Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio (NTVS), a free and open source extension for Visual Studio 2012 and Visual Studio 2013 that turns Visual Studio into a Node.js IDE has been released. It provides support for free Visual Studio Community and Visual Studio Express for Web editions, as well as Visual Studio Professional and higher.
Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio ships with features such as Intellisense, Interactive window, npm integration, advanced debugging and integration in addition to support for Node.js, io.js, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS and JSON.
The latest release supports syntax highlighting, code-folding and code completions. With the help of Interactive Window (REPL), developers will be able to write code and view the results inline. The feature speeds up the process of experimenting with code or exploring a new package.
Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio includes npm Integration, which enable developers to explore and manage npm dependencies in Solution Explorer. It is also possible to search and install dependencies from the npm registry in the rich UI.
The latest release of Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio ships with more features such as advanced debugging, profiling, breakpoints and automatic exception notifications. It also includes advanced features such as conditional breakpoints, tracepoints, hit counts, and edit-and-continue.
With the help of Unit Testing, developers will be able to author, run, debug, and filter unit tests without having to switch to a command prompt.
Some of the other important features included with Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio are given below
- Project templates to get you up and running in an instant
- TypeScript lovers, rejoice – all the awesome features we have described apply to TypeScript as well
- Git/TFS integration – no command-line required
- Azure Integration – create and deploy a web application in < 5 minutes
Sara Itani, Software Engineer, Node.js Tools for Visual Studio has given a list of popular Visual Studio extensions that complement NTVS
- TypeScript for Visual Studio
- Package IntelliSense
- Web Essentials (includes jslint and jshint)
- Task Runner Explorer (for grunt and gulp)
In order to work with Node.js Tools 1.0 for Visual Studio, you need to download it. You can leverage full advantage of Node.js in Azure and Azure services once you are ready to deploy and monitor application.
