Text editors, sometimes called code editors, are an essential tool when working with code.

Modern text editors provide a host of tools and features to help you modify code such as syntax highlighting for multiple languages, built-in file uploads, error reporting, search and replace and more.

If you work with many massive text files, this can be one of the best Mac text editors for you. It supports a wide range of languages, from HTML and PHP to Javascript. The interface is highly customizable to suit your unique needs. Compare the best Text Editors for Mac of 2021 for your business. Find the highest rated Text Editors for Mac pricing, reviews, free demos, trials, and more. Below is a list of the best free text editors. Use them to edit everything from TXT files to HTML, CSS, JAVA, VBS, PHP, BAT files, and more. If you just need a super quick way to strip the formatting from some text or to make a.TXT file without downloading a program, try Edit Pad.

Whether you are a full time web developer, or a website owner that needs to make a few quick edits to a template, you will appreciate how useful text editors can be.

In this article, we would like to show you what we at Design Bombs consider to be the best text editors of 2021.

1. TextPad (FREE Evaluation / $27)

Platforms: Windows

TextPad is a flexible text editor for Windows that features a built-in file manager, a search and replace engine and a keystroke macro recorder.

It allows drag and drop editing between files and works well with large files too.

I have actively used TextPad since my University days in the 90s and it remains one of my favourite website applications. You can download TextPad free of charge for evaluation, but the developers ask that you upgrade for $27 if you decide to continue using it.

2. Atom (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Atom is an open source text editor that is available for multiple platforms. It is free to download.

It features a file system browser, find and replace and smart auto-completion. Atom also allows you to work with Git and GitHub directly within the editor.

New features and functionality can be added using its built-in package manager and it comes with eight dark and light themes.

3. Sublime Text (FREE Evaluation / $80)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Sublime Text is a gorgeous multi-platform text editor that has many useful shortcut commands to improve efficiency. It can be used to find code within files in seconds.

It has a dedicated package manager that helps you install thousands of community-created packages to add more features. Multi-window editing is supported too.

Sublime Text can be downloaded free of charge for evaluation. A premium license costs $80 and comes with three years of updates.

4. Espresso (FREE Trial / $99)

Platforms: Mac

Espresso is a versatile code editor for Mac that supports custom code snippets, multi-file editing and tabbed workspaces.

Dozens of plugin extensions and syntax themes are available to help you add functionality and improve the look and feel of the app. CSS editing tools are available too.

The application is available for $99.

5. Vim (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix, iOS, Android

Evolved from the Atari ST’s popular ST Editor, Vim is flexible open source text editor that has 12 different editing modes. This includes a visual mode that highlights area of text, a command line mode and an easy mode.

Hundreds of programming languages are supported and there are a large number of plugin extensions available that add additional functionality.

6. Visual Studio Code (FREE)

Best Code Editor For Mac

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code editor is a stylish multi-platform text editor that is free to download.

It features auto-complete, syntax highlighting and debugging.

Git commands are built into the editor so that you can push and pull requests. A number of extensions are also available so that you can add new languages, themes and tools.

7. Brackets (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Brackets is an open source text editor that features inline editing, live previews, quick edits and live highlighting.

A host of extensions are available that add functionality such as indenting, Git integration, W3C validation and JavaScript, HTML and CSS formatting.

8. Coda ($99)

Platforms: Mac

Designed for Mac users, Coda is an useful text editor that has a built-in file and SSH manager.

It has colourful syntax highlighting, CSS overriding and advanced syncing between devices. MacBook Pro users can also switch between editor and preview mode using their laptop touch bar.

9. Code Editor ($24.99)

Platforms: iOS

Designed for iPad and iPhone, Code Editor is a beautiful text editing solution from Panic, the same company behind Coda.

It features a dual file browser, SSH terminal support and unique editing modes for Shell, SQL, Swift and more.

Code Editor is available from the Apple app store for $24.99.

10. UltraEdit (FREE Trial / $79.95 Per Year)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

UltraEdit is a multi-platform text editor that has built-in FTP, SSH and Telnet managers.

A host of themes are included with UltraEdit and it boasts multi-code select and advanced file searching. It supports large files too and the editor has been designed to work with high resolution displays.

A 30 day free trial is available for UltraEdit. Once the trial has expired, it costs $79.95 per year.

11. BBEdit (FREE Trial / $49.99)

Platforms: Mac

Developed for Mac, BBEdit is a useful text editor that features an advanced search and replace engine and a built-in file manager and FTP manager.

A unix command-line tool is also available and there is integration support for Git, Subversion and AppleScript.

BBEdit retails at $49.99, however you can download it free of charge and test it for 30 days.

