Updated on September 7, 2018
Sep 01, 2020 Below is a list of the best free text editors. Use them to edit everything from TXT files to HTML, CSS, JAVA, VBS, PHP, BAT files, and more. If you just need a super quick way to strip the formatting from some text or to make a.TXT file without downloading a program, try Edit Pad. Unlike Microsoft’s built-in text editor (Notepad), gedit is a more feature-packed text editor geared towards usage for programming and mark-up. With its syntax highlighting, tabbed interface for editing multiple files, and spell-checking feature – gedit is an excellent, free text editor for coders. GNU Emacs (Windows, Mac, Linux).
All Windows and Mac machines have basic text editors, but TextEdit and Notepad aren't sufficient for serious web developers. Fortunately, there is no shortage of alternatives. Below is a roundup of the best text editors in 2018 including free and premium options.
Why would you need a more advanced text editor?
Web and software developers use text editors to make code changes or start files from scratch using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or any other programming language. If you don't know a file's format, you can open it with the text editor to view the source code. Text editors are also useful for removing formatting, font styles and hyperlinks from text. These tasks can be accomplished using the default text editors for Windows or Mac; however, if you're trying to create complex software or websites, a more advanced text editor can make the process much easier.
- That ends our list of the 10 best text editors that you can get for your Mac. Do note that most of the paid text editors on the list offer a free trial option, so check them out before you settle for one. Once you do find your favorite text editor for Mac, share its name in the comments section below.
- A text editor for BeOS. Free software: pluma: The default text editor of the MATE desktop environment for Linux. Free software: PolyEdit: Proprietary: Programmer's File Editor (PFE) Freeware: PSPad: An editor for Microsoft Windows with various programming environments. Freeware: Q10: A full screen text editor (Windows). Freeware: RJ TextEd.
Best collaborative text editors
There are certain online-based text editors available which are built for collaborative use. Whether that be for interview purposes, team coding session, or easy code sharing, these collaborative text editors are great for easily getting more than one set of eyes on your code.
1. CodeShare
Best Text Editor On Mac
CodeShare is the first service that allows you to share your code in real time. It's extremely useful for remote hiring purposes, code reviews, debugging sessions, etc. One differentiator from CodeShare is that it also allows you to talk over video, which in some cases can prove to be quite beneficial.
![Editor Editor](https://techviral.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/10-Best-Text-Editors-That-You-can-Use-in-Mac9.jpg)
You are required to port code over from your local development environment and it should be noted that code is only saved for 24 hours unless an account is created.
2. Codeanywhere
Codeanywhere provides a variety of useful features for coding on the go. It comes with an intuitive editor, allows you to connect remotely, has a built-in terminal console, and provides the ability to track revisions.
With Codeanywhere you can easily share files or complete project folders with any collaborator via a simple share link.
Codeanywhere does come with a free tier however also has plans starting at $2/month going to $40/month.
3. CodePen
CodePen is already known as a quite collaborative platform. You can create pens directly on the CodePen platform and share them with others. However, CodePen also comes with a Collab Mode which allows you and other collaborators to edit a pen at the same time.
Although Collab Mode does require a PRO subscription for the pen creator, collaborators aren't required to pay in order to make edits. Photograv crack free. Furthermore, this mode also comes with a handy chat feature so that you can discuss any changes with your team in real time.
Best free text editors in 2018
Free Best Text Editors For Programming In Mac Pro
All of the options below support most major programming languages, but none of them support every single language. Before you download a text editor, check the maker's website to ensure that your language of choice is supported. If you're primarily developing websites, then these editors should be sufficient.
1. Atom
Atom is a relatively new (released in 2015) an open source editor that works for Mac, Windows and Linux. This highly customizable text editor is supported by a community of committed developers, so you'll have access to dozens of plugins and themes. Atom even comes with a built-in tool for creating your own plugins. Since the editor was made exclusively with web technologies like HTML, JavaScript and CSS, any experienced web developer should feel right at home with Atom.
2. Visual Studio Code
Like Atom, Visual Studio Code is still relatively new (also released in 2015) however has been successful in gaining quite a bit of traction since then. It is built to run cross-platform, has an extensive plugin ecosystem, and comes with a few welcoming features to make life easier including:
- Built-in Git commands
- IntelliSense, which goes beyond highlighting and autocompletion with smart completions
- Debugging directly from the editor
VSCode has also shown to be faster than other popular text editors such as Atom. Furthermore, if you prefer to work with minimal distractions, you can also enable VSCode's 'Zen Mode' which hides all menus/windows and maximizes the editor screen.
