Text editors may seem like narrowly targeted software products, but they are actually used by all kinds of experts from actual writers and editors to programmers and project managers. While some of them are more focused on certain aspects of working with text, others are more versatile and popular. You can use modern text editors like Sublime Text to improve your coding efficiency while taking notes on your progress and sharing your work with others seamlessly. To help you find the best program for your needs, we’ve arranged this list of the best text software with various features for different fields.
Atom
Atom is an open source program with a strong community and a real-time working environment for the entire team. It works on all operating systems and has special add-ons that turn on certain features for the editor. All in all, it’s great for working on complex projects with other people.
Notepad++
The most well-known text software for developers, Notepad++ is free, quick, simple, and powerful. It’s a user-friendly program with convenient highlighting features and multi-level folding support. If you are a novice coder, make sure to check it out.
CoffeeCup
This software is designed for editing HTML files, but you can also use it to practice your PHP skills, so it’s a great program for starters. It comes with ready-made themes and a variety of features that allow you to make changes on your website easily and in real time.
Sublime Text
One of the best options on the market, Sublime Text is a perfect tool to speed up your workflow on all kinds of projects. While it costs $99, that price pays off pretty soon. It’s not demanding to your PC but still features advanced editing tools like smart search and shortcuts that can help you find any specific code in just a couple of seconds. It’s definitely a must-see for professional coders.
Vim
One of the oldest programs on the list, Vim has been around since 1991. It still remains a popular app among experienced programmers. It has many advanced features, many plugins for extended options and new features, and a dedicated community. However, it’s not that user-friendly and looks dated.
BBEdit
Just like Coda, BBEdit is a Mac exclusive. It has all kinds of useful features like Git integration. Syntax highlighting is also supported, and you can use several screens for more effective editing. It works just great with various programming languages, and it’s rather suitable for web development.
CodeShare
While all the other apps are great, CodeShare really stands out of the list. It adds real-time video chat features to a text editing environment to create a unique product for entire teams of developers. It’s an easy and convenient way to write and review code with others, and it’s completely free.
TextMate
TextMate is a text editor that’s exclusive to MacOS. It’s novice-friendly and easy to learn, but there are many features packed into this small program: for example, you can view all previous versions and go back in time. It also supports macros that can really make your work easier.
UltraEdit
First of all, this program costs around $100, so if you’re looking for a free option, read further. But it’s a useful text editing software that supports pretty much every popular programming language and has a wide variety of tools, customizable features, and smart templates. The customer support is also great.
Coda
Coda is another program for Mac enthusiasts. It’s pretty costly ($99) but has some interesting features like local indexing and a convenient publishing tool. All in all, the features are worth the money, and its interface looks just great.