List of the Top 25 Code Editors for C in 2025

Windsurf is an innovative IDE built to support developers with AI-powered features that streamline the coding and deployment process. Cascade, the platform’s intelligent assistant, not only fixes issues proactively but also helps developers anticipate potential problems, ensuring a smooth development experience. Windsurf’s features include real-time code previewing, automatic lint error fixing, and memory tracking to maintain project continuity. The platform integrates with essential tools like GitHub, Slack, and Figma, allowing for seamless workflows across different aspects of development. Additionally, its built-in smart suggestions guide developers towards optimal coding practices, improving efficiency and reducing technical debt. Windsurf’s focus on maintaining a flow state and automating repetitive tasks makes it ideal for teams looking to increase productivity and reduce development time. Its enterprise-ready solutions also help improve organizational productivity and onboarding times, making it a valuable tool for scaling development teams.

An exceptionally sophisticated text editor tailored for programming, markup, and general writing tasks. The Goto Anything feature allows for swift navigation to files with minimal keystrokes, enabling you to jump to symbols, lines, or particular words with ease. This editor empowers you to execute multiple edits at once, eliminating the need to apply the same change repeatedly. Thanks to its multiple selections feature, you can seamlessly alter several lines simultaneously, rename variables effortlessly, and manage files far more efficiently than you might have imagined. The Command Palette unlocks access to less commonly utilized features, including sorting, syntax tweaks, and indentation changes. By simply typing a few keys, you can precisely locate what you require without the frustration of sifting through menus or memorizing intricate key combinations. Furthermore, Sublime Text offers a powerful Python API that facilitates the creation of plugins to augment its built-in features. With the convenience of installing Package Control via the command palette, users can easily tap into a vast array of community-developed packages that further enhance the editor's capabilities. This makes it not just a functional tool, but an essential asset for anyone aiming to optimize their coding or writing workflow. Indeed, its versatility and user-friendly design contribute to making it a preferred choice among developers and writers alike.

Notepad++ is a cost-free substitute for the standard Notepad, specifically created for modifying source code in multiple programming languages. It runs seamlessly within the Microsoft Windows environment and adheres to the GNU General Public License. Built on the advanced Scintilla editing framework and developed in C++, it utilizes the pure Win32 API and Standard Template Library (STL) to enhance its performance speed and minimize file size. By streamlining various processes while ensuring ease of use, Notepad++ aims to play a part in lowering global carbon dioxide emissions. Its efficiency enables computers to consume less CPU power, leading to operations at reduced energy levels, which contributes to decreased power usage and supports a more sustainable future. This innovative approach highlights the potential of software development to harmonize with environmental sustainability efforts while providing robust editing capabilities.

Eclipse IDE has emerged as the leading open platform designed specifically for professional programmers, and its current iteration showcases remarkable improvements. This integrated development environment equips users with vital tools that promote swift innovation, thanks in part to the streamlined setup process offered by the Eclipse IDE Installer 2020-09, which now includes a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in numerous packages. Furthermore, the advancements encompass enhancements in theming and styling, introducing a more polished dark theme for Windows as well as an updated light theme for GTK. In addition, Eclipse IDE has updated its requirements to Java 11 as the minimum operating version while still allowing for the compilation of older versions when necessary. One of the intriguing new features is the inclusion of support for aarch64, alongside strengthened Linux compatibility integrated into this release. Moreover, Node.js has been incorporated within all LSP-based tools, ensuring smooth operation right from the beginning. Eclipse IDE continues to be available for free and open source, distributed under the Eclipse Public License 2.0, highlighting its dedication to a community-focused development approach. The platform thrives within a rich ecosystem of plugins, sustained by a vibrant and proactive community of contributors. This collaborative atmosphere guarantees that Eclipse IDE will keep adapting and evolving to satisfy the varying requirements of developers across the globe, allowing it to maintain its relevance in an ever-changing technological landscape.

Apache NetBeans is a robust open-source Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that facilitates application development across various programming languages, including Java, JavaScript, PHP, HTML5, and C/C++. Known for its modular architecture, NetBeans offers developers an array of tools and functionalities tailored for crafting desktop, mobile, and web applications. It features sophisticated code editing, debugging, and profiling capabilities, along with an integrated visual GUI builder that streamlines the design of user interfaces specifically for Java applications. Furthermore, the IDE integrates effortlessly with version control systems such as Git, SVN, and Mercurial, thereby fostering collaboration within development teams. As a project under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation, NetBeans undergoes continuous enhancement by a committed community, ensuring its capabilities remain current and effective. This ongoing development makes NetBeans not only a reliable tool but also a highly flexible option for developers in various sectors. The combination of its comprehensive features and strong community support enables NetBeans to appeal to both beginners and experienced developers, who appreciate its versatility and user-friendly design. Ultimately, the IDE's commitment to innovation ensures it remains a relevant choice in the ever-evolving landscape of software development.