12. TextMate($56)

Platforms: Mac

Another text editor that Apple users should check out is TextMate.

It offers multiple caret editing, version control, code snippets, macro recording, folding sections and shell integration. Custom actions, custom themes and extensible bundles are also available.

Although TextMate is open source, the product is sold commercially for $56.

13. Codeshare (FREE)

Platforms: Online

Codeshare is a free online text editor that lets you write, edit and share code with friends and colleagues.

It can be used to teach code to others and share code. Many companies also use the tool to set coding tasks for interviewees.

14. CoffeeCup (FREE / $29)

Platforms: Windows

CoffeeCup is a popular HTML editor for Windows that has a large components library and a built-in W3C markup validation tool.

A split-screen preview pane allows you to see what your HTML and CSS code will generate. There is also a tags tab that has references for (X)HTML, PHP, and CSS tags.

A free version of CoffeeCup is available with less features, with the full version retailing at $29.

15. Komodo Edit & Komodo IDE (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Komodo Edit is a free text editor that features auto-complete, skins and icon sets and a change tracker.

Komodo IDE is a superior alternative from the same developers that has a visual debugger, version control, workflow management, syntax highlighting and a host of add-ons to extend functionality.

16. CodePen (FREE / $8 Per Month)

Platforms: Online

One of the largest coding communities online, CodePen is a free online code tool that allows users to share and test HTML, CSS and JavaScript code snippets.

The CodePen text editor looks great, highlighting syntax code with many colours.

The majority of CodePen features are free to use, however premium plans are available from $8 per month that remove advertisements and add features such as live view and unrestricted theme embedding with custom CSS.

17. Codeanywhere (FREE Trial / $2.50 Per Month)

Platforms: Online

Codeanywhere is a cloud code editing and sharing solution that lets you edit code remotely and move and copy files and folders across FTP, Google Drive, Dropbox and more.

Its text editor has syntax highlighting for over 75 programming languages and features split panes, grid mode, multiple cursors and custom themes. It also supports file revisions and has a built-in terminal console.

A 7 day free trial is available to help you test the service, with premium plans starting from $2.50 per month.

18. Notepad++ (FREE)

Platforms: Windows

Notepad++ is an open source Windows text editor that offers syntax highlighting, scripting, auto-complete, macro recording and split screen editing.

Over 140 plugin extensions are available that let you add functionality such as W3C validation, text sorting and quote handling.

The application is free to download.

19. WeBuilder ($59.95)

Platforms: Windows

Creators for Windows users, WeBuilder is a versatile code editing application that has syntax highlighting for many popular programming languages.

It features several themes, advanced search and replace, macro recording, split editing, shortcuts for code snippets and code templates, a built-in file upload manager and many code validation tools.

WeBuilder retails from $59.95. The developers are behind other text editors that are also worth checking out such as Rapid CSS Editor, HTMLPad and Rapid PHP Editor.

20. Spacemacs (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix

Despite its name, Spacemacs is not just for Apple users. It is a multi-platform text editing solution that brings Emacs and Vim tools together.

The application features graphical and command line user-interfaces and boasts key bindings. There are many community created plugin extensions too that add functionality.

As Spacemacs is open source, it is free to download.

21. PhpStorm (FREE Trial / $199 Per Year)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

PhpStorm is a premium text editor that provides code analysis and error prevention for programming languages such as PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other languages.

It works well with modern content management systems such as Drupal, WordPress, Magento and Joomla, and offers features such as version control, remote deployment, command line tools and advanced debugging.

PhpStorm retails at $199 for the first year, $159 for the second year and $119 for subsequent years. A 30 day free trial is available to help you test the application.

22. GNU Emacs (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

GNU Emacs is an open source multi-platform text editor that offers syntax highlighting and a customisable graphical user-interface.

A large number of plugin packages are available that add additional functionality such as code snippets, custom themes and HTML5 schemas.

You can download GNU Emacs free of charge.

23. Bluefish (FREE)

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Our final recommendation is Bluefish. This lightweight editor offers search and replace, file uploads via FTP and SFTP, a snippets sidebar and code block folding.

An unlimited amount of undos and redos are permitted and Bluefish will show any mistakes you have in your code.

Bluefish is an open source application, so is free to download on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the best text editors of 2020. If so, I encourage you to subscribe to Design Bombs. You can also get updates of our latest articles by subscribing by RSS or by following us on Facebook or Twitter.

What’s your favorite text editor?

Let us know in the comment area below 🙂

Kevin

It is always exciting for developers from all over the world whenever they get to showcase their best code editor at computer expos and tech conferences. On that note when we talk about free code editors for Windows and Mac to use in the year 2021, we cannot help but wait in anticipation for brand-new features to use right away.

