Ibex

Writing code in order to build applications or web pages can even be done in a plain text editor, such as notepad. Sure enough, a compiler is responsible for bundling all code into a functional interface, but quick edits don’t have to be performed in complex environments. For instance, Ibex can help you make adjustments to your source code, supporting a large variety of different programming languages.

What makes it practical right from the start is the lack of an installer, giving you the possibility to perform quick edit on your code files on other computers, directly from a USB flash drive, on which you can also carry source files. There’s no need to worry about the health status of the target PC, because registries don’t need to be modified.

When it comes to programming languages you can edit, you can freely work on C/C++, HTML, Java, Objective-C, PostgreSQL, RealBasic, transactSQL, VHDL, XML, XHTML, and Yuma projects. The one of interest needs to be selected from a dedicated drop-down menu, because the application can’t automatically detect by code.

The main window is split in half, with the upper part letting you write all code, while output is displayed in the lower half of the interface. Syntax highlighting makes it easy to identify specific functions, classes, and other operators, with line numbering included so you don’t get lost in a thorough code.

It all looks fun and games, but there’s one particular flaw that makes practicality rather questionable. You need to either start your project from scratch here, or paste it in from a different editor, because there is no open function, and neither does drag and drop work. However, you can save your work to file when done.

Bottom line is programming still depends on code for proper implementation of features, or thorough debugging. Ibex comes with the means for a portable, quick edit solution or update of your code, but the lack of an open function has a considerable impact on overall practicality. It’s only a shame, considering the neat language support, syntax highlighting, and quick rendering.