LINQpad equivalent for JavaScript

Question

I'm looking for something similar to LINQPad, except for JavaScript - specifically, a quick interpreter type of environment where I can prototype something very quickly without having to use a "full" development environment like Visual Studio or Eclipse.

The closest I've been able to find so far is this question on Stack Overflow. Unfortunately, the last release for the software recommended there was a beta release in 2010 (approximately 7 years ago at this point), so I'm assuming that it's abandonware, which is too bad because it seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. For reference, the developers described it as follows (and this is reflective of what I'm looking for as well):

The jQueryBuddy editor offers a speedy environment for testing snippets of html/css/javascript but more importantly jQuery!! It syntax highlights and offers basic intellisense primarily focused on integrating jQuery documentation in the same environment. It’s designed to be particularly useful if you’re new to jQuery and need somewhere to practice and learn. Here are the key features :

• Fast edit-run-view cycle very similar to LinqPad. (Note: This is my primary goal in having such a tool).
• Syntax highlighting.
• Error highlighting.
• Intellisense (primarily for jQuery but eventually for HTML too)
• Hands-on documentation (again primarily for jQuery)
• Compact deployment (just the exe should do and .Net 3.5 prerequisite of course)

With kind permission of Joseph Albahari the author of LinqPad, javascript objects now support the .Dump() method which formats and displays a javascript object in much the same way as LinqPad.

Is anyone aware of some kind of non-abandonware project that does something like this?

Answer 1

I would recommend one of two options

Either Visual Studio Code by Microsoft.

Pros:

1. Extremely lightweight and speedy.
2. Microsoft's quality intellisence
3. Highly extensible via ... extensions.
4. Has built in developer tools console where live execution of javascript is possible.
5. Can be linked directly to the browser via LiveReload or built in developer tools.
6. Has the availability to do anything or nearly anything a full featured IDE can do without the bloat.

Cons:

1. To take full advantage of the visual aspect of prototyping, you also need a browser - and that browser will be really happy if it is Chrome or Chromium Based.

or

CodePen

Pros:

1. Instant online development library with HTML , CSS, and Javascript panels.
2. Live updating of a forth panel which contains the Dom output.
3. Supports instant update with preprocessors like:
   • Jade and Haml for HTML
   • less and Stylus for CSS
   • Coffeescript and Babel for JS

4. Instant add many popular UI / utility libraries like:

   • jQuery and jQuery.UI
   • Bootstrap
   • underscore.js

5. Also add any custom libraries from a remote URL

6. Fast and simple

Cons:

• Requires a browser and web Access
• No intellisense