While a plain text editor such as Notepad will give you the basics you need, you might be interested in using more advanced features.  These include syntax highlighting, FTP or find and replace features.

In this article, we will introduce you to the best code editors available for Windows, Mac and even Linux.

Features to look for in a text editor

When looking at editing your WordPress files, you’ll want your program to offer editing facilities for PHP and CSS files.  These are the predominant file types in WordPress.

Helpful features to look for in a code editor include:

  • The ability to show line numbers:  this will help you to debug your code more easily as you can easily address the content on each line.
  • Highlighting your syntax:  this will enable you to immediately see where there is a problem with your code.
  • Autocomplete codes:  reduces your time spent programming.
  • Auto – time save intervals:  backing up your data often enables you to work knowing that your information will not get lost.
  • Syntax error checking:  this highlights common errors as you type, helping you increase your accuracy.

Notepad++

If you’re interested in an introduction to code editors, Notepad++ would be the best free HTML editor to try out.  The first of the best code editor list is used on Windows-based computers and is easy to use for beginners.  It is also a powerful tool for advanced users.  You can use syntax highlighting with many different computer languages.  These include PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

You’ll be able to connect your server and edit files without leaving editor via a built-in FTP plugin.

Features

  • You can connect directly to the server via FTP, giving you the opportunity to open, edit and move your files into position directly from your editor.
  • Great support for external plugins which help extend the functionality of your website.
  • Open source and licensed by GNU, this gives you easy access to updates, online assistance, and no outlay costs.
  • This program can also be run on MAC, Linux, and UNIX.

Coda

Coda is a Mac text editor which has become extremely popular.  It has an attractive interface and is smart and powerful.  Coda allows you to edit working either local or remote files.  You can manage your projects using Coda.  While you work, you have multiple tab options which enable you to work on different files at the same time.

Coda has a built-in terminal access and reference guide, full-blown text editing facilities, and the ability to design layouts without using an outside application.  As a code editor for Mac, Coda isn’t free and costs $99 for a single license.  However, this well-loved option is well worth the price.

Features:

  • Coda supports the creation of colors and gradients as you need them.
  • An excellent file management system which can be opened using SFTP, WebDAV, FTP and Amazon s3. This means you can upload to multiple servers.
  • Remote and local files can be edited.
  • Supports MySQL queries.

Sublime Text

Sublime Text is a code editor which can be used across Mac, Windows, and Linux.  This is an aesthetic program with a range of valuable features.  You can personalize the appearance of the program to make it suit your individual needs.  This program has advanced code editor features which allow you to reference, split edit, autocomplete and autofill in order to work on coding quickly and efficiently.

Sublime Text is available on trial and a single license will cost you $70.

Features

  • Free basic software option.
  • Beginner friendly interface using sublime text
  • WordPress code editors which can be used across platforms such as Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Is this one the best code editor that you can use?

Let’s look at the other entries as well.

TextMate

TextMate is a Mac text editor which brings the simplicity of the Apple operating system into a text editor.  This program assists you with reducing the mental overload or repetitiveness of coding.  It is exclusive to mac.  TextMate is rich in features such as find and replaces, autocompletion, and foldable code blocks.

Features:

  • Supports more than 50 languages
  • Column typing
  • Ability to work with multiple files
  • File tabs for working with multiple projects
  • This program offers FTP and X code support
  • Easy Ruby and Rails code editing tool
  • Easy to use clipboard management.

Atom

Atom is a free online code editor which can be used across platforms.  It was developed by GitHub.  Despite being new, it has gained huge momentum.  Atom is open source and users submit themes.  It is an attractive option to work with.  Atom shines at its ability to add additional features easily.  There are many different packages and themes available when using Atom.

There is a range of features offered up by Atom, and it may take you a while to install your choice selection.  However, core features include:

  • An interface which is simple and easy to use.
  • The ability to extend and customize features available.
  • Works well with major operating systems.
  • Themes are variable and enable you to be precise when creating tools.

BBEdit

BBEdit is a high-performance HTML text editor for Mac.  This is an old and established text editor which is constantly updated.  As a result, it is often regarded the best text editor for Mac.  BBEdit has the advanced features you’d associate with a powerful code editor, including find and replace features, multiple tables, autocompletion, splittable editing windows, and syntax highlighting.

Features:

  • Extensive features which can be used on Mac computers.
  • Supports FTP and SFTP functions.
  • Supports HTML, Mac OSX Scripting, and Apple Script
  • There is a 30 day free trial period where you can see if this program is beneficial too.

UltraEdit

UltraEdit is an HTML code editor which can be used across multiple platforms and is regarded as one of the best code editor options available. It has strong features such as a built-in file comparison utility, multi-tab options, autocompletion, syntax highlighting and multi-pane editors. This is a program which will assist you in getting your work done quickly and efficiently.   This program has a free limited trial version but will cost $79.50 if you choose to purchase.

Features include:

  • The ability to handle large files
  • Block and column editing
  • Powerful search features such as Regex.
  • Excellent support for data sorting
  • Free trial version

Vim

Vim as a free text code editor which can be used across platforms such as OSX, Windows, and Linux.  Vim offers the opportunity to work on view files on a remote server.  Vim as a large range of features and is a flexible text code writer.  It can, however, take time to select the plugins which will be most beneficial.  Vim is powerful and advanced and is considered to be an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) in its own right.

Features

  • A highly integrated user interface.
  • Highly expandable and versatile
  • Supports over 200 languages.
  • Incredibly fast and efficient once you learn the keyboard commands.

Brackets

Brackets was created by Adobe in order to take web editing to a new level.  It is a free text editor which can be downloaded from an official website.  Brackets is still young but as an open source text editor, this means that all people are welcome to submit their extensions.  Brackets is an excellent code editor which enables you to work quickly and efficiently.

This product comes with the following features:

  • It supports all platforms, including Apple, Windows, and Linux.
  • It is an excellent product to use for writing in HTML, CSS, JS or PHP.
  • Customized options make this a flexible and highly extendable option.
  • This product can integrate with creative cloud and can extract CSS from PSD.
  • Lightweight code editor.

Ending thoughts on the best code editor programs

We hope this list of source code editors assists you with coding and editing your WordPress files. Which is the best code editor in your opinion?

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