The Best Vim AlternativesTop Code & Text Editors like Vim

Vim is described as 'Advanced text editor with multiple modes, syntax highlighting, word completion, plugin support, built-in help, command-line tools, cross-platform and open source' and is a leading Code Editor in the development category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Vim for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD and Flathub apps. The best Vim alternative is Notepad++, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Vim are Visual Studio Code, Neovim, Sublime Text and VSCodium.

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Alternatives list

  1. Notepad++ icon

    Notepad++

     5003 likes

    Notepad++ is a free, open-source code editor supporting several languages, offering features like syntax highlighting, plugin support, dark mode, portability, privacy, and efficient resource usage, making it highly customizable and suitable for various programming needs.

    271 Notepad++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    Notepad++ screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Notepad++ vs Vim Comments
    ph soft
    Negative
    1

    Not available on multiple platforms Not available in a terminal mode So not really an alternative in situations where vim is essential

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Has lots of good features, including macros, search all open windows or all files in directories, syntax coloring for many programming languages, etc.

    • Notepad++ is Free and Open SourceVim is also Free and Open Source
    • Notepad++ is Privacy focusedVim is not according to our users
  2. Visual Studio Code icon

    Visual Studio Code

     1460 likes

    Free and extensible code editor with built-in Git support, smart IntelliSense, integrated debugger, 30,000+ extensions, works offline, supports markdown and syntax highlighting for numerous languages.

    233 Visual Studio Code alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Snapcraft
    Visual Studio Code screenshot 1
     
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    4
    Visual Studio Code vs Vim Comments
    IndigoLily
    Negative
    6

    Can't be used from within terminal

    Aleksandr Dikov
    Positive
    2

    VSC has very good Vi extension what helps to mix Vi experience with well-integrated Microsoft solution.

    filiphanes
    Negative
    0

    Visual Studio Code is GUI only full IDE, not terminal based efficient text editor.

    3 of 4 comments
    • Visual Studio Code is Free and ProprietaryVim is Free and Open Source
  4. Neovim icon

    Neovim

     205 likes

    Refactored version of Vim, simplifying maintenance, improving developer contributions, and enabling new user interfaces. Features extensible plugin architecture, lightweight resource usage, syntax highlighting, no registration, ad-free, and distraction-free mode.

    121 Neovim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chocolatey
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Neovim screenshot 1
     
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    8
    Neovim vs Vim Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    benni347
    0

    A better more modern alternative to vim.

    daviwalle
    Positive
    -1

    Neovim it's like Vim, but without packages that aren't needed

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Clean, faster than Vim but based on that.

    3 of 8 comments
    • Neovim is Free and Open SourceVim is also Free and Open Source
    • Neovim is Privacy focusedVim is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    EmEditor icon
    EmEditor

    Versatile Windows editor offering lightweight, ultra-fast performance with robust support for text, code, and CSV files, AI-assisted writing, macros, Unicode, plugins, syntax highlighting, advanced search, column editing, split v...

    https://www.emeditor.com
    Learn More
  6. Sublime Text icon

    Sublime Text

     2075 likes

    Powerful editor blending code, markup, and prose editing with enhanced features like multi-tab selection, side-by-side definition viewing, and multiple selection tools for swift code navigation.

    220 Sublime Text alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Sublime Text screenshot 1
     
  8. VSCodium icon

    VSCodium

     446 likes

    This repository contains a build file to generate FLOSS release binaries of Microsoft's Visual Studio Code - Open Source ("Code - OSS") project, the open source core of the proprietary Visual Studio Code.

    221 VSCodium alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Snapcraft
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    VSCodium screenshot 1
     
  9. Zed Editor icon

    Zed Editor

     150 likes

    Blazing fast code editor offering real-time multi-user collaboration, language-aware syntax highlighting, integrated terminal, multi-buffers for tab-free editing, built-in Vim mode, searchable outline, AI coding assistance, advanced keyboard commands, and cross-platform support.

    118 Zed Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zed Editor screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Zed Editor vs Vim Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    it's blazing fast, has Elm support, and is the only tool that's not frustrating for remote pairing.

    • Zed Editor is Freemium and Open SourceVim is Free and Open Source
    • Zed Editor is Privacy focusedVim is not according to our users
  10. Kate icon

    Kate

     334 likes

    The Kate project develops two main products: KatePart, the advanced editor component which is used in numerous KDE applications requiring a text editing component, and Kate, a MDI text editor application.

    166 Kate alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Kate screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Kate vs Vim Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    A normal UI. Not the insane way, VIM still works. (I say that as an old fart who has programmed since before VIM even existed!) So its features are actually usable, and not hidden behind arcane key sequences. Also, and much more powerful than people think. (E.g. easily fully extensible too, with arbitrary executables, scripts, and language servers, plus an easy to understand syntax highlighting file syntax.)

    • Kate is Free and Open SourceVim is also Free and Open Source
  11. GNU Emacs icon

    GNU Emacs

     392 likes

    GNU Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor—and more. At its core is an interpreter for Emacs Lisp, a dialect of the Lisp programming language with extensions to support text editing. The features of GNU Emacs include:

    204 GNU Emacs alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • F-Droid
    • Haiku
    • Debian
    • MacPorts
    • Homebrew
    The GNU Emacs Manual calls Emacs the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor
     
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    1
    GNU Emacs vs Vim Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Maybe much better than Vi? ;)

    • GNU Emacs is Free and Open SourceVim is also Free and Open Source
    • GNU Emacs is a Text Editor Vim is a Code Editor
    • GNU Emacs is Privacy focusedVim is not according to our users
  12. Geany icon

    Geany

     583 likes

    Geany is a powerful, stable and lightweight programmer's text editor that provides tons of useful features without bogging down your workflow.

    171 Geany alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    • Haiku
    Geany screenshot 1
     
  13. Google Antigravity icon

    Google Antigravity

     57 likes

    Google Antigravity is an agentic IDE and coding environment designed to support real world software projects through autonomous development workflows. It provides an agent first workspace where developers set direction while AI agents carry out tasks such as coding, debugging...

    78 Google Antigravity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Visual Studio Code
    • Xcode
    • Microsoft Visual Studio
    • Zed
    • JetBrains IDE
    Google Antigravity screenshot 1
     
  14. GNU nano icon

    GNU nano

     299 likes

    GNU nano is a small and friendly text editor. Besides basic text editing, nano offers many extra features like an interactive search and replace, go to line and column number, auto-indentation, feature toggles, internationalization support, and filename tab completion.

    167 GNU nano alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    GNU nano screenshot 1
     
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    1
    GNU nano vs Vim Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    1

    No where near the shortcut capabilities, and also no built-in syntax highlighting!

    • GNU nano is Free and Open SourceVim is also Free and Open Source
    • GNU nano is a Text Editor Vim is a Code Editor
  15. gedit icon

    gedit

     702 likes

    Extensible text editor with UTF-8 support, syntax highlighting for several programming and markup languages, remote editing, file reverting, print preview, clipboard operations, powerful search, customizable fonts and colors, line numbering, and plugin support.

    211 gedit alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    • OpenSolaris
    The Default look under GNOME with Adwaita
     
12 of 234 Vim alternatives