Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CodeSandbox VS Elm

Compare CodeSandbox VS Elm and see what are their differences

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CodeSandbox logo CodeSandbox

Online playground for React

Elm logo Elm

A type inferred, functional reactive language that compiles to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • CodeSandbox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27
  • Elm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-23

We recommend LibHunt Elm for discovery and comparisons of trending Elm projects.

CodeSandbox

$ Details
Release Date
2017 January
Startup details
Country
The Netherlands
City
Amsterdam
Founder(s)
Bas Buursma
Employees
1 - 9

CodeSandbox features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    CodeSandbox offers an intuitive interface that allows developers to quickly start coding without the need for complex setup or configuration.
  • Instant Collaboration
    The platform supports real-time collaboration, enabling multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously.
  • Pre-configured Environments
    It provides a variety of pre-configured templates for popular frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular, which saves time on setting up development environments.
  • Integrated Development
    CodeSandbox includes built-in terminal access and npm/yarn package management, making it possible to manage dependencies directly within the editor.
  • Live Previews
    Code changes are instantly compiled and displayed, providing immediate feedback with live previews of the application.
  • GitHub Integration
    Seamless integration with GitHub allows importing and exporting repositories, making it easier to manage version control and workflows.
  • Accessibility
    Being a web-based IDE, CodeSandbox can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, enhancing flexibility and mobility.

Possible disadvantages of CodeSandbox

  • Performance Issues
    Some users experience lag and slower performance, particularly with larger projects, compared to local development environments.
  • Limited Customization
    While convenient, the pre-configured environments might limit advanced customization options available in local IDEs.
  • Dependency on Internet
    As an online platform, a stable internet connection is required to use CodeSandbox effectively, which could be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Free Tier Limitations
    The free version comes with certain restrictions on resources and functionality, which might not be sufficient for larger or more complex projects.
  • Security Concerns
    Storing code in an online platform can raise security concerns, especially for sensitive or proprietary projects.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its ease of use, developers new to online IDEs might face a learning curve in adapting from traditional, local development environments.

Elm features and specs

  • Strong Type System
    Elm's type system is designed to catch errors at compile-time, reducing runtime errors and improving code reliability. It emphasizes immutability, making it easier to reason about and maintain code.
  • No Runtime Exceptions
    Elm enforces safety with its type system, ensuring that runtime exceptions are almost impossible. This leads to more robust and predictable applications.
  • Friendly Error Messages
    Elm's compiler provides exceptionally helpful and user-friendly error messages, which make debugging easier and learning the language more approachable.
  • Optimized Performance
    Elm's compiler generates highly optimized JavaScript, resulting in fast and efficient applications. Performance tuning is handled by the compiler, freeing developers from many optimization concerns.
  • Functional Programming
    Elm is purely functional, promoting a clear and declarative coding style. It encourages developers to write more predictable and maintainable code by leveraging functional programming principles.
  • Built-In Architecture
    The Elm Architecture (Model-Update-View) provides a consistent pattern for building applications, which can simplify the development process and improve code organization.
  • Interoperability with JavaScript
    Elm allows you to seamlessly integrate with existing JavaScript code through ports, giving you the flexibility to gradually adopt Elm or work with libraries that are not available in Elm.

Possible disadvantages of Elm

  • Small Ecosystem
    Elm's ecosystem is relatively small compared to more established languages like JavaScript or TypeScript, meaning there are fewer libraries and tools available, which might limit certain functionalities out of the box.
  • Learning Curve
    Elm’s functional programming paradigm and strict type system can be challenging for developers who are not familiar with functional programming, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Developer Community
    The Elm community is smaller compared to other languages, which can make finding support or example projects more difficult. This might also affect the availability of tutorials and learning resources.
  • Interoperability Overhead
    While interoperability with JavaScript is possible through ports, it introduces additional complexity and overhead, making integrated projects more challenging to manage.
  • Slower Release Cycle
    Elm's development and release cycle can be slower compared to other technologies. Updates and new features might take longer to be released, impacting the adoption of cutting-edge practices.
  • Single File Approach
    In Elm, managing large codebases can be problematic due to the lack of support for splitting code into multiple modules or files akin to solutions in other languages, which can make the code less modular and harder to navigate.

Analysis of CodeSandbox

Overall verdict

  • Yes, CodeSandbox is a highly regarded tool among developers, especially for quick prototyping and collaborative coding.

Why this product is good

  • Ease of Use: CodeSandbox provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for beginners and efficient for experienced developers.
  • Collaboration: Real-time collaborative features allow multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously.
  • Integration: It offers seamless integration with popular version control systems like GitHub, making it easy to import/export projects.
  • Environment: Supports a wide range of JavaScript frameworks and libraries, such as React, Vue, and Angular, enabling rapid building of applications.
  • Cloud-Based: Being cloud-based means no setup is required, and projects can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection.

Recommended for

  • Front-end Developers: Suitable for developers who want to quickly build and test front-end applications without local setup.
  • Educators and Students: Ideal for teaching and learning coding due to its collaborative and interactive code editing features.
  • Prototypers: Those looking for a fast way to prototype ideas in a conducive and integrated environment.
  • Open Source Contributors: Simplifies the process of reviewing and testing contributions to open-source projects.