Atom is a contemporary text editor designed for the digital age, built on the Electron framework and influenced by the features we love in our favorite editing applications. It prioritizes extensive customization while keeping its default configuration user-friendly. As an essential part of a developer's toolkit, a text editor works in tandem with other tools rather than operating independently. With the built-in GitHub package, managing your Git and GitHub workflows is effortless within Atom—allowing you to create branches, stage and commit changes, push and pull updates, resolve merge conflicts, and review pull requests, all from inside the editor. This package is pre-installed, so you can dive right in! Atom supports a range of operating systems, such as OS X, Windows, and Linux, promoting broad accessibility. You can quickly search for and install new packages or create your own directly from the editor, enhancing its versatility. Moreover, Atom boosts your coding productivity with an intelligent autocomplete feature and allows you to browse and open individual files, entire projects, or multiple projects in one window, making it a multifaceted choice for developers. With its user-centric design, Atom aims to streamline the coding process, catering to both beginners and seasoned developers, ultimately fostering a more efficient coding environment. This adaptability ensures that no matter your skill level, you can find the tools and features that best suit your workflow.

EditPlus is a text editor designed for Windows that comes with built-in support for FTP, FTPS, and SFTP protocols. In addition to serving as a great alternative to Notepad, it offers an array of powerful features specifically aimed at web developers and programmers, thereby greatly improving their coding workflow. This adaptability and range of functionalities establish it as an essential resource for professionals engaged in web development or software programming. Furthermore, its user-friendly interface makes it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers alike.

This premium HTML and text editing software tailored for Mac users provides sophisticated features that enhance text editing, searching, and manipulation processes. Renowned for its outstanding efficiency and intuitive design, this editor has become a preferred choice for many professionals in the field. Its seamless functionality allows users to streamline their workflows effortlessly.

Boost your coding efficiency with an integrated development environment specifically designed for contemporary web programming languages like Python, PHP, Perl, Golang, Ruby, and more. This robust tool can greatly simplify your development workflow, enabling you to manage intricate projects with greater ease and effectiveness. By utilizing such an environment, you can also enhance collaboration and reduce debugging time, which ultimately contributes to a more productive coding experience.

Embarcadero Dev C++ represents a modernized version sponsored by Embarcadero, merging the features of both Orwell Dev C++ and Bloodshed Dev C++. This comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and code editor is designed for C/C++ developers, utilizing the Mingw port of the GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) as its compiler. It is compatible with Cygwin and other compilers based on GCC. Constructed using the latest Embarcadero Delphi technology, Embarcadero Dev C++ is tailored specifically for Windows, ensuring a minimal memory footprint without relying on Electron. Additionally, it is optimized to allow for parallel compilation on contemporary multi-core processors, enhancing performance for users engaged in complex coding tasks. This efficient design caters to the needs of modern programmers seeking robust development tools.

Vim is an adaptable and highly customizable text editor tailored for efficient text creation and editing. Often found as "vi" on many UNIX systems, it is also accessible on Apple OS X. Renowned for its reliability, Vim is consistently being improved to expand its features. The editor supports multi-level persistence, has a rich plugin ecosystem, and can handle a wide variety of programming languages and file formats, all while providing robust search and replace capabilities, thereby making it a valuable asset that can work well with numerous external applications. The Vim online community acts as a central hub where users can exchange helpful tips and tools related to Vim. Furthermore, Vim includes a scripting language that supports plugin development, which introduces IDE-like features, syntax highlighting, colorization, and various other advanced functionalities. Users can effortlessly upload and manage these scripts through the Vim online platform, ensuring a smooth user experience. Initially named Vi IMitation, the software has progressed so much that it was fitting to rebrand it as Vi IMproved. Essentially, Vim retains almost all the commands from the classic Unix program "Vi," while simultaneously providing a plethora of enhancements. This powerful editor caters to both beginners and seasoned users who are in search of a dependable text editing solution, proving its worth in diverse programming environments. With its ongoing updates and community support, Vim remains a top choice for text editing tasks across various platforms.

