Best Code Editors

BEST CODE EDITORS

When learning to write code, whether you’re learning HTML, Python, Javascript, or any other language, having the best code editor can greatly improve your skills and increase your learning speed. Below I have compiled a list of some of the best code editors.

  1. JetBrains: Developer Tools for Professionals and Teams

    By far I would say that Jetbrains offers the most complete suite code/developer tools. If you are a Python developer, you will love their PyCharm IDE. If you are a PHP developer, check out their PHPStorm IDE. There are tons of tools to choose from, and each one includes features like intelligent code completion, on-the-fly error checking and quick-fixes, and can connect directly to your GitHub. The tools themselves cost money, UNLESS you have a .edu email, which can be used to download the full suite of tools for FREE! Here is a list of some of their tools:

  2. Sublime Text: A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose

    If you don’t have a .edu email to get Jetbrains for free, or if their tools just aren’t your thing, then check out Sublime! You can get it for FREE! Extra features are available in through a paid version, but I’ve found the free version to be plenty useful for me. Some of the features include opening files with only a few keystrokes, instantly jump to symbols, lines or words, making multiple changes at the same time, a powerful API and package ecosystem, and split-screen editing, just to name a few.

  3. Atom: Text editor

    Atom is a FREE, open source code/text editor that is being developed at GitHub. In their own words, “At GitHub, we’re building the text editor we’ve always wanted: hackable to the core, but approachable on the first day without ever touching a config file.” Atom has features such as cross-platform editing, a built-in package manager, smart autocompletion, a file system browser, multiple panes, and find and replace. As far as packages go, “You choose from thousands of open source packages that add new features and functionality to Atom—or build a package from scratch and publish it for everyone else to use.” Atom also now has Atom IDE that allows you to start using IDE-like feature in Atom. Atom is fast growing as one of the best code editors.

  4. Eclipse

    Eclipse is a bit tougher to describe. Therefore, I’ll use their own words: “To some Eclipse is a free, state-of-the-art Java development environment. To others, Eclipse is a flexible environment to experiment with new computer languages or extensions to existing languages. To yet others, Eclipse is a comprehensive framework that deploys many advanced and modern software design and implementation techniques.” Furthermore, “Those who download the generic Eclipse Platform, usually by mistake, are somewhat confounded by what they see. The platform was conceived as the generic foundation for an IDE. That is, the platform is an IDE without any particular programming language in mind. You can create generic projects, edit files in a generic text editor, and share the projects and files with a Concurrent Versions System (CVS) server. The platform is essentially a glorified version of a file-system browser.” To say the least, Eclipse is many things at once. It’s ambiguity is what lends it’s flexibility. One of my favorite things about Eclipse is that you can often find a plugin for a very specific need. If one of the other editors mentioned here doesn’t have functionality for a specific programming language or situation, it’s possible that Eclipse will have have a plugin for what you need! For this reason alone, I believe it’s good to have Eclipse in your tool set. Also, it’s FREE!

Please comment and let me know what you’re experience has been with these code editors, and if you know of any others you would suggest. I am always open to trying new things!

– JPR