3. Brackets
Brackets was made with web developers in mind. Consequently, there are versions of Brackets for Linux, Windows and Mac. Don't be deceived by the simple UI; Brackets supports dozens of keyboard shortcuts in addition to advanced features like split-screen editing. With the Live Preview feature, you can watch your web pages update in real time as you edit CSS and HTML files. Plugins provide additional support for things like W3C validation and Python tools.
4. Notepad++
As an upgraded version of the default Notepad for Windows, Notepad++ does everything its namesake can do and much more. It allows you to open documents in tabs so that you can edit multiple files without having to open and close them. You can also control all the tabs simultaneously to compare documents for differences, search for text and replace text.
Notepad++ only works with Windows devices, of course, but there is a mobile version available. There are also plenty of plugins you can download to set up auto-save features, merge text from multiple documents and much more.
5. TextMate
TextMate is a great text editor exclusively for Mac users. This Apple Design Award-winning tool has all of the features you'd expect like search and replace, auto-indentation and word completion. You can code in any programming language, but TextMate also comes with a special tool specifically for building Xcode projects.
6. Vim
Vim was one of the best text editors when it was released in 1991, so the fact that it's on this list is a testament to this program's greatness. Even in 2018, developers are still producing new scripts and updates. Due to the editor's age, documentation and tutorials about Vim are easy to find. Vim works on all major platforms.
Check out our Vim commands cheat sheet for a complete overview of the Vim commands you need to know.
7. Komodo Edit
In addition to tabbed browsing, Komodo Edit offers numerous UI options to make editing as convenient as possible. For example, Focus Mode hides all other open windows so that you can concentrate on coding. Alternatively, you can choose to view folders on the side of the editor. An underrated but much-appreciated feature is the button that lets you return to your previous cursor location. If you need more advanced functionality like debugging, unit testing and code refactoring, check out.
Best paid text editors
1. Sublime Text
Waldorf blofeld used. Just because Sublime Text is lightweight doesn't mean it lacks features. Sublime Text was built from the ground up with a Python API for developers who work with code all day long. Thanks to the editor's array of keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly navigate your code and make changes to multiple lines at once. Not only is Sublime Text cross-platform, but it utilizes the native functionalities of each OS to optimize speed and ease-of-use.
Sublime can be downloaded for evaluation for free however continued use requires the purchase of a license.
Price: $80
2. CoffeeCup HTML
As its name suggests, CoffeeCup HTML Editor is ideal for creating and managing HTML documents. Therefore, it's a popular option among web developers. Notable premium features include a code cleaner and HTML validation. There is a free version with fewer features, but you can try the full program for free for 21 days.
Price: $49
3. Coda
Coda remains one of the best text editors a full decade after its initial release. Like Dreamweaver, Coda is so feature-rich that it's practically an IDE. Coda is exclusively for Mac, so it was built with Apple lovers in mind. If you want a similar program for Windows, try UltraEdit.
Price: $99
4. BBEdit
Another Apple exclusive, BBEdit is the spiritual successor to TextWrangler. BB stands for bare bones, which is an apt description for BBEdit's interface, but this premium text editor supports advanced features like code folding and Git integration. Try the full version at no cost for 30 days.
Price: $49.99
Summary
If you're new to web development, start with an open source text editor like Atom or Bracket. Many of the free editors are powerful enough to meet the needs of most web projects. As you gain confidence in your coding capabilities, you may find such text editors too restrictive, so a premium option could be worth the investment if it can help you work faster and more efficiently.
You can make writing code as complicated as you want, but at the end of the day, all you really need is your favorite, trusty text editor. You can use a simple one like Microsoft’s Notepad, but oftentimes it’s helpful to have a text editor that has syntax highlighting/coloring, support for multiple languages, a robust find and replace feature, and other features and options that make writing code just a tad bit easier.
If you’re in search of a good, free text editor – you’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find 12 first-class free text editors that are designed with coders’ needs in mind. Whether you use a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine – you’ll find a few options here that will satisfy your code-authoring needs.
NOTEPAD++
(Windows)
NOTEPAD++ is the premier replacement for Microsoft’s Notepad. It has an auto-completion feature (for most supported languages) that guesses what you’re trying to write, a tabbed interface which is great for working with multiple files without cluttering your task bar, a powerful RegEx find-and-replace feature, code folding, support for a large array of languages (even Assembler!) and much more. These are just some of the features that make NOTEPAD++ my personal default text editor.