TextMate is an advanced and highly adaptable text editor that accommodates a wide variety of programming languages and is available under an open-source license. This editor enhances the user experience by allowing simultaneous modifications with the ease of adding multiple insertion points for rapid code updates. Users can define their search parameters, and TextMate quickly presents the results, facilitating swift navigation between matches, extraction of pertinent text, or reviewing intended changes. It includes a file browser that highlights modifications, an editor view that indicates altered lines, and the capability to create diffs for changes made to the current file, all while integrating smoothly with prominent version control systems. Whether managing files with diverse programming languages, handling projects with various build systems, or working with third-party code that employs different formatting styles, TextMate efficiently oversees it all by associating extensive scope selectors with keyboard shortcuts and tailored settings. This versatility ensures that developers can uphold their preferred workflows while effectively navigating intricate coding scenarios, making it an invaluable tool for programming professionals. Additionally, TextMate's continuous updates and community support contribute to its ongoing evolution, enhancing its capabilities and user experience further.

Geany is a powerful, efficient, and lightweight text editor tailored for programmers, packed with features that boost productivity without hindering the user experience. It runs seamlessly on Linux, Windows, and MacOS, offering support for over 40 languages and natively accommodating more than 50 programming languages. The creation of Geany was inspired by the need for a versatile, user-friendly, and cross-platform IDE/editor that merges flexibility with robust capabilities. While there are many editors on the market, few successfully address the broad spectrum of user needs that Geany fulfills. Distributed under the GPL v2 license, it empowers users to modify and enhance the software, fostering a community where everyone can reap the benefits of these improvements. Geany's highly customizable features, such as its unique color themes (known as Geany Themes) and the option to introduce new file types, cater to a wide array of user tastes. Users also enjoy a multitude of settings that allow for deep personalization, ensuring that their specific requirements are met, particularly for popular programming languages such as C, Java, PHP, HTML, and JavaScript. Ultimately, Geany serves as an attractive solution for developers who seek a dependable tool that skillfully balances simplicity with extensive functionality, making it a top choice in the world of code editors. Moreover, the ongoing development and active community support further enhance its appeal, ensuring that it continues to evolve with the needs of modern programmers.

Kate is a powerful text editor that streamlines the management of text files, making the process of viewing and editing incredibly efficient. It supports the simultaneous handling of multiple files, featuring both tabbed and split viewing options, while also offering a variety of plugins, including an integrated terminal for running console commands, advanced search and replace functionality, and a preview option for visualizing content in formats like MD, HTML, and SVG. With syntax highlighting for over 300 programming languages, Kate significantly improves code readability, catering to a vast array of coding styles. The editor also excels in recognizing bracket structures, which helps users navigate complex code hierarchies with ease. Furthermore, it includes real-time spellchecking to ensure that your writing is refined before publication. The ability to open multiple files at once through split views, combined with a project sidebar for straightforward navigation of directory structures and intelligent tabs for quick access to recently opened files, enhances overall productivity. Ultimately, Kate serves as more than just a simple editor; it creates an integrated environment that is beneficial for both developers and writers, making the writing and coding process not only easier but also more enjoyable.

QuickEdit is an advanced text editor crafted for Android devices, providing exceptional functionality for both smartphones and tablets. This powerful notepad includes numerous enhancements, featuring a code editor that supports syntax highlighting across more than 40 programming languages. It ensures remarkable efficiency and delivers real-time feedback, even when working with large text files that surpass 10,000 lines. Users can effortlessly undo and redo edits without limitations, manage line indents with ease, and experience smooth scrolling in both vertical and horizontal orientations. The application enables users to navigate directly to a specific line number and automatically identifies character encoding for user convenience. Additionally, it provides a preview option for HTML and Markdown documents, supports editing of system files on rooted devices, and offers quick access to recently opened or added files. Moreover, QuickEdit accommodates both light and dark themes, catering to different user preferences. With its extensive array of features, QuickEdit stands out as an essential tool for anyone seeking a comprehensive text editing experience on their Android devices while ensuring a user-friendly interface. As a result, it elevates the standard of mobile text editing applications significantly.

For nearly thirty years, UltraEdit has been the go-to text editor for more than 2 million users, including numerous Fortune 100, 500, and 1000 companies. Renowned for its efficiency, UltraEdit excels in processing large files and is compatible with a wide array of syntax and programming languages. Commonly dubbed the "Swiss Army knife" of text editors, UltraEdit is an invaluable resource for professionals spanning various industries and roles. Its capabilities extend to tackling numerous challenges in text editing, such as project management and software development, while also adeptly managing large file edits, remote access (FTP/SFTP), data organization, column and block editing, comprehensive file searches, and text reformatting. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms, UltraEdit is backed by a dedicated team of developers and customer support staff based in the USA, ensuring users receive top-notch assistance. This robust support network, combined with its extensive features, solidifies UltraEdit's position as a leading tool in the world of text editing.

