Codepad – The ClassHelper.org™ Blog

When it comes to something as seemingly simple as editing text (programming, configuration files, etc), there are a surprising number of options available to Linux users. This review focuses on some of the more commonly used tools found in the Ubuntu repositories; most, if not all, of these editors can be easily installed in other Linux distributions. Most of these applications have similar core features, but some integrate more advanced functionality.

My Personal Favorite: gedit

The gedit text editor represents a good balance between easy use and advanced features. As the default text editor under Gnome for Ubuntu, gedit supports syntax highlighting for dozens of markup and programming languages. Other configurable options include tab/indentation behavior, text wrapping, and spell checking. The editor supports a plugin system for adding unique features. It also features a multiple document interface (MDI) layout to facilitate easy switching between documents.

The gedit text editor.

The W3C Editor & Browser: Amaya

Amaya is more than just a text editor; it’s a framework for developing and testing standards-compliant web pages. With full support for HTML/XHTML, CSS, forms, and mathematical expressions, this is a power tool in the family of code editors.

The Amaya editor and browser.

Bare Bones Editors: Leafpad and gtkedit

For those who are into frilly things like syntax highlighting, the Leafpad and gtkedit offer the basic functionality found in simple applications like Windows Notepad. They’re great for quick edits on configuration files, or for systems with minimal resources.

The Leafpad text editor.

The gtkedit text editor.

For the Cross-Platform Minded: jEdit

If you routinely work with a few different operating systems and want some consistency in your code editing, you might want to give jEdit a try. Programmed in Java, this application runs on anything that supports a Java virtual machine. It supports a wide range of features, including syntax highlighting, code folding with markers, macros, and plugins.

The jEdit text editor.

For Kode Konquerors: KWrite

Fans of the KDE project are probably already familiar with KWrite, the default KDE text/code editor. It supports the usual range of syntax highlighting and code manipulation features, with enhanced integration with the KDE desktop (if that’s your thing; I prefer Gnome).

The KWrite text editor.

Easy Web Editing with SciTE

The SciTE programmer’s editor supports a lot of frequently-used features for web developers, and includes a nifty addition other editors don’t have: syntax checking. As shown in the screenshot below, you can easily verify the syntax of a program written in Perl, PHP, or Python with a single click. This can really be a time-saver when it comes to stamping out bugs.

The SciTE text editor.

For Web Wizards: The Screem Editor

Screem is designed with web developers in mind. It features wizards for many common web development tasks, including color selection, CSS manipulation, forms, and SSI. This editor falls firmly in the “everything but the kitchen sink” category, but may appeal to those who like built-in shortcuts for common tasks.

The Screem text editor.

I hope you’ve found this article useful. If you have additional suggestions for programming editors, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy coding!