New and Noteworthy 0.4.0

Here's a list of the most noteworthy things in the tern.java 0.5.0 release which is enable since August 2014. You can see issues for 0.4.0

Improve installation of Embedded Node.js

Embedded Node.js installation was improved for the update site. Before 0.4.0, the update site provided the all embedded node.js (an embedded node.js per OS) :

0.4.0 improves embedded Node.js installation by providing just one entry (it selects the well embedded Node.js according your OS) :

Node.js Remote/Direct Access

Node.js preferences page provides 2 access mode :

• direct access : this access mode is the default preference. When completion, hover, hyperlink, validation is executed it starts tern.js with node.js server in a process. Completion, hover, hyperlink, validation waits for that node.js process is started to communicate with the tern server.
• remote access : this access mode doesn't start the tern.js server with node.js server. Completion, hover, hyperlink, validation tries to communicate with the tern server with the port configured. With this configuration an external process must start the tern server. For instance Nodeclipse can start the tern.js in debug mode. When Completion, hover, hyperlink, validation are executed, it calls the node.js server and we can debug tern plugin with breakpoint by using Nodeclipse.

See Debugging tern.js for more infomration.

JavaScript Editor

Context Information

After comletion apply of function, the function is inserted with arguments and a hover over help tip for each parameters :

Completion/Hover Popup

Hover and completion uses a popup to display useful informations. This popup was improved by using BrowserInformationControl like JDT does :

• image icons are used inside the popup
• hyperlink are available : click on hyperlink opens a Web Browser.

Before this improvment, popup had not image and available hyperlink :

Since 4.0.0, the popup is improved. Here a screenshot with text hover :

Here a screenshot with completion :

Hyperlink activation

Tern Hyperlink is now flagged as activated, in other words it appears before the JSDT Hyperlink :

JavaScript & HTML Editor

HTML, JSP can contains JavaScript. Before 0.4.0, Tern IDE supported only completion and Hyperlink features. 0.4.0 supports now text hover and validation with Lint (Validation).

Text Hover

Validation

Note that Lint (Validation) doesn't validate syntax errors (JSDT does already that) but manage semantic errors.

Tern modules support

Closure Library

Add Closure Library support :

For more information, please read Closure Library