The availability of so many tools, libraries, and frameworks presents a small challenge because it might be confusing to know which one to use and when.
This article will explore the top three development environments used by blockchain developers to create, test, and deploy smart contracts.
We will also learn when and why each one is used.
What is a Blockchain Development Environment?
A blockchain development environment which is also called an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a software setup that is used to build, test, and deploy smart contracts.
A blockchain IDE does three things:
Compiles your contracts locally on your machine.
Tests your contracts efficiently.
Deploys your contract to a network node.
An IDE consists of these parts:
A Code Editor:
The code editor is used for writing code and assists the developer with unique features like syntax highlighting and autocompletion.
Debugger:
This examines the developer’s test programs for bugs.
Compiler:
The compiler is responsible for translating the written source code into machine language.
Automation tools:
These are tools that automate repetitive tasks to save more time, like automating a repeated test for different programs.