What are the Top Text Editors for Windows, Mac, Linux or more? Text editors are programs that are used to create and modify ordinary text files. This means that this type of software works only with plain text. These digital tools should not be confused with word processors or write essay for me services where you can edit your academic paper. While editors are used to writing and modifying plain text without images, word processors provide much more layout and design options.
Programmers often use word processors for their work. The reason for this choice is that the source code and many scripts are written with this plain text. However, anyone can use such an application in their daily life to take notes simply and quickly.
There are text editors that can be used for free and others that require the purchase of a license. Price should not be associated with quality, as there are programs that do not require a financial outlay and yet meet the needs of the most demanding users.
Let’s take a look at the best & top text editors of 2022!
1. Notepad++
Many users have no hesitation in saying that Notepad++ is one of the best text editors. Distributed under the GNU General Public License, this program, developed in the C++ language, runs on the Windows operating system.
Notepad++ takes up very little hard disk space and guarantees a high execution speed. It is compatible with C++, COBOL, CSS, Java, Pascal, Perl, and SQL as well as many other languages, taking care to highlight expressions that are part of the syntax of these languages.
The ability to record and playback macros is another of Notepad++’s highly valued features. It should be noted that this software works with tabs, like most browsers, which makes it easy to use.
On the other hand, it is interesting to note that Notepad++ capabilities can be extended by installing different types of add-ons. Thus, you can customize it according to your needs.
2. UltraEdit
UltraEdit was born in 1994 and is a tool that works with macOS, GNU/Linux, and Windows. It is a commercial program that requires a subscription fee to use; however, there is an option to try it for free for 30 days so that you can familiarize yourself with its benefits before you pay money.
UltraEdit has syntax highlighting that is preconfigured for several languages. It also has a built-in FTP client and spell checker for English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, French, German, and other languages.
Programmers appreciate its ability to analyze and modify scripts. UltraEdit’s good performance when working with large files is also often noted. Advanced search, the ability to format text entries, and data sorting are other features offered by this product, which is often included among the best text editors of our time.
3. Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is one of the programs known as source code editors, that is, text editors that specialize in working with source code.
This tool, created by Microsoft, works with macOS, Linux, and, of course, Windows. Its main features include intelligent code completion, syntax highlighting, debugging (detecting and correcting programming errors), and refactoring.
Popular with JavaScript and web developers, Visual Studio Code has extensions that allow it to support many languages. It is interesting to note that this software, which can be customized by changing many parameters, is open source and is free to use.
4. Sublime Text
Developed in Python and C++, Sublime Text is one of the best text editors available today. One of the key features is the built-in support for more than forty programming languages.
This program has an autocomplete bracket function, syntax highlighting, and multi-select and dynamic search, for example. Its interface supports multiple tabs at the same time, allowing you to open more than one document at a time.
Sublime Text can be used in Windows, Linux, or macOS. It can be downloaded for free for evaluation without any time limit, but a license is required for further use. Most developers emphasize the ease of use of Sublime Text. Therefore, they recommend it to those who are making their first steps in programming. In this context, its ability to predict code is one of the most useful tools.
5. Atom
Atom is a text editor (or, more accurately, a source code editor) that runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is an open-source program introduced in 2017 and currently distributed under the MIT license.
Atom is compatible with dozens of programming languages. C, C++, COBOL, HTML, Java, JavaScript, JSON, Perl, PHP, SQL and XML are some of them. In addition, support for more languages can be added through various packages. These packages can be easily managed. Thus, everyone can add, remove or edit plugins as they see fit.
Opening multiple projects in the same window and creating panels to separate the interface are additional advantages of this program, the appearance of which can be changed with themes.
It is interesting to note that Atom’s modular structure provides many possibilities for customization. Since it is open source any programmer can modify and adapt it.
6. QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is not just a text editor. This program, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, is a notepad that also allows you to manage tasks, can be synced with Nextcloud and ownCloud, and provides support for Markdown.
Notes created with QOwnNotes are plain text files but can be augmented. This content can be stored in folders and subfolders with links between them. Script-compatible, QOwnNotes includes a text search engine and performs mathematical calculations. As mentioned above, it can be used simply as a text editor but goes beyond the basic functions of this type of program.
Available in more than sixty languages, QOwnNotes is written in C++ and consumes few resources. It is worth noting that it has a spell checker and the ability to add tags to notes. Another advantage of QOwnNotes: Windows users can use it without installing it. Just open the executable file of the program.
Have you used any of these top text editors before? If yes, tell us in the comments! If not, you must have a try and share your experience with us.
Belayet Hossain is a Senior Tech Expert and Certified AI Marketing Strategist. Holding an MSc in CSE (Russia) and over a decade of experience since 2011, he combines traditional systems engineering with modern AI insights. Specializing in Vibe Coding and Intelligent Marketing, Belayet provides forward-thinking analysis on software, digital trends, and SEO, helping readers navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Connect with Belayet Hossain on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or read my complete biography.