Code Browser is a multifunctional folding text editor that works seamlessly on both Linux and Windows systems, designed to organize a variety of text files, especially source code, in a structured hierarchy. By improving the way users navigate through source code, it greatly streamlines the editing process. Although it is particularly advantageous for handling large projects, it is also useful for making modifications to shorter files, such as CSS. The tool alleviates the hassle of combing through extensive code by presenting a more organized layout. It includes syntax highlighting for all popular programming languages and allows for the addition of custom syntax styles as well. Initially created for programming purposes, Code Browser is adaptable enough to help with plain text outlining or analyzing existing codebases. Moreover, I have developed a specialized page that offers tips to maximize the utility of its folding feature, further enhancing its value as a resource. This makes Code Browser an indispensable asset for both new and seasoned developers, ensuring that they can efficiently manage their coding tasks.

Zed is a sophisticated code editor designed to foster smooth collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence, with a strong focus on performance optimization. Constructed entirely in Rust, it leverages the power of multiple CPU cores and GPU resources to enable the incorporation of advanced language models into your coding processes, facilitating tasks like code generation, transformation, and thorough analysis. The platform promotes instantaneous communication among team members, offering features for collaborative note-taking, screen sharing, and effective project management. With its innovative multibuffer system, users can edit chosen snippets from the entire codebase within a unified interface, enhancing convenience and workflow. Additionally, it incorporates inline code execution through Jupyter runtimes, which allows for collaborative editing of notebooks. Zed is versatile and supports a plethora of programming languages, made possible by the integration of Tree-sitter, WebAssembly, and the Language Server Protocol. Its fast native terminal works in conjunction with Zed's intelligent task runner and AI capabilities, significantly boosting productivity. The editor also supports advanced modal editing through Vim bindings, featuring tools like text objects and marks, which contribute to efficient navigation. Developed by a large and diverse global community of thousands of programmers, Zed invites users to improve their experience with a vast selection of extensions that enhance language functionalities, introduce various themes, and much more. Moreover, its intuitive design is crafted to simplify development workflows, making it a premier option for programmers eager to maximize their coding efficiency while enjoying a collaborative environment. Ultimately, Zed stands out by combining cutting-edge technology with user-centered features to transform the coding experience.

Lapce is a groundbreaking, open-source code editor crafted to offer a fast and responsive experience, particularly advantageous for developers engaged in large-scale projects or complex codebases. Built with Rust, Lapce leverages the speed and efficiency of native development to provide a smooth editing experience with minimal lag. The editor features a modern and stylish interface, along with sophisticated capabilities such as multi-caret editing, split views, and an integrated terminal. By integrating the Language Server Protocol (LSP), Lapce enhances developer productivity through precise autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and streamlined code navigation across various programming languages. Its remarkable extensibility, extensive plugin ecosystem, and focus on performance make Lapce an ideal choice for developers in search of a lightweight yet powerful editor that successfully merges simplicity with advanced functionality, appealing to both beginners and seasoned programmers alike. Additionally, Lapce's dedication to community involvement ensures that it remains adaptable, continuously evolving to meet user demands and keeping up with the dynamic nature of software development. This commitment not only fosters a vibrant user community but also enhances the editor's capabilities over time, ensuring that it remains a relevant tool in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Predator CNC Editor stands out as a highly regarded CNC editing software available today. With its extensive array of features, it significantly enhances the efficiency of CNC operators, programmers, and machine tool operators alike. Despite its advanced capabilities, the software remains user-friendly. This makes Predator CNC Editor an excellent option for both small workshops and large-scale manufacturing facilities. Its versatility and ease of use make it a favored tool in the industry.

Discover a highly adaptable code editor that supports over 60 programming languages across nine distinct platforms. Effortlessly build or compile your projects, and if you encounter an error, simply double-click on the message in the Build window to jump directly to the corresponding line of code. Each error and warning is marked with a clear icon in the left margin, allowing for quick identification. Furthermore, the overview bar adjacent to the vertical scrollbar visually indicates errors and warnings, reflecting their location relative to your current view in the document. To streamline your workflow, you can either drag the scrollbar slider to a specific mark or click on it to quickly bring that section into focus. SlickEdit also includes an integrated debugging tool that provides an intuitive interface for various debuggers. You can easily set breakpoints, step through code execution, inspect the stack, and analyze variables and their members, encompassing all the core functionalities expected from a debugging tool. Moreover, SlickEdit supports debugging across a wide range of languages, such as GNU C/C++, Java, WinDbg, Clang C/C++ LLDB, Google Go, Python, Perl, Ruby, PHP, XCode, Scala, C# with Mono, Visual Basic with Mono, and Android JVM/NDK. This extensive support not only enhances its versatility but also positions SlickEdit as an indispensable resource for developers working in varied environments, ensuring a smooth and efficient coding experience. Such comprehensive capabilities make it an essential asset for programmers tackling diverse projects and languages.

