Macbook Tools for Coding in HTML and Java

If you're looking to code in HTML and Java on a Macbook, there are a variety of tools and software options available to you. It’s pretty easy to get started. There are many courses online to help you learn both HTML and Java.

What are HTML and Java technologies?

HTML and Java are two different technologies that can work together to create dynamic and interactive web pages. Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) consists of a series of elements. They tell the browser how to display content. It creates the structure and content of web pages.

Java is one of the most popular programming languages for application development. It operates on the server side to process data. It creates dynamic content to display on the HTML page. For example, if a user submits a form on an HTML page, the data goes to the Java program running on the server. It processes the data and generates a response that goes back to the HTML page for display. On the client side Java can create interactive features using Java applets. These are small programs that run in the web browser and interact with the HTML page.

If you don’t have Java installed on your Mac you will need to download it from Oracle. You will need Java SE (also known as Java SDK) which is specifically for developers. When downloading the software you may find your Mac is slow. One measure that can help to speed it up is to delete your browsing history. A quick way to clear your browser cache in Safari on a MacBook is to use keyboard shortcuts. Just hit Command + Option + E to clear your browser cache automatically. You can also use a dedicated Mac cleaner tool to delete your browser history and clear cookies on Mac at the click of a button.

Text editors

Text editors can help you to create and edit HTML and Java files. TextEdit and Safari are both included in Mac OS X which means you can theoretically just boot up and begin. However, you will realistically need more tools. There is no end to the debate about which text editors are best. You will need to choose one that suits your needs and preferences.

Vim is a customizable text editor built for creating and changing any kind of text. It is included as “vi” with Apple OS. Vim is stable and keeps becoming better due to continuous development. It is multi-level and has an extensive plugin system. The search and replace function is powerful.
Sublime is a popular choice as it is lightweight and fast. It has a customizable interface and offers great support for HTML and Java development. This includes code snippets, syntax highlighting, and various plugins.
Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor from Microsoft that has become very popular among developers. It has a rich set of features. This includes support for syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging, and Git integration.
Atom is a free, open-source code editor with a wide range of features for HTML and Java development. It includes built-in Git support, multiple panes, and a powerful search and replace feature. Atom also has a wide range of plugins and themes available. You can easily customize the IDE to suit your needs.

It’s a good idea to try out a few of these options to see which one works best for you.

Integrated Developer Environments (IDEs)

IDEs are comprehensive software packages. They include text editors, debugging tools, code completion features, etc. The best IDEs will depend on your preferences and programming needs.

Xcode is Apple's official IDE for developing macOS and iOS apps. It provides a powerful set of tools for developing and debugging software. It has a code editor, graphical interface builder, and debugger. Xcode also includes a wide range of templates, samples, and documentation to help you get started with your development. A good feature is that you can quickly open a file and compare two files.
NetBeans is a popular choice among Java developers. It is open-source and available for free download on the NetBeans website. A wide range of features helps developers to create, debug, and deploy software applications. Some of its key features include:

Easily see the Java class structure
Automatic completion of brackets
Service windows showing currently available external services
Templates for writing script
Parameter hints by typing the $ symbol
Highlights variables and keywords in Java.

It also includes a graphical user interface (GUI) builder that allows developers to create GUIs quickly and easily.

Eclipse is a popular open-source IDE that provides extensive support for Java development. The software has a user-friendly, drag and drop interface. It includes a code editor, debugger, and a wide range of plugins. It supports code refactoring or the process of improving internal code structure.
IntelliJ IDEA has a community open-source version. It is good enough for projects that don’t use frameworks and enterprise-class applications. It offers support for web, mobile, and hybrid application development. There is a powerful code editor and intelligent code completion. There are some great debugging tools. Productivity features include code refactoring, code inspection, and version control integration.
BlueJ is a free Java IDE that’s suitable for beginners. With it, you can scan code much faster. It has a small, portable interface and you can use it without installing it. There are various extensions that increase its functionality.
jGRASP is a lightweight Java IDE. The tool runs a program by using JVM (Java Virtual Machine). It automatically generates software visualization and provides syntax-based coloring. It has icons and menus for compiling, running, and debugging any program.

All of these tools are compatible with macOS and are widely used by developers for coding in HTML and Java.

Command-line tools

Macs have a built-in terminal with a variety of command-line tools for coding.