In this write-up, we will talk about the best coding software for multiple platforms. However, we will lay extra emphasis on Windows OS and Mac OS because they are popular operating systems out there right now.

Most of these best code editors are free; you do not have to buy any expensive licenses or whatever to start working on them. Just download a trial version of the said software and see if it fulfills your requirements. Afterward, you can convert to paid software for yourself or the company you are working for.

In addition, we will also fill you in on the most amazing code editors that you and your development team can use feature-wise. Since not all code editors are alike, some of them cannot be used for wide-scale projects.

Likewise, a basic version code editor can be used as a standalone application. If the app itself allows, it can be integrated into an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Let’s take look at our best code editor list and see what we have handpicked so far.

9 Free Best Code Editors for Windows & Mac to Use in 2021

Best Code Editors of 2021:

1. Notepad++

One of the most well-known code editors that developers all over the world have been using for quite a while is Notepad++. This amazing application was developed in C++. The initial launch version was very simple. It didn’t have a lot of functions back then, but Notepad++ garnered tons of positive reviews.

Not only developers but casual users also prefer using this tool over Windows’ native notepad application.

Using the pure win32 API, the Notepad++ has an amazing execution speed, which is great for the modern gen machines. Thanks to improved execution times, code compilation spans over a matter of few seconds. This helps programmers to get things done right away.

This application is only compatible with the Windows platform at the moment. It uses a GPL license to work. If you are a Mac fan, don’t worry. We have a couple of code editors appended down the list. Just keep glossing over it.

Key Features

• Auto-completion: Word completion, Function completion
• User-defined Syntax highlighting and folding
• Multi-view and Multi-Language support
• Support syntax highlighting for languages like PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS
• Macro recording and playback
• Entirely customizable GUI
• Autosave
• Guided indentation
• Macros
• Split-screen editing and synchronized scrolling

Pricing

• Free

Check out the best task management tools for Mac:

2. Atom

One of the most famous and useful code editors on this list is Atom. Used by millions of developers all over the world, it is an amazing application with a very simple UI that increases its usability.

One of the cool features of this best free code editor is that the developers can submit packages straight from the application. Atom is available for download at multiple platforms: Windows, Linux, and Mac devices. If you are a Mac OSX user, this is the perfect time for you to give this app a shot.

Key Features

• Package Manager Integrated for Plugins support
• Supports Command Palette
• The feature of smart autocompletion
• Cross-platform editing
• Built-in package manager
• File system browser
• Find and replace tool
• Smart autocompletion
• Multiple panes
• Packages and themes

Pricing

• Free

3. Visual Studio Code [VS Code]

Belonging from the Family of software developed by the tech giant Microsoft, Visual Studio Code is an excellent code editor we have on the list. The application is an amazing piece of software that offers deep built-in support for Node.js, TypeScript, and JavaScript.

One of the most effective and time-saving features of this application is its infusion with A.I.

That means that all of the code that the developer writes in the application is read by the software. As a result, it generates auto-responses for code writing. These responses are based on variable types, function definitions, and essential modules.

This application is available for download on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX.

Key Features

• Code refactoring & debugging
• Easy working with Git and other SCM (Software Configuration Management) providers
• Easily extensible and customizable
• Visual Studio Code CLI
• Live Share
• Helpers (Intellisense, Context Menus)
• Plugins and Themes
• Debugging
• Split Views, Zen Mode
• Integrated Terminal

Pricing

• Free

4. Brackets

Although this list recommends some of the best code editors in the market, there is still no comparison to Brackets code editor. Yes, it is free, but what makes it really useful is the full barrage of extensive new features.

This application has a lightweight framework designed by the people over at Adobe. Believe me, those people know what they are doing. It is one of the best code editors that is completely open-source and you can modify it to your liking.

One of the most amazing features of this application is that you can choose between a browser view to look at how your code is doing or you can view the source code in its original form and modify it from there.

This application is available to be used on Windows, Linux, and Mac devices.

Key Features

• Offers live preview, pre-processor support, and inline editors
• Especially developed tool for macOS
• Quick Edit UI feature puts context-specific code and tools inline
• Pleasant looking UI
• It comes with the inbuilt extension manager for fast & effective extension management
• Quick Docs
• JSLint
• Live Preview
• LESS support

Pricing

• Free

5. NetBeans

Best Free Text Editor For Mac 2021

Another code editor on this list that as one of the most famous code-editors is NetBeans. It is open-source software that the developers can use to develop applications using programming languages like PHP, Java, and C++, among many others.

This software also contains features like code analyzers that can debug your code for you and also convertors to change anything that needs modification.