WebStorm is a robust integrated development environment specifically designed for JavaScript and its related technologies. Like other JetBrains offerings, it enhances the coding experience by automating repetitive tasks and simplifying the management of complex projects. Throughout your coding journey, the IDE conducts numerous code inspections, allowing you to produce more dependable and maintainable code by catching potential problems early. Refactoring your entire codebase can be accomplished with just a few clicks, guaranteeing that no nuances are missed during major structural changes. With all necessary JavaScript development tools immediately accessible, you can jump straight into programming without delay. By enabling WebStorm to manage routine tasks, you increase your productivity, freeing up more time for innovative pursuits. If you have worries about jeopardizing critical changes in Git or accidentally disrupting components within your project, WebStorm is equipped to ease these daunting challenges, allowing you to focus on the larger goals of your work. In conclusion, WebStorm not only streamlines the coding process but also cultivates an environment where developers can explore and expand their creativity without constraints. This makes it an indispensable tool for anyone looking to enhance their coding workflow significantly.

Textastic for Mac acts as the perfect desktop extension to the popular iOS code editor. Supporting more than 80 source code and markup languages, it brings the impressive syntax highlighting features from the iOS version to the Mac environment. Users can incorporate their own syntax definitions compatible with TextMate and Sublime Text, allowing for greater flexibility. The Mac version is built on the same foundation as its iOS counterpart, ensuring a uniform user experience across devices. It leverages native macOS APIs such as Core Text to boost performance and responsiveness. The application streamlines the development process with tools like code completion, navigation through a symbol list, and compatibility with modern Mac features such as Auto Save and Versions. Moreover, with iCloud Drive integration, transferring files between macOS and iOS is seamless and straightforward. This software not only accommodates a wide range of programming languages but also boasts features like iCloud auto-save and macOS Versions, making it an all-encompassing resource for developers. Additionally, it supports importing syntax definitions, themes, and templates from TextMate, significantly enhancing its customization capabilities, thus catering to the diverse needs of developers. Finally, Textastic encourages a smoother coding experience by combining powerful tools with user-friendly features.

Focusing on completing tasks with maximum efficiency often means you want to avoid spending precious time learning yet another software program. Your previous experience with various tools should facilitate a smooth transition to new applications, enabling you to use them effectively without grappling with a steep learning curve. This is a key reason why TextPad has garnered such a loyal user base. Whether you need a powerful substitute for Notepad, a dependable editor for web content, or even an integrated development environment for programming, TextPad provides an intuitive interface and expected functionality. You can explore its features on our website before making any financial commitment, so take advantage of the opportunity to download a trial version today and see how it can enhance your efficiency. Importantly, TextPad is designed to accommodate even the most demanding text editing requirements, managing files as large as your system’s virtual memory allows. It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems, from Windows 11 to older versions like Windows 7 and Server editions from 2008 to 2019, making it a versatile solution for a diverse array of users. With its comprehensive features and user-friendly design, TextPad is set to become an essential component of your productivity toolkit, ensuring you can tackle any text editing task with ease. Its reliability and performance make it an ideal choice for both casual users and professionals alike.

When it comes to applying the same changes across several files at once, WildEdit stands out as a major time-saving tool. This user-friendly application enables the modification of multiple plain text files arranged in a directory structure, making use of wildcard filters for accurate targeting. It's particularly effective for various tasks, such as updating web pages, changing software source code, or reformatting documents like log files and newsletters. However, it is worth mentioning that it does not support files with proprietary binary formats, such as those used by Microsoft Word. The operation involves specifying the text to search for—potentially using a regular expression—and providing the replacement text alongside a wildcard filter, allowing you to let the application carry out the changes seamlessly. You can perform this action repeatedly as needed, with the added advantage of the ability to undo and redo the last ten changes if required. Before making a purchase, you can experience WildEdit through its trial version, which encourages you to download it and explore how it can enhance your editing efficiency. With its functionality, you can proficiently edit any files that consist of plain text, making your workflow significantly smoother. Ultimately, WildEdit is an invaluable asset for anyone looking to streamline their editing processes across multiple files.