List of the Top 25 Text Editors for Linux in 2025

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is an advanced, open-source AI-integrated development environment (IDE) built for productivity, creativity, and collaboration. Designed by Microsoft, it unites code editing, debugging, version control, and AI automation in a single cross-platform workspace. Developers can code in nearly any language—including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, C++, C#, Java, PHP, and more—using built-in tools or specialized extensions. Its AI features, such as Agent Mode and Next Edit Suggestions, transform VS Code into an autonomous assistant capable of reading entire codebases, suggesting edits, and resolving compile or test issues automatically. With MCP (Model Context Protocol) and multi-model support, developers can use AI models like Claude Sonnet, GPT-4, or Gemini—or connect their own keys via OpenRouter or Azure OpenAI. Deep GitHub integration, remote development, and cloud portability make collaboration effortless across global teams. VS Code’s extensive marketplace offers tens of thousands of extensions—from Docker to Jupyter and Stripe—empowering developers to build and deploy in any environment. Custom profiles, themes, and settings sync allow for a personalized workspace across devices. Its integrated terminal, local history, and debugging tools ensure smooth workflows from prototype to production. Whether building enterprise software, web apps, or AI agents, VS Code redefines what a modern coding experience should feel like: intelligent, fast, and universally accessible.

IntelliJ IDEA is a comprehensive, cutting-edge IDE from JetBrains designed to empower professional developers working primarily in Java and Kotlin. It accelerates development by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent coding assistance, helping developers write cleaner, more reliable code. Supporting the entire software development lifecycle, IntelliJ IDEA offers tools for design, implementation, debugging, testing, and deployment—all in one seamless environment. The latest release includes full Java 24 support, integrating new language features like stream gatherers for enhanced debugging workflows. Kotlin’s K2 mode is now enabled by default, providing faster code analysis, improved memory use, and better support for the latest Kotlin language features. A new Kotlin Notebook feature facilitates live prototyping, documentation, and data analysis directly inside the IDE. IntelliJ IDEA’s Spring Debugger simplifies working with dynamic database connections, improving developer efficiency in complex projects. With strong customization options, developers can tailor the IDE’s appearance and behavior to their workflow. JetBrains enforces strict compliance with industry-leading security standards such as SOC 2, safeguarding organizational data. Trusted by millions worldwide, IntelliJ IDEA is the IDE of choice for developers aiming for superior productivity and code quality.

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.

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.

Obsidian acts as a powerful knowledge management solution that utilizes a collection of plain text Markdown files stored on your local device. Just as our thoughts transition from one idea to another, your second brain should reflect this organic, non-linear flow. The ability to create and explore "connections" between notes in Obsidian is both effortless and user-friendly. Take the time to nurture your notes, and at the close of each day, reflect on the complex web of insights you've woven together. Customization is essential in the note-taking process, and if you've tried different applications yet always felt something was lacking, Obsidian presents a revitalizing option. With its highly adaptable design, it offers 22 core plugins and an impressive 149 community-developed plugins, making it easy to personalize your setup and get started in mere minutes. Moreover, when Obsidian reaches its version 1.0 milestone, users will have the opportunity to incorporate third-party plugins or even develop their own, unleashing a world of possibilities. In a time when cloud services can be unpredictable and prone to abrupt changes, the last thing you want is to be dependent on proprietary formats that risk data lock-in. Obsidian ensures that your information is safely housed within a local folder, granting you both peace of mind and absolute control over your data. This commitment to local storage guarantees that your knowledge will always be accessible and protected, regardless of what challenges the future may present. By embracing this tool, you're not just organizing information; you're empowering yourself to engage deeply with your own thoughts and ideas.

BlueGriffon® is a sophisticated Web and EPUB editor that harnesses the rendering engine first created for Firefox. It has a distinguished history with noteworthy predecessors such as Netscape®, Mozilla® Composer, and Nvu, making it a prominent choice in the industry. Utilizing the Gecko engine that powers Firefox®, BlueGriffon® offers an impressive suite of features tailored for both beginners and seasoned professionals. With millions of users spanning various fields, including educational institutions, government agencies, and even the European Parliament, it has established a vast and diverse user community. The French Government officially endorses this editor, recommending it as the preferred Web Authoring Tool for its administration, which emphasizes the significance of supporting Free Software initiatives. The widespread use and acclaim that BlueGriffon® has achieved further demonstrate its capability and trustworthiness in the realm of web development, making it a valuable asset for anyone in the field.

