I use PHPStorm (same as WebStorm) for SS2. How can I get code completion and code highlighting to be accurate? For example, I want code completion to work only for functions that are actually available (based on what is globally available and what I have made available in my define statement).

Unfortunately we don't have a good solution yet. We are aware of it and working on improving code completion capabilities

I recommend using NFT for better completion and strong-types for NS record and search access. If not that, at least try

npm install  @hitc/netsuite-types

I think NFT requires me to use TypeScript and I haven't got round to that yet, plus (if I understand NFT correctly) I am reluctant to use the SS API via a layer of abstraction because that layer is likely to be documented far less well than SS itself.

The layer is quite thin really - it's really no different from any other code you've probably already written, perhaps many times in different ways that work with NS. It's just something that makes working with NS easier and (importantly) more consistent looking code between scripts or devs. You don't have to use TS to use NFT but I strongly encourage it (due to the benefits of the strong typing). the 'strong typing' is more useful for NS development than other systems because of the more tedious dev/debug cylce where we have to upload code to actually test it.

Thanks for such detailed explanations. I've used JS since 2001 but never for any more than the odd script until meeting NS and I'm new to the JS ecosystem. I come mainly from Delphi and then C# so TypeScript is attractive to me

fortunately, JS has come a long way since 2001!

First impressions are long lasting and only in the last few years have I realised that JS is now more than just for fancy website functionality

If you are coming to SuiteWorld, don't miss this session https://events.rainfocus.com/widget/oracle/sw19/catalogsw19?leadsource=undefined&search=SDF%20and%20Dev%20Tools%20Unite You may see some stuff related to TypeScript 😎

I went five years ago but I've got too much work to do now!

I wish NS would just adopt NFT, or at least TypeScript as their official language - I've said for years it would give them some competitive advantage over SFDC Apex, since TS is strongly typed and an open-source language (not to mention vastly more popular than Apex)

I tried Node.js years ago when it came out and thought "what's the point in a single-threaded server" but it is apparent that mine was a minority view :)

I have an old friend that was (is?) a Pascal fan

There are some things you can do in Borland Pascal from 2001 that you still can't do in C#, but overall I'm glad I escaped Delphi for the modern world