If your applications were developed in the recent past, be advised that NetBeans allows you to upgrade all your applications to benefit from the new and improved Java 8 language constructs.

This application is ready to be used on Windows, Linux, and Mac devices.

Key Features

• Offers fast & Smart Code Editing
• Helps you to write bug-free code
• Easy & Efficient Project Management
• Rapid User Interface Development
• Cross-platform support
• Visual debugger
• Static analysis tools
• Code editor
• Code converters
• Multiple language support
• NetBeans Profiler
• Project management
• Batch code analyzers

Pricing

• Free

6. Bluefish

If you are a fan of working on dozens of different software at once and not wasting time for the code editor to take its sweet time to run your code, then Bluefish is the code editor that was designed with you in mind.

It is an excellent cross-platform editor that can handle many files of code at once and run them simultaneously. One other feature that the developers love about this application is that they can edit their code from their remote working station, which can be anywhere in the world.

This application contains many different options for web developers and programmers that can help them write code, websites, and scripts for quality testing of their software.

This application is available to be used by Windows, Linux, and Mac device owners.

Key Features

• Auto-recovery of changes in modified documents after a crash, kill or shutdown
• Unlimited undo/redo functionality
• Loads hundreds of files within seconds
• Project support feature helps you to work efficiently on multiple projects
• Dialogues for many HTML tags, with all their attributes
• User-customizable toolbar for quick access to often-used functions
• Fully featured image insert dialogue
• Multi-thumbnail generation for easy creation of photo albums or screenshot pages

Pricing

• Free

7. Vim

Another software that is reportedly comprehensive and can be considered an IDE within itself is called: Vim. It is an extremely advanced code editor that is open-source which gives you the ability to modify the application to your liking as a developer.

With the help of Vim editors and UNIX systems embedded in the software, the application can manage all of the text-editing activities of the developers in no time at all, whether the application is used online or on the premises.

This application is available to be used by Linux Devices.

Key Features

• It is command centric which lets you perform complex text related task with few commands
• There are many plug-in available for Vim. Its functionality can be extended in a great manner using these plug-in
• Same as multiple windows, it also supports multiple buffers
• It supports recording features which allow to record and play Vim commands in a repeated manner
• Its memory footprint is exceptionally low
• It is highly configurable and uses a simple text file to store its configuration
• It supports multiple windows. Using this feature screen can be split into multiple windows
• It supports multiple tabs which allow you to work on multiple files

Pricing

• Free

8. Geany

Next on this list of amazing code-editors, we have the software Geany. This application is quite effective because it uses the GTK+ toolkit to accommodate all of the code that the developers push on the software.

An amazing feature of this application is that it has all of the necessary basic components that make up an effectively integrated development environment or (IDE).

The developers can use this application to produce applications thanks to the software’s library that is full of different filetypes and other important features.

Geany supports Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux operating systems.

Key Features

• Navigating through the source code is easy
• Show status message on attempt to execute empty context action
• Allows you to add a note for applying the indent settings in the project preferences
• Allows popup menu on message window notebooks and sidebar
• Syntax highlighting
• Autocompletion of symbols/words
• Auto-closing of XML and HTML tags
• Many supported filetypes including C, Java, PHP, HTML, Python, Perl, Pascal, and others
• Code navigation
• Simple project management
• Code folding for an overall organized approach to coding huge programs
• Construct completion/snippets
• Call tips
• Symbol lists
• Build a system to compile and execute your code
• Plugin interface

Pricing

• Free

9. Komodo Edit

The software Komodo Edit is an intuitive but immensely powerful code editor that can easily run those long codes that you spent your sprints on.

The application allows you to perform the following functions straight from the application. These functions are integrations with other technologies like Docker, Grunt, Vagrant, PhoneGap, and many others like them.

You can also perform unit testing for all your quality assurance processes, debugging to make your code error-free and code refactoring.

This application is available to be used by Windows, Linux, and Mac device owners from all over the world.

Key Features

Best Free Text Editor For Mac

• A lot of contemporary color schemes
• Easily integrates into the desktop environment
• Multi-Language Editor
• Native Unicode support and Unicode compatibility checking
• Track Changes
• Multiple selections
• Quick bookmarks
• Smart language detection
• Split view and multi-window
• Variable highlighting
• Symbol browser
• Autocomplete and call tips
• Soft characters and matching braces

Pricing

• A free trial is available

Conclusion

There you have it; these are the 9 best code editors available right now. They are free to download and use. They are designed and loaded with the best functionalities that developers need regularly.

Of course, our standard of a “best” free/ paid code editor may not be the same as yours. If you have a favorite software that wasn’t on this list, feel free to share your input through the comments section below. We will add that program for you in a follow-up extension write-up.

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