”, select “PHP” from the categories, and follow the prompts.

Why can’t I run HTML pages in the browser using NetBeans 10?

If you’re having trouble running HTML pages in the browser using NetBeans 10, it could be due to a number of reasons. One common issue is that the browser’s path is not correctly set in NetBeans. To fix this, go to “Tools” > “Options” > “Web Browsers” and ensure the correct path is set for your preferred browser.

How do I use the HTML5 features in NetBeans 7.3?

NetBeans 7.3 comes with robust HTML5 support, including a HTML5 project wizard, a HTML5 file wizard, a JavaScript editor, a CSS3 editor, and a browser switcher. To use these features, start a new HTML5 project and you’ll find these tools in the project window.

How do I debug HTML5 applications in NetBeans 7.3?

NetBeans 7.3 provides a powerful debugger for HTML5 applications. To debug an application, open the project in NetBeans, set breakpoints in your JavaScript code, and click on “Debug” > “Debug Project”. The debugger will stop at your breakpoints and allow you to step through your code.

How do I set up a HTML5 development environment in NetBeans?

Setting up a HTML5 development environment in NetBeans is easy. Simply start a new HTML5 project and NetBeans will automatically set up the necessary files and folders for you. You can then start writing your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code in the provided editor.

Can I use NetBeans for developing HTML5 mobile applications?

Yes, NetBeans 7.3 supports the development of HTML5 mobile applications. It provides a mobile application project wizard, a mobile browser emulator, and a Cordova integration for packaging your HTML5 applications as native mobile apps.

How do I use the JavaScript editor in NetBeans 7.3?

The JavaScript editor in NetBeans 7.3 provides syntax highlighting, code completion, and error checking. To use it, open a JavaScript file in your project and start typing. The editor will automatically highlight your syntax and provide suggestions as you type.

How do I use the CSS3 editor in NetBeans 7.3?

The CSS3 editor in NetBeans 7.3 provides syntax highlighting, code completion, and error checking. To use it, open a CSS file in your project and start typing. The editor will automatically highlight your syntax and provide suggestions as you type.

How do I use the browser switcher in NetBeans 7.3?

The browser switcher in NetBeans 7.3 allows you to preview your HTML5 applications in different browsers. To use it, click on the browser icon in the toolbar and select the browser you want to use. Your application will then be opened in the selected browser.

What’s New in NetBeans 7.3: HTML5!