The Most Popular Code Editor, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the code editor you think is the most popular!
Updated on Apr 27, 2024 06:33
In the dynamic world of software development, choosing the right code editor can significantly smooth the path to creating high-quality code. With so many options available, developers often rely on the shared experiences of their peers to make an informed choice. A ranked list of popular code editors helps by highlighting user preferences and experiences, giving newcomers and seasoned developers alike a peer-reviewed starting point.
By participating in the ranking, every vote contributes to a more accurate representation of community preferences. This continuous input from users ensures that the list stays relevant and reflective of current trends and needs in the developer community. Such collective intelligence serves as a valuable guide in selecting tools that enhance productivity and fit well with varying coding practices.
What Is the Most Popular Code Editor?
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170votes
Visual Studio Code
MicrosoftThis is currently the most popular code editor according to StackOverflow's 2020 Developer Survey. It is open source and highly customizable, with a large community of developers contributing to its extensions and plugins.Visual Studio Code is a highly popular, lightweight, and extensible source code editor developed by Microsoft. It is known for its versatility, cross-platform compatibility, and extensive library of extensions. With its intuitive user interface, powerful editing features, and excellent performance, Visual Studio Code has become the go-to choice for many developers across different programming languages and platforms.- Platform: Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Language Support: Wide range of programming languages and file types
- IntelliSense and Code Completions: Smart suggestions, auto-completions, and intelligent code analysis
- Debugging: Built-in debugging tools for various languages
- Version Control: Seamless integration with Git, including support for Git commands and version control systems
Visual Studio Code in other rankings- Position 4 of 10 in Most popular IDE for Java
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217votes
Doggum · CC BY-SA 3.0Sublime Text
Sublime HQThis code editor is known for its speed and efficiency, with a powerful search and replace feature and excellent syntax highlighting. It also has a large number of plugins and themes available.Sublime Text is a highly popular code editor known for its speed and simplicity. It is designed for developers who value performance and efficiency.- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Powerful Search and Replace: Supports regex-based search, multi-line search, and batch editing
- Syntax Highlighting: Offers a wide range of language syntax highlighting options
- Multiple Selections: Allows editing of multiple lines simultaneously
- Command Palette: Provides quick access to all functions and settings
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321votesCreated by GitHub, Atom is highly customizable and open source. It has a built-in package manager and a large community of developers contributing to its plugins and themes.Atom is a highly customizable, open-source text editor developed by GitHub. It is designed to be a hackable and flexible editor that can be tailored to fit any user's needs. With a sleek interface and a wide variety of features, Atom has gained popularity among developers around the world.
- Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Programming Languages: Supports multiple programming languages
- Package Ecosystem: Large community-driven package ecosystem
- Themes: Customizable themes
- Split Editing: Ability to work on multiple files side by side
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416votesThis lightweight code editor is popular for its simplicity and speed, with a range of features including syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and macros.Notepad++ is a popular code editor that provides a light, fast, and highly customizable programming environment. It is designed specifically for Windows platforms and supports various programming languages and file formats. Notepad++ offers a wide range of features and tools to enhance code editing and improve productivity.
- Platform: Windows
- Programming Languages: Supports over 50 languages
- Code Highlighting: Syntax highlighting for various programming languages
- Multi-Document Interface: Ability to work with multiple documents simultaneously
- Macro Recording and Playback: Automation of repetitive tasks
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515votes
Software: JetBrains Screenshot: VulcanSphere · Apache License 2.0IntelliJ IDEA
JetBrainsA popular code editor for Java development, IntelliJ IDEA has a range of features including intelligent code completion and debugging tools. It also supports other programming languages such as Python and Kotlin.IntelliJ IDEA is a popular code editor developed by JetBrains. It is designed specifically for Java development, but it also supports several other programming languages. With a robust set of features and excellent performance, IntelliJ IDEA has gained a significant user base in the software development industry.- Smart Code Editor: Provides advanced code completion, code navigation, and error detection.
- Intelligent Coding Assistance: Offers various automated suggestions, quick fixes, and refactorings to enhance coding productivity.
- Built-in Tools: Includes a wide range of tools for application development, testing, and deployment.
- Version Control Integration: Seamlessly integrates with popular version control systems, such as Git, SVN, and Mercurial.
- Database Support: Allows developers to work with databases directly within the IDE.
IntelliJ IDEA in other rankings- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular IDE for Java
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612votesAnother popular Java development environment, Eclipse is highly extensible and customizable. It also supports a range of other programming languages and has a large community of developers contributing to its plugins and extensions.Eclipse is a popular chewing gum brand known for its long-lasting flavor and breath-freshening qualities. It is a sugar-free gum that comes in a variety of flavors and is widely available worldwide.
