Chances are, you’ve found this page because you are trying to choose a text editor to use and are a bit overwhelmed sheer number of them. While there are many text editors that can get the job done, we’ve narrowed it down to a few favorites. Whether you are a new developer or a complete pro, we will help you find the best text editor for programming you style of code.
If you need something simple, and are on a windows machine, use Notepad++
Notepad++ is a great editor for any skill level, as it is lightweight, clean and simple.
Pros
Notepad++ is built on C++ and boasts a small program size. I personally recommend it to programmers who are new and want something that is a step up from notepad, but don’t necessarily need to fully customize the editor and use every bell and whistle. The UI is easy to use and the editor runs quickly.
Cons
The biggest con here is that Notepad++ is only available on Windows. Sorry Mac and Linux users! It’s also not as customizable as products like Atom and Sublime.
If you specialize in Front End Development or Web Design, use Brackets
Brackets is specifically designed to use when working in the browser or on front end code. Whether you are a front end developer or a designer, this text editor is ideal.
Pros
One of the most practical and useful features of Brackets is the ability to easily switch from a class tag to it’s corresponding CSS. If you are a front end developer, this can save a lot of time and searching for the correct file and class name. While it has other great features and a clean UI, this feature alone is one of the reason why it’s on our list for the best text editors for programming.
Cons
If you do more than just Font End Development, you might want to look elsewhere. While Brackets is awesome for web development, it falls behind when it comes to some other languages.
If you are old school and used to command line, use Vim
If you are reading this article, chances are you aren’t going to choose use Vim unless you already use it regularly. Vim is popular with “grey-beard” developers who remember when things were simpler, or maybe more complicated.
Pros
Vim is included in Linux and Mac operating system command lines and is the most convenient if you are already hacking away in the command line on your operating system. It’s also extremely fast as there are no fancy packages or additional features to slow down the processes.
Cons
Vim is not for those who want an editor that will point out syntax errors, display color coding, or show a full file structure in the left hand margin.
If you want to add your own formatting rules, use Sublime Text 3
Sublime Text 3 is one of the top industry leaders for text editors. It has some great features like package managing, preprocessing, and is lightning-fast. It’s also unique in that it’s the only text editor on this list that has a paid version ($80). However, you can use it for free if you download the “trial version” and never upgrade.
Pros
The package manager allows customization of a plethora of programming languages. Sublime Text 3 also offers a comprehensive set of shortcut commands to use within the program as well as easy project switching.
Cons
I am not a big fan of having to pay for text editors. While Sublime Text will let you keep the trial version for an indefinite time, you will receive popups every so often reminding you to pay for the premium version. This is a big annoying, but if you don’t mind having to close out these alerts very often, then this is the best choice in text editor for coding.
If you want to add your own formatting rules, and you don’t want to deal with periodic popups, use Atom
Atom is fairly similar to Sublime Text 3 in terms of the customization capabilities. Like Sublime, Atom uses a package manager to import various packages such as beautify, which helps format your code in any languages, or jshint, which will show you possible mistakes and warning in your Javascript code as you type.
Pros
I’ll be honest, Atom.io is my personal favorite text editor for programming. Atom competes with Sublime in terms of its package manager. If you use a Source Control like GitHub, Atom will also help resolve conflicts on merges. The biggest pro here is that it is completely free, doesn’t ask you to upgrade to a premium version, and there are tons of useful packages which make it easy to set up a productive work environment, no matter what languages you are writing it.
Cons
Atom can be slow at times if you’ve got too many projects loaded. If you aren’t very well versed in coding, package config errors can be time consuming and difficult to debug.
If you are a native developer, use Android Studio or Xcode
Luckily, if you’re a Native App Developer, you probably already know that there are recommended (or required) development environments for both Android and iOS.
Android Studio is the best text editor for Android developers, as it includes automatic importing, hints, and comprehensive error messaging, as well as all the tools to build your app on emulators or your own device.
Xcode is essential for iOS developers, mostly because there is no way to build iOS apps and deploy them to your device without Xcode. Xcode is only available on OSx, which means if you plan to develop application for iPhone, you’ll have to invest in a Macbook or a Mac in the Cloud.
Conclusion
Now that you know a little about our picks for the top text editors for programmers, it’s important to mention that there are hundreds of other options. At the end of the day, as long as you are comfortable with your environment and are able to produce code the way you want, your preferred text editor is the correct one. We’d also love to hear about your favorite text editor and why, so feel free to comment below!