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.

Setting up LaTeX is an easy task, and you can start working with it right away, no matter your experience level. Overleaf offers a comprehensive LaTeX platform hosted on their servers, providing instant availability. By using Overleaf, you maintain a uniform LaTeX configuration regardless of your location, which is especially advantageous for teamwork with peers and students, removing any chances of version mismatches or package issues. This smooth integration enhances the overall workflow, making it more efficient and productive for all participants. Additionally, Overleaf's collaborative features allow multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, further streamlining the process.

Bluefish is a powerful text editor tailored for programmers and web developers, providing an extensive range of features that facilitate the creation of websites, scripts, and code across various programming and markup languages. You can find a comprehensive list of its features, browse through screenshots, or download the software directly from the official website. Being an open-source initiative, Bluefish is distributed under the GNU GPL license, allowing users to access it at no cost. It is designed to operate on several platforms, working smoothly on widely used desktop operating systems like Linux, FreeBSD, MacOS-X, Windows, OpenBSD, and Solaris. The newest version, Bluefish 2.2.12, serves as a minor maintenance update that brings forth several small improvements, including a crucial fix that resolves a crash encountered during basic search functions. Enhancements have also been made to Python 3 compatibility, along with improved encoding detection for Python files, showcasing the commitment to supporting developers' needs. Additionally, the triple-click feature now successfully highlights entire lines, and on Mac OSX, Bluefish has enhanced its compatibility with the updated permissions system. Moreover, the user interface accurately reflects the correct language settings for specific languages on OSX, contributing to a more streamlined user experience. This continuous evolution makes Bluefish not only a versatile tool for developers but also a platform that consistently adapts to the changing needs of its users, ensuring that it remains a relevant and effective choice in the ever-evolving landscape of development tools.

Brackets is a cutting-edge text editor tailored for web designers and front-end developers, featuring specialized visual tools and support for preprocessors that simplify the design workflow directly within the browser. Developed from the ground up, this lightweight yet powerful editor incorporates visual elements that enhance the coding process while maintaining your creative momentum. Users are likely to enjoy the coding experience with Brackets, which stands out as an open-source project bolstered by a lively and passionate community of web developers. Rather than juggling multiple file tabs, Brackets provides a focused coding environment by opening a dedicated window for your work. For example, when working on CSS tied to a particular ID, a user can simply hover over that ID and hit Command / Ctrl+E, prompting Brackets to showcase all associated CSS selectors in a convenient inline window, thereby allowing for a smooth side-by-side coding experience free from distractions. This thoughtful integration of features renders Brackets a popular option among developers who prioritize efficiency and ease in their workflows, making it a go-to tool in the competitive landscape of web development. By fostering collaboration and continuous improvement, it also encourages users to contribute to its evolution, ensuring that Brackets remains relevant and effective in a rapidly changing industry.

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.

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.

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.

When starting with PHP development, one of the first hurdles is choosing the right Integrated Development Environment (IDE). While numerous commercial IDEs are available, often priced between $100 and $500, we introduce a flexible and portable IDE that is entirely FREE and loaded with vital features. This includes syntax highlighting for PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as advanced autocomplete functionality for these languages, a powerful PHP debugger, contextual and dynamic assistance, a code validation tool, a SQL management system, and a variety of additional tools. CodeLobster IDE streamlines the PHP development process, allowing developers to concentrate on writing code without the burden of recalling function names, arguments, tags, or attributes, thanks to its extensive autocomplete features covering PHP, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Moreover, users can quickly obtain valuable information by pressing F1 or using the dedicated Help option, making it easier to troubleshoot and enhance their coding experience. The integrated, free PHP Debugger also guarantees that users can validate their code locally and efficiently. With its intuitive interface and broad support resources, CodeLobster IDE stands out as an excellent option for both novice and experienced developers, ensuring a smooth coding journey for everyone involved. Additionally, its growing community offers a wealth of shared knowledge and resources to further enhance the development experience.

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.

A visual HTML/CSS editor that requires no coding, tailored for web developers and designers alike, allows you to seamlessly import your designs from Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD into Desech Studio. - Modify layout, responsiveness, and various properties directly within Desech Studio. - Integrate with plugins such as Material Design and frameworks like React, Angular, Vue, and more. - Desech Studio maintains continuous synchronization with your projects built on React, Angular, Vue, and others, ensuring a smooth development process.