Analysis of Elm

Overall verdict

  • Elm is a good choice for developers who appreciate functional programming and want a robust, type-safe environment for web development. Its features make it particularly well-suited for projects where reliability and maintainability are critical.

Why this product is good

  • Elm is a functional programming language that is designed for building reliable and maintainable web applications with a focus on simplicity and quality tooling. Its strong type system helps catch errors during compile time, eliminating a whole class of runtime exceptions. Elm also has an emphasis on immutability and functional programming practices, which can lead to more predictable code.

Recommended for

  • Developers interested in functional programming
  • Teams looking for a language with a strong type system
  • Projects where web application stability and reliability are crucial
  • Those wanting to avoid runtime errors with compile-time guarantees
  • Developers who value simplicity and developer-friendly tooling

CodeSandbox videos

A browser IDE that's actually GOOD? (CodeSandbox.io Review!)

More videos:

Elm videos

Nightmare on Elm St (series review)

More videos:

  • Review - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - Movie Review
  • Review - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - Movie Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CodeSandbox and Elm)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Programming Language
0 0%
100% 100
Programming
100 100%
0% 0
OOP
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare CodeSandbox and Elm

CodeSandbox Reviews

8 Best Replit Alternatives & Competitors in 2022 (Free & Paid) - Software Discover
Codesandbox is an online code editor and prototyping tool that makes creating and sharing web apps faster. Codesandbox: Online code editor and ide for rapid web development.
12 Best Online IDE and Code Editors to Develop Web Applications
CodeSandbox can be thought of as a much more powerful and complete take on JSFiddle. True to its name, CodeSandbox provides a complete code editor experience and a sandboxed environment for front-end development.
Source: geekflare.com

Elm Reviews

We have no reviews of Elm yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CodeSandbox should be more popular than Elm. It has been mentiond 310 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

CodeSandbox mentions (310)

  • How To Install Shadcn UI In React JS
    CodeSandbox Examples: Check out CodeSandbox for live projects using Shadcn UI. It’s a great way to see the toolkit in action. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Thankful for CodeSandbox
    I am thankful for a platform like CodeSandbox because it allows me to offload majority of the processing power and memory resources to the cloud. With a local VS Code installed, I can tunnel in via a remote connection to work on my projects, tinker, or do a deep-dive on certain topics; all while ensuring that the RPi 4 still has sufficient resources left to run other things in the background. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Some useful .new "shortcut" domains
    To create a new React JS environment in CodeSandbox. Similar domains include js.new, vue.new, etc.,. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Sonos CEO Patrick Spence steps down after app update debacle
    I have, it's called Visual Studio Code and I ditched my old native editor(s) for it. I'd even suggest that the fact that it's JS based has significantly changed the tech world because the editor itself will run in a browser so it's here https://godbolt.org/ , and here https://codesandbox.io, and here https://www.postman.com/, and here https://aws.amazon.com/pm/cloud9/ and 100s or 1000s of other sites. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • React Native Online Compiler: Compare the Top 5 Platforms for Your Development Needs
    CodeSandbox for web-first collaborative projects. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

Elm mentions (123)

  • 3 Options to Avoid Side-Effects in Web Dev
    Use languages that don’t have side-effects; Elm for UI, and Roc for API/CLI. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Reactivity in Programming
    Reactive programming itself is rarely found in pure form. It is often combined with other paradigms. This is how such mixes as Imperative Reactive Programming, Object-Oriented Reactive Programming and Functional Reactive Programming appeared. The latter is the most popular, and the Elm language is considered one of its main representatives. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Tsonnet #13 - Carets, columns, and clues: adding lexing error tracing
    I've drawn inspiration from Elm and the blog post Compiler Errors for Humans -- it is nearly a decade old and still inspiring to read. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • An Ode to TypeScript Enums
    When I see this it makes me want to run for ReasonML/ReScript/Elm/PureScript. Sum types (without payloads on the instances they are effectively enums) should not require a evening filling ceremonial dance event to define. https://reasonml.github.io/ https://rescript-lang.org/ https://elm-lang.org/ https://www.purescript.org/ (any I forgot?) It's nice that TS is a strict super set of JS... But that's about the only... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • TypeScript's Lack of Naming Types and Type Conversion in Angular
    Elm, ReScript, F#, Ocaml, Scala… it’s just normal to name your types, then use them places. In fact, you’ll often create the types _before_ the code, even if you’re not really practicing DDD (Domain Driven Design). Yes, you’ll do many after the fact when doing functions, or you start testing things and decide to change your design, and make new types. Either way, it’s just “the norm”. You then do the other norms... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CodeSandbox and Elm, you can also consider the following products

CodePen - A front end web development playground.

Kotlin - Statically typed Programming Language targeting JVM and JavaScript

replit - Code, create, andlearn together. Use our free, collaborative, in-browser IDE to code in 50+ languages — without spending a second on setup.

Elixir - Dynamic, functional language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications

JSFiddle - Test your JavaScript, CSS, HTML or CoffeeScript online with JSFiddle code editor.

Clojure - Clojure is a dynamic, general-purpose programming language, combining the approachability and interactive development of a scripting language with an efficient and robust infrastructure for multithreaded programming.