Overview

IntelliJ IDEA

Stacks44.2K

Followers36.9K

Votes1.5K

LiveReload

Stacks403

Followers70

Votes8

GitHub Stars1.4K

Forks164

IntelliJ IDEA vs LiveReload: What are the differences?

Introduction

IntelliJ IDEA and LiveReload are both popular tools used in web development, providing different functionalities to enhance the coding experience. Below are the key differences between the two:

IDE vs. Browser Extension: IntelliJ IDEA is an integrated development environment (IDE) that offers a wide range of features such as code completion, debugging, and version control integration for software development, while LiveReload is a browser extension that automatically refreshes the web page whenever changes are made to the source files.
Code Editing Capabilities: IntelliJ IDEA provides a robust code editor with advanced features like syntax highlighting, code analysis, and refactoring tools, allowing developers to write and modify code efficiently. In contrast, LiveReload focuses on automating the browser reloading process and does not offer extensive code editing capabilities.
Multi-Language Support: IntelliJ IDEA supports various programming languages including Java, Kotlin, JavaScript, and more, making it a versatile choice for developers working on diverse projects. On the other hand, LiveReload primarily focuses on front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, catering to web developers who require quick browser refreshes during development.
Offline vs. Online Usage: IntelliJ IDEA is a desktop-based IDE that can be used offline, allowing developers to work on projects without requiring an internet connection. In contrast, LiveReload operates as a browser extension that needs an active internet connection for real-time webpage reloading, making it more suitable for web development tasks.
Debugging and Testing Capabilities: IntelliJ IDEA offers robust debugging and testing features, including breakpoints, variables inspection, and unit testing integration, aiding developers in identifying and fixing errors in their code. LiveReload, on the other hand, focuses on live reloading functionality and does not provide dedicated tools for debugging and testing purposes.
Workflow Integration: IntelliJ IDEA seamlessly integrates with build tools like Maven and Gradle, version control systems like Git, and project management platforms for streamlined workflow management. LiveReload, on the other hand, enhances the development workflow by automatically refreshing the browser when changes are saved in the code editor, promoting a faster feedback loop for front-end developers.

In Summary, IntelliJ IDEA and LiveReload differ in their functionality, usage scenarios, language support, and integration capabilities, catering to different needs of developers in the web development ecosystem.

Advice on IntelliJ IDEA, LiveReload

christy

Program Manager

Jul 1, 2020

Needs adviceon

Python

Eclipse

IntelliJ IDEA

UPDATE: Thanks for the great response. I am going to start with VSCode based on the open source and free version that will allow me to grow into other languages, but not cost me a license ..yet.

I have been working with software development for 12 years, but I am just beginning my journey to learn to code. I am starting with Python following the suggestion of some of my coworkers. They are split between Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA for IDEs that they use and PyCharm is new to me. Which IDE would you suggest for a beginner that will allow expansion to Java, JavaScript, and eventually AngularJS and possibly mobile applications?

2.03M views2.03M

Comments

Manabu

CEO, Co-Founder at WinguMD

Jun 13, 2020

Decided

I originally chose IntelliJ over Eclipse, as it was close enough to the look and feel of Visual Studio and we do go back and forth between the two. We really begin to love IntelliJ and their suite of IDEs so we are now using AppCode for the IOS development because the workflow is identical with the IntelliJ. IntelliJ is super complex and intimidating at first but it does afford a lot of nice utilities to get us produce clean code.

551k views551k

Comments

Samriddhi

Machine Learning Engineer at Chefling

Sep 26, 2020

Decided

Lightweight and versatile. Huge library of extensions that enable you to integrate a host of services to your development environment. VS Code's biggest strength is its library of extensions which enables it to directly compete with every single major IDE for almost all major programming languages.

1.04M views1.04M

Comments

Detailed Comparison

IntelliJ IDEA	LiveReload
Out of the box, IntelliJ IDEA provides a comprehensive feature set including tools and integrations with the most important modern technologies and frameworks for enterprise and web development with Java, Scala, Groovy and other languages.	LiveReload monitors changes in the file system. As soon as you save a file, it is preprocessed as needed, and the browser is refreshed.
Smart Code Completion;On-the-fly Code Analysis;Advanced Refactorings;Database Tools;UML Designer;Version Control Tools;Build Tools	-
Statistics
GitHub Stars -	GitHub Stars 1.4K
GitHub Forks -	GitHub Forks 164
Stacks 44.2K	Stacks 403
Followers 36.9K	Followers 70
Votes 1.5K	Votes 8
Pros & Cons
Pros 301 Fantastically intelligent 242 Best-in-class ide 190 Many languages support 158 Java 121 Fast Cons 20 Large footprint required to really enjoy (mem/disc) 16 Very slow 8 Bad for beginners 7 UI is not intuitive 5 Constant reindexing	Pros 4 Lightweight, Gulp support 2 Reliable 1 More stable on windows 1 Stable in Chrome
Integrations
Java	No integrations available

What are some alternatives to IntelliJ IDEA, LiveReload?

PhpStorm

PhpStorm is a PHP IDE which keeps up with latest PHP & web languages trends, integrates a variety of modern tools, and brings even more extensibility with support for major PHP frameworks.

Visual Studio

Visual Studio is a suite of component-based software development tools and other technologies for building powerful, high-performance applications.

WebStorm

WebStorm is a lightweight and intelligent IDE for front-end development and server-side JavaScript.

NetBeans IDE

NetBeans IDE is FREE, open source, and has a worldwide community of users and developers.

PyCharm

PyCharm’s smart code editor provides first-class support for Python, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, CSS, popular template languages and more. Take advantage of language-aware code completion, error detection, and on-the-fly code fixes!

Eclipse

Standard Eclipse package suited for Java and plug-in development plus adding new plugins; already includes Git, Marketplace Client, source code and developer documentation. Click here to file a bug against Eclipse Platform.

Android Studio

Android Studio is a new Android development environment based on IntelliJ IDEA. It provides new features and improvements over Eclipse ADT and will be the official Android IDE once it's ready.

RubyMine

JetBrains RubyMine IDE provides a comprehensive Ruby code editor aware of dynamic language specifics and delivers smart coding assistance, intelligent code refactoring and code analysis capabilities.

CLion

Knowing your code through and through, CLion can take care of the routine while you focus on the important things. Boost your productivity with the keyboard-centric approach (Vim-emulation plugin is also available in plugin repository), full coding assistance, smart and relevant code completion, fast project navigation, intelligent intention actions, and reliable refactorings.

Xcode

The Xcode IDE is at the center of the Apple development experience. Tightly integrated with the Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks, Xcode is an incredibly productive environment for building amazing apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.