The Mac comes with the built-in text editor, which is an excellent basic text editor that can open and edit plain text files.
The Mac also includes TextEdit, which might be the best, all-around text editor for Mac, but it can’t work with anything other than plain text by default.
Text Wrangler
TextWrangler is another iOS-based text editor program. It is one of the very few software platforms which supports only one primary language i.e. English.
Although, this feature does not mean that TextWrangler is just another standard application.
Being a plain text editor app, it is a very powerful text editor and one of the best tools for Unix and server administration.
Pros
- Supports 44 programming languages including HTML, JavaScript, Perl, Python, VBScript, and SQL.
- Very few code editors support the execution of big files and TextWrangler is one of them.
- Plugin support and macros
- Secure FTP to make transferring of data easier
- SSH support for remote file editing
- Compare two docs simultaneously
- Syntax Highlighting
- Code folding and Text folding
- Auto Completion
- Spell Checker
Cons
- Does not support collaborative editing
- No HTTP or WebDav support
- Not compatible with Power Macintosh G4
Price: Free
Verdict:
The application is free, but you can also upgrade to a more advanced version of the same app i.e. BBEdit for $49. The app is a superb HTML editor for the Mac systems with many useful functionalities.
jEdit
Here comes the code editor for pro/experienced programmers only. jEdit is an open-source platform developed using Java programming language. Java is one of the world’s most secure programming languages.
The bytecode functionality of Java makes it tough to decipher and decode. The application supports hundreds of plugins and macros.
Let us learn more about this java based code editor:
Pros
- Auto indentation
- Code and text folding
- It is the most powerful engine for implementing regular expressions
- Spell checker, FTP support, compiler integration available using a third-party plugin
- Multiple instances can be run at the same time
- Integrated FTP browser
Cons
- Being written in Java, it is a heavyweight application and thus takes time in loading
- No collaborative editing
- Can be buggy on Mac
- Large files are not supported
- SSH is not supported for remote file editing
Price: Free
Verdict:
If you want an advanced and secure platform, jEdit is the right tool for you. This java based code editor can sometimes take time to load but, it won’t let you down with regard to the functionalities and features it sports. Enjoy this free text editor for clean, secure and optimized programming session.
Araneae
Araneae is a Windows-only text editor tool that enriches your coding and programming experience on a Windows-based PC.
Operating on “Windows Only” is very unique because every program that is available for Windows is also available for other platforms like Mac and Linux also, and Araneae is one of a kind in this regard.
The tool includes multiple extensions and localizations which enable support for multiple programming languages like HTML, CSS, XHTML, PHP, and Rails without any third party extension download.
Let’s look at some of its features to know more about the platform.
Pros
- Syntax highlighting
- Drag and drop option for faster implementation
- Search and replace to perform multiple edits
- Multiple instance support as in jEdit
Cons
- No external plugins or macros support
Price: Free
Verdict:
Araneae being a Windows-only platform offers faster updates and bug fixes. It is a basic text editor and can be used as a good PHP editor.
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is a Microsoft-powered platform for developers. The tool, however, is an open-source platform and can be used on any major platform like Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
The biggest feature of this code editor is that it provides an enriching programming experience to developers without letting them download the massive Visual Studio editions file which is approximately 3GB in size.
This saves both the time and bandwidth. The application is thus very lightweight and does not consume much of the RAM and promotes fast access and implementation.
Pros
- Supports more than 30 programming languages including Microsoft’s core language ASP.NET, C#, etc.
- The application installs in very little time due to its compact size.
- Visual Studio Code also has a portable version to download in the supported devices.
- Enables GitHub control and offers to debug features.
Cons
- The software takes huge time in updating on Linux systems.
- Calls for an immediate improvement in the extension support.
Price: Free
Verdict:
Visual Studio Code occupies very less space on the disk. It is good for implementing Microsoft based languages like ASP.Net and C#. Being a lightweight application, you can access the controls smoothly without any glitches and optimize your coding speed.
ATPad
ATPad if compared to the Notepad, is very similar regarding looks and the interface. It inevitably comes with some upgrades as compared to Notepad and you can get the tool in more than 11 regional languages.
The important feature of ATPad is that it is not necessary to install it on the computer system, and you can open it virtually from any drive.
Pros
- Supports cascading of Windows
- Line numbering
- Text Snippet support
- Options to add bookmarks
- Find and replace options for multiple edits.
Cons
- No automatic spell-checker
- Supports basic and lightweight languages
- Cannot beat advanced code editors in features.
Price: Free
Verdict:
ATPad is a very basic code editor and is good for coding in primary languages like HTML, CSS, and PHP.
Komodo Edit
Komodo Edit is another open-source platform that is utterly fast and can be used on platforms like Windows. Mac OS X and Linux.
It supports only limited programming languages which include HTML5, TCL, XML, JavaScript, Ruby, Python, Perl, CSS3, and PHP. You can also purchase the advanced version of this text editor by paying a small price.
It is an open-source text editor on macOS 10.14 that is free and offers a powerful user interface. Komodo Edit is a fantastic tool for writing code and carrying out other operations. The software provides many useful tools, which help you edit, like the capacity of tracking changes, multiple sections, autocomplete, and skin and icon sets.
The advanced version enhances the operability when you are working in a collective group of a team.
Pros
- Syntax Highlighting and Code coloring
- Code autocomplete
- Auto indentation
- Extension support and macros
Cons
- Spell Check not available
- Cannot edit collaboratively
- Large files not supported
- The tool comes with a hefty fee of $295(without upgrades and support) and $382(with updates and support)
Price: $295(without updates and support) and $382(with updates and support)
Verdict:
Can be used as a Mac text editor. Newbies can face a little confusion in understanding the text editor interface and thus Komodo Edit is mainly preferred by advanced programming professionals.
Vim
This software is a command line-based text editor for macOS 10.14. One of the most renowned text editors on the market, Vim does not have a steep learning curve. It features a stack of documentation that assists a user in learning how to use the app conveniently. Vim is designed with a quick reference, help documents, along a tutorial that runs for 30 minutes to get you acquainted with it.
Pros
- It has capabilities and features for command-based text editing
- It is easy to use
Cons
- Vim requires great effort to customize
- It offers poor support for external tooling
5. Sublime Text
Though this app is a commercial text editor to create text file macOS 10.14, it has an evaluation version that can be used for an unlimited period; this makes it free in reality. Sublime Text features a Python Application Programming Interface and allows multiple languages. Furthermore, the software’s capabilities can be enhanced with the aid of plugins, which are often developed by communities and offered via free software licenses.
Pros
- Sublime Text comes with an easy-to-use interface
- There are 22 different themes you can select from
- It has a distraction-free mode, consisting of placing only the text in your screen
Cons
- It does not allow the printing of files
- Sublime Text 10.14 has inadequate language support
- It takes time to load large files on Windows
6. Atom
This is another free text editor macOS 10.14 that is written in Node.js as well as embedded in GitControl. Atom can be employed either as a plain text editor or as a source code editor. By using plug-ins, the software works well in several languages, including HTML, Objective-C, C/C++, CSS, Java, Go, JavaScript, C#, PHP, Python, and many others. This makes it a versatile tool for a lot of developers.
Pros
- It allows multi-tabbed editing, multiple panes, and auto-completion
- The software offers a user interface that is friendly
Cons
- It does not have text UI
- It is extremely slow to start-up
Conclusion
I’m a big fan of a simple text editor. I mean, who wants hundreds of buttons and unnecessary features? Atom has been the text editor of choice for a lot of developers because it offers a simple interface with many powerful tools to help you code!