Terminal: This is a basic command-line interface in MacOS. You can use it to navigate directories, create and edit files, and execute commands. The macOS built-in terminal doesn’t offer that much. Replacing it with open-source iTerm2 supports more features. This includes split panes, window transparency, and a hotkey window. It is fully configurable and you can install it with HomeBrew
Homebrew package manager: Homebrew is the most common package manager for MacOS. It allows you to easily install and manage software packages from the command line. You can use it to install various tools and libraries that are useful for coding in HTML and Java. Homebrew comes with an extension for the management of macOS applications with a graphical user interface.
Docker is an OS-level virtualization. It is built around the idea of containers. Containers allow a developer to package up an application and ship it as a single package. Docker is natively supported by macOS. You can install it with Homebrew.
Java Development Kit (JDK): This is a software development kit. You can install it on your March using Homebrew. You can also download it directly from the Oracle website.
Git: This is a version control system. It allows you to keep track of changes to your code over time. You can use it to manage your codebase and collaborate with other developers. You can install it on your Mac using Homebrew or download it directly from the Oracle website. It offers high performance and has a simple structure.
Fuzzy Finder (fzf): This is a command-line fuzzy finder. You can use it with any list. It helps you to find things in files and commands.

Browser developer tools

Most modern web browsers like Safari and Chrome have built-in developer tools. Ey helps developers to debug and optimize websites. The tools have a range of features that allow developers to inspect the HTML and JavaScript code of web pages. They can monitor network activity, debug JavaScript, and more. Some common features of built- in web browser developer tools include:

Some common features of Safari and Chrome's built-in developer tools include:

An element inspection feature allows developers to inspect the structure and content of web pages. They can view source code. Modify it and test changes.
The console allows developers to log messages, view errors, and interact with
Network Monitoring is a feature that allows developers to monitor network activity and view information about requests and responses. They can view the size of files, response times, and status codes.
Various performance analysis features help developers optimize website performance. This includes tools to identify and fix slow-loading resources, track memory usage, and analyze JavaScript performance.

Built-in browser developer tools provide a comprehensive set of features. They allow web developers to debug, optimize, and improve their websites.

Software to test Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Postman is a popular software tool among developers because it is easy to use and has a comprehensive set of features. It allows developers to test, debug, and document APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). You can download the Mac version from the website. It has a user-friendly interface that allows developers to make HTTP requests to APIs and view the responses in real time.

Postman allows developers to easily create, organize, and execute API requests. They can test various scenarios to make sure the API works as intended. Postman also provides features such as the automatic generation of code snippets and collections of API requests. This can save time and improve the overall efficiency of API testing. Apart from its core functionality it also has collaboration features. Teams can share API tests and collaborate on API development.

Insomnia allows you to easily send HTTP requests and view responses. It has many features very similar to Postman. You can download Insomnia for Mac from the official website, and it works on macOS 10.10 or later.

Paw is a Mac-only API tool that is great for API testing and debugging. It has a simple, user-friendly interface and many advanced features for power users.

JMeter is an open-source tool designed for load testing and performance measurement. It can be used to test APIs, web applications, and other types of software.

Fiddler is a web debugging proxy tool that allows you to monitor HTTP/HTTPS traffic from your web applications. You can use it for testing APIs as well as web applications.

Mac-specific database tools

There are a number of Mac-specific database tools that can help Java developers.

MySQL Workbench is a popular tool for database development and management that supports Mac OS X. It provides a graphical user interface for designing, developing, and managing databases. It supports Java development through Java Database Connectivity (JDBC).
PostgreSQL is an open-source relational database management system. It is widely used in Java development. It is available on Mac OS X. Access is through using Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) drivers.
Navicat for PostgreSQL is a graphical user interface tool available on Mac OS X. It provides a range of features for database development. This includes data modeling, schema synchronization, and data visualization.
DBeaver is a free and open-source database tool that supports Mac OS X. It supports a wide range of databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and SQL Server, and provides features for database development and management
DataGrip is a database IDE developed by JetBrains that supports Mac OS X. It provides a range of features for database development. This includes SQL code completion, code analysis, and database schema management.

Utilities

Cheatsheet is a utility app that can support you in learning some essential shortcuts on macOS. You can install Cheatsheet with Homebrew.

Magnet is a window manager for macOS. You can activate it by dragging or with customizable keyboard shorts to help organize windows.

Conclusion

It should be evident from the information above that coding on a Mac is not difficult. There are many tools and software that make it much easier. From text editors and IDEs to command-line and browser development tools, there are tools you find you can’t do without.