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.

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.

Boost Note is a versatile and fast-paced collaborative platform specifically designed for development teams, aiming to significantly boost developers' productivity through an exceptional note-taking interface that transcends traditional GitHub-style markdown. It enables users to create clearer documentation by integrating diagrams from tools like Charts.js, Mermaid, and PlantUML. The platform offers extensive customization options, including keymaps such as Vim and more than 150 themes, allowing users to tailor their Markdown editor to fit their individual workflows perfectly. Additionally, users can manage their documents programmatically by securing an authentication token, which facilitates the use of Boost Note's APIs through simple HTTP requests. By utilizing over 2,000 external tool integrations available through Zapier, teams can automate their documentation processes, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. Collaboration becomes seamless as team members can share insights in a centralized workspace, taking advantage of Boost Note's real-time editing capabilities to work collectively on documents. Document revision history tracking provides an easy way to revert back to earlier versions with a single click, ensuring that changes can be managed effortlessly. Moreover, the platform prioritizes the security of critical data with tailored access controls for each workspace, creating a safe environment for all team members to excel. In conclusion, Boost Note empowers users with the tools they need to collaborate and innovate effectively, making it an invaluable resource for any development team.

Pinegrow is a multi-functional web editor compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux, engineered to speed up the development of responsive websites by incorporating features like live multi-page editing, CSS and SASS styling, a CSS Grid editor, and support for popular frameworks such as Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Foundation, and WordPress. As a desktop application, it enables users to open and save standard HTML and CSS files, which liberates you from being tied to a proprietary format, allowing for easy editing of your ongoing projects. This tool can be integrated with various web development applications, giving you the flexibility to work offline and create unlimited websites. With its powerful visual tools, you can design web page layouts effortlessly, managing HTML elements by adding, editing, moving, cloning, or deleting them. The software's repeater function allows you to insert numerous elements at once, and you can adjust the layout of all selected items with a single command. Users can inspect current CSS rules and take advantage of an array of visual controls, a CSS Grid editor, and a Dev tools-like interface that work together seamlessly. Furthermore, Pinegrow facilitates live editing of SASS and LESS files, removing the dependency on external tools and providing a comprehensive web development solution. The intuitive interface simplifies the workflow, making it accessible for developers at any skill level to efficiently create visually appealing websites. In addition, the combination of these features ensures a streamlined process that enhances productivity and creativity in web design.

Pulsar is a community-driven text editor that offers extensive customization options for its users. It runs smoothly on multiple platforms, such as OS X, Windows, and Linux, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of users. Installing new packages or creating custom ones is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly interface. The editor features an advanced autocomplete functionality that not only speeds up coding but also adapts to your coding habits. Users can navigate easily through projects, whether they want to work on a single file or manage multiple projects at once in one window. Furthermore, the ability to split the workspace into various panes allows for straightforward comparison and editing of code across different files. Pulsar also boasts a robust find-and-replace tool that updates text dynamically, greatly improving productivity during development. Designed for both novices and seasoned programmers alike, Pulsar is equipped with the essential tools to enhance and simplify the coding journey, making it a valuable asset in any developer's toolkit.

Kakoune stands out as an exceptionally efficient modal text editor, focusing on real-time feedback and providing intuitive features for multi-selection. Inspired by Vim, it reimagines modal editing by emphasizing a selection-based workflow, which significantly improves the fluidity of text manipulation. Unlike conventional editors that execute commands based on cursors, Kakoune allows commands to target selections, enabling precise and swift editing and navigation. With advanced capabilities such as multi-caret editing, context-sensitive autocompletion, and extensive compatibility with various programming languages, Kakoune excels in managing large files and complex codebases effortlessly. Its architecture permits scripting and integration with shell commands, guaranteeing smooth compatibility with UNIX tools and affording users substantial customization options. Known for its impressive responsiveness and flexibility, Kakoune is particularly advantageous for developers who prefer a keyboard-centric approach and seek immediate, real-time feedback during their editing sessions. Consequently, it serves as an outstanding tool for enhancing productivity in programming environments, ensuring that users can focus on their creative processes without interruptions.