Bluefish Editor
(Mac, Linux)
Bluefish Editor is a robust, open source text editor geared towards programmers and web designers. It’s known as being a fast, lightweight text editor that can open 500+ documents with ease. It has a built-in function reference browser (for PHP, Python, CSS, and HTML) so you can quickly learn about with particular syntaxes. Check out the Screenshots section to find movies/screencasts (such as learning about working with remote files) and screen shots of Bluefish Editor.
TextWrangler
(Mac)
TextWrangler is a multi-purpose text editor for the Mac OS. It is a programmer-friendly text editor and Unix/Server Admin text editor. It has a useful “plugin” system allowing developers a way for extending TextWrangler’s built-in features. It also has a function browser so that you can quickly find and jump to the function you’re looking for (very helpful for those really long files).
Smultron
(Mac)
Smultron is an easy-to-use text editor. Its simple interface makes it perfect for the minimalist coder. It has the basic features you’d expect from a text editor such as syntax highlighting/coloring but also has cool, helpful features such as the ability to split the viewing pane in two so that you can view files side-by-side, a code snipplet library to allow you to store your often-used code blocks, and a full-screen mode that’s intended to make you focus on the task at hand.
Caditor
(Windows)
Caditor is an open source portable text editor written in the .NET framework (C#) that puts speed and performance at the forefront of its design. It has a convenient search box built into the tool bar of the text editor’s interface so that you don’t have to open another dialog box to perform a search. It has other handy features common to developer-oriented text editors such as line numbering, a compiler feature to allow you to hook it up with your compiler, and FTP feature.
gedit
(Linux)
gedit is the official text editor of the GNOME desktop. Unlike Microsoft’s built-in text editor (Notepad), gedit is a more feature-packed text editor geared towards usage for programming and mark-up. With its syntax highlighting, tabbed interface for editing multiple files, and spell-checking feature – gedit is an excellent, free text editor for coders.
GNU Emacs
(Windows, Mac, Linux)
GNU Emacs (more commonly referred to simply as Emacs) is a cross-platform, extendable text editor geared towards programmers. One of its defining features is Emacs’s ability to be extended – offering you the ability to use it as your project planner and debugger, among other things. It has a file-comparison feature (M-x ediff) that highlights differences between two files (useful for figuring out changes in a file made by coders who don’t document/comment their revisions).
Crimson Editor
(Windows)
Crimson Editor is a lightweight text editor for Windows that supports many languages. It has a “Macros” features which lets you record a sequence of tasks so that you can reuse the sequence with a click of a button. It has a built-in FTP feature, allowing you to upload/download files from your FTP server. Crimson Editor is a solid option for Windows users.
ConTEXT
(Windows)
ConTEXT is another excellent, light-weight, freeware (meaning it’s free – but close-sourced) text editor for Windows. It has countless of handy features such as text sorting (helpful when you need to sort things in alphabetical order, for example), the ability to export configuration options so that you can share your configuration or import it into several machines, and a macro recorder for repeating a sequence of tasks. In 2007, ConTEXT development was turned over to David Hadley but continues to be freeware.
SciTE
(Windows, Linux)
SciTE, written on top of the open source Scintilla code-editing component, is a speedy text editor aimed for use in source code editing. It has a standalone .exe version which you can use for portable storage drives (i.e. USB flash drives) so that you can conveniently carry it around and use it on any computer without having to install it. SciTE is compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems and has been tested by the developer on Windows XP and on Fedora 8 and Ubuntu 7.10.
Komodo Edit
(Windows, Mac, Linux)
Komodo Edit is a freeware, cross-platform text editor created by ActiveState. It is a simple text editor based on the popular integrated development environment – Komodo IDE. It has a convenient and flexible Project Manager feature to help you organize and keep track of your project files.
jEdit
(Windows, Mac, Linux)
jEdit is a text editor that specifically caters to programmers. It’s written in Java and runs on any operating system that supports You can download a ton of plugins (check out the Plugins Central on jEdit’s website) to extend its built-in features. jEdit was designed to combine the best features of Windows, Mac, and Unix text editors.
Additional Resources
- Comparison of text editors (Wikipedia)
- Hive Five: Best Text Editors (Lifehacker)
What do you think?
Find one that you like the best and stick to it, as everything down to the text can influence your clients’ web reputation whether they are a golf course or a restaurant. There’s a ton of text editors out there so be sure to share your experiences and opinions on the text editors above, and if your favorite isn’t on the list – please tell us about it in the comments.
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