JetBrains has released version 6.0 of its JavaScript IDE, WebStorm, providing code editing and debugging for CoffeeScript, TypeScript and Dart with automatic compilation of these languages to JavaScript.

In this video John Lindquist gives a hand-on demonstration of File Watchers, a feature introduced in this version to connect different file types to appropriate tools. The idea is that if the file changes then the tool will be run automatically. For example, if you source file changes then it could be automatically compiled keeping everything up-to-date in next to real-time. He illustrates it with reference to CoffeeScript and demonstrates that the JavaScript file is live up-dated as the edits are made.

TypeScript, support for which is new in this version and he moves on to demonstrate source map debugging within TypeScript which allows debugging within TypeScript rather than the compiled JavaScript.

WebStorm 6.0 has FileWatcher templates for the following compilers:

• YUI Compressor CSS
• TypeScript
• YUI Compressor JS
• Closure Compiler
• CoffeeScript
• CoffeeScriptReduxSourceMap
• LESS
• SASS
• SCSS
• UglifyJS

Other noteworthy features include:

• Live Edit, which was introduced in the previous release, has been improved and now supports HTML5.
  
  
• Improved HTML and CSS coding, with a re-designed HTML structure view and support for even faster coding using Emmet in the editor.
  
  
• Revised approach to handling JavaScript libraries, allowing developers to work transparently with minimized and compiled files stored in the project
  
  

There is a fresh IDE look and feel, and Darcula (good joke!), a new native dark UI theme for the IDE and the editor. Of course if you are not a fan of the current fad for dark looking IDEs you can stick with bright up-beat white!

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WebStorm 6.0 is a free update for those who purchased a license after March 6, 2012 and there is a 30-day trial for new users in Windows, Mac OS X and Linux versions

If we are going to take JavaScript, and the languages that compile to it, seriously then this is the sort of IDE tool support that is essential. Let's hope WebStorm keeps adding features at the same rate.