- Flavor options: Multiple flavors available
- Sugar content: Sugar-free
- Long-lasting flavor: Yes
- Breath-freshening: Yes
- Availability: Widely available worldwide
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715votesDesigned for web development, Brackets has a built-in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript editor, as well as a live preview feature. It also has a range of plugins available for added functionality.Brackets is a lightweight, open-source code editor specifically designed for web development. It is equipped with powerful features and a user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice among developers. With its real-time preview and live connection to browsers, Brackets allows developers to see changes instantly without having to reload the page. It also supports preprocessor languages like LESS and SCSS, making it ideal for front-end development. Brackets was created by Adobe Systems and has gained a strong community following.
- Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Yes
- Cross-platform: Yes
- Live Preview: Yes
- Inline Editors: Yes
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87votesThis open source code editor is popular for its C and C++ development tools, including a compiler and debugger. It also supports other programming languages and has a range of plugins available.Code::Blocks is an open-source integrated development environment (IDE) that is designed specifically for C, C++, and Fortran programming languages. It provides a user-friendly interface and a powerful set of features to facilitate code writing, compiling, and debugging processes. Code::Blocks is a cross-platform application, available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Open Source: Yes
- Primary Language Support: C, C++, Fortran
- Cross-Platform: Windows, Linux, macOS
- User Interface: Graphical
- Code Completion: Yes
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98votesA popular code editor for introductory Java programming, BlueJ has a simple interface and a range of tools for learning object-oriented programming. It also has a visual debugger for easy debugging.BlueJ is an integrated development environment (IDE) specifically designed for teaching and learning Java programming. It provides a simplified interface and tools that aid beginners in visualizing and understanding the structure and behavior of Java programs. BlueJ fosters an object-oriented approach to programming by allowing users to interact with objects directly from the IDE.
- Platform: Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Language Support: Java
- Intuitive Interface: Simplified and beginner-friendly
- Class Visualization: Visual representation of classes and objects
- Object Interaction: Ability to interact with objects directly
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105votesThis lightweight code editor has a range of features including auto-completion, syntax highlighting, and a built-in terminal. It also supports a range of programming languages and has a plugin system for added functionality.Geany is a lightweight and customizable code editor that offers a range of features suitable for programming. It provides a user-friendly interface and supports various programming languages.
- Cross-platform: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Syntax highlighting: Supports syntax highlighting for over 50 programming languages
- Code completion: Offers auto-completion features to speed up coding
- Customizable layout: Allows users to customize the editor's layout and interface
- Split view: Enables users to view and edit multiple files side by side
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Ranking factors for popular code editor
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User Interface and User ExperienceThe ease of use of the code editor is crucial. The user interface and user experience should be intuitive, customizable, and visually appealing.
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Performance and SpeedA good code editor should have fast performance, quick startup times, and should not consume too much system resources.
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Language SupportThe code editor should support a wide variety of programming languages and have syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and error-checking capabilities.
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ExtensibilityThe ability to add or remove functionality through plugins or extensions is a critical factor, as it allows the user to tailor the editor to their specific needs.
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Cross-Platform CompatibilityThe code editor should be available for multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux) and should have a consistent user experience across all.
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Version Control IntegrationSeamless integration with popular version control systems like Git, Mercurial, and SVN is essential for efficient team collaboration and code management.
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Community and EcosystemA large community and a wide range of learning resources, plugins, and integrations make the code editor more useful and easier to customize.
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Regular Updates and MaintenanceFrequent updates, bug fixes, and new feature releases are crucial in maintaining the performance and functionality of a code editor.
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PricingConsideration should be given to the price of the editor, if it is free, open-source, or has a subscription-based service.
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Built-In Tools and FeaturesThe code editor should offer a range of built-in tools and features like debugging, code formatting, search-and-replace, multiple cursors, and split view seamlessly integrated into the editor.
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Keyboard Shortcuts and CustomizabilityThe ability to customize keyboard shortcuts and create personalized workflows also plays a significant role in an editor's appeal.
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Training and supportAvailability of proper documentation, tutorials, forums, and customer support enhances the user experience, especially for beginners.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular code editor. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or editor is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 2407 views
- 184 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each editor once every 24 hours. The rank of each editor is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular code editor
Code editors are essential tools for programmers, developers, and web designers. They allow users to write, edit, and manage code, making the entire process of coding more efficient and effective. With so many code editors available on the market, it can be challenging to choose the best one for your needs. To help you make an informed decision, we've conducted extensive research to determine the most popular code editor among our users. In this article, we'll share our findings and provide you with an overview of the top contenders in the world of code editors.
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