Why I Stopped Using IDEs for Prototyping

For years, my instinct whenever I had an idea was to open an IDE. Whether it was VS Code, IntelliJ, or some web-based editor like StackBlitz or CodeSandbox, the IDE was home. It felt like the “right” place to code — because that’s what professionals do, right?

But over time, I began to realize that the IDE — powerful as it is — was slowing me down. Not in performance, but in process. Especially when it came to prototyping and experimentation. That’s when we build a better tool for that phase of development: Scribbler.

This isn’t an anti-IDE rant. IDEs are essential for production-grade development. But when it comes to quick prototypes, idea sketches, experiments, or learning something new — I’ve found that using a full-blown IDE is often overkill.

Here’s why I stopped using IDEs for early-stage work and switched to Scribbler for prototyping.

IDEs Come With Friction #

Even the lightest IDE setup still involves:

• Creating a new folder
• Initializing a project
• Setting up a dev server or build pipeline
• Installing dependencies
• Managing versions, linters, and configs
• Waiting for things to compile and run

This process takes minutes — or longer. And if you’re switching ideas frequently (as you do when exploring), this overhead adds up. You spend more time setting up the environment than playing with the idea.

Even browser-based IDEs suffer from this. They mimic traditional workflows: terminals, file trees, and dependencies — which is great for real apps, but unnecessary when all you want is to see how a plotting library works, or sketch out a simulation.

When I Started Using Scribbler #

I stumbled upon Scribbler while browsing interactive JavaScript notebooks. At first, it felt like a toy. No setup. Just open the site, start typing JavaScript in a cell, and hit Run.

But that simplicity was deceptive. Scribbler supports:

• JavaScript modules via ESM
• Instant execution of code blocks
• Canvas rendering, D3, Plotly, and other visual libraries
• Notebook saving in local storage, and GitHub publishing
• A built-in AI assistant that helps write and explain code

Suddenly, I was able to test ideas faster than ever — and I didn’t have to install anything.

Prototyping Should Be Frictionless #

When you’re building something new — a chart, a UI idea, a game mechanic, an algorithm — you need:

• Immediate feedback
• Visual results
• Freedom to break things
• No fear of “messy” code

Scribbler offers this in a clean, browser-native way. I open a new tab and just start coding. And because it’s notebook-based, I can structure my thoughts like a journal: code + output + explanation, all together.

It’s not just about speed — it’s about mental flow. I don’t lose momentum trying to remember a CLI command or adjust a Webpack config. I stay focused on the idea.

Sharing Shouldn’t Be Hard Either #

If you’ve ever tried to share an IDE project with someone, you know the drill:

• Create a GitHub repo
• Add instructions
• Hope the other person has Node installed
• Wait for them to replicate your environment

With Scribbler, I hit “Publish” and share a link. That’s it. The recipient sees the code, the output, the plots — and can edit or run it live in their browser. It’s perfect for teaching, collaborating, or just showing off an idea.

This workflow also pairs well with public demos, blog posts, or rapid prototyping for hackathons and weekend projects.

IDEs Still Have a Place — But Later #

This isn’t about replacing IDEs entirely. When I move a prototype to production, I export the idea and move to VS Code. That’s when I want:

• Version control
• Type checking
• Testing suites
• Build tools

But by that point, I’ve already figured out the idea in Scribbler. I’ve iterated quickly, made mistakes, corrected them, and got results. The IDE becomes the second phase — not the starting point.

Key Features of Scribbler #

• No Installation Needed Everything runs directly in your browser. Just open a notebook and start coding.

• Interactive JavaScript Notebooks Structure your code, output, and notes in notebook-style documents.

• Instant Execution Run JavaScript (and visual libraries like Plotly, Canvas, D3) with immediate feedback.

• ESM Module Support Import and use modern JavaScript libraries easily. → Learn how

• Built-in AI Assistant Get code suggestions, explanations, and help directly within your notebook. → See AI in action

• Save Locally or Publish on GitHub Store notebooks in your browser’s local storage, or publish/share via GitHub. → Step-by-step publishing guide

• Perfect for Rapid Prototyping Sketch ideas, experiments, or visualizations without boilerplate. → Explore prototyping flow

• Offline-First Works without internet once loaded. All data stays on your device unless shared.

If you’re still using an IDE for everything — from building apps to testing a math function — it’s time to rethink. Prototyping is a different mindset. You don’t need scaffolding, you need speed, clarity, and playfulness.

Scribbler gave me that. It made coding fun again — not just productive.

And that’s why I stopped using IDEs for prototyping.