Code (formerly known as Scratch) is an advanced text editor built for and bundled with elementary OS. A very intuitive interface keeps complex functionality like Vim emulation, Git and terminal integration accessible but out of the way while...
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VS Code Alternatives
Visual Studio Code is a cross-platform, extension-driven code editor with IntelliSense-style completion plus integrated Git and debugging workflows. Users praise its versatility and ease of use for many programming workflows, though some complain it can feel resource-intensive and may get slower over time, especially after updates.
VSCodium tops the rankings as a fully open-source build of Code - OSS that removes telemetry while keeping most VS Code functionality and extensibility. Privacy-focused developers who want a VS Code-like experience often choose VSCodium specifically to avoid telemetry, though some Microsoft extensions may be unavailable. Sublime Text ranks second and is repeatedly praised for outstanding speed and being less resource-intensive than VS Code, making it popular with developers on slower machines or large projects.
The alternatives landscape spans lightweight text editors like Vim and Notepad++ to newer AI-first editors like Zed Editor, with over 100 alternatives covering code editors, full IDEs, and terminal-based editors.
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Visual Studio Code is a code editor, but the alternatives span different approaches to development workflows. Open source options like VSCodium, Vim, and GNU Emacs appeal to users who want transparent licensing and community-driven tooling. For privacy-focused development, VSCodium and Helix emphasize no-tracking and telemetry prevention features.
Linux users have native options in VSCodium, Kate, and Lapce. Web-based development suits users who want browser-based environments - Replit and Firebase Studio run online for coding without local setup. For developers who live in the terminal, Micro, Neovim, and Helix target command-line workflows useful for SSH-heavy or low-overhead environments.
Alternatives list
86 HTML-Kit alternativesHTML Kit is a full-featured free editor for HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and other text files. 400+ plugins are available for it, including HTML Tidy for creating standards-compliant web pages. HTML-Kit has received 95% thumbs up on Download.
Skylark Edit is written in C, a high performance text/hex editor. Embedded Database-client/Redis-client/Lua-engine. You can run Lua scripts and SQL files directly.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Platforms
- Windows
+4
Code Writer is a free text and code editor app for the Windows platform, downloadable from the Windows Store. Use it as a replacement for Notepad and other quick edit apps.
+4
Twistpad is a fully featured text and code editor for Windows. Twistpad can be used as a simple notepad replacer, or a featured packed editor targeting web and software developers.
+9
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application types
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
+2
A text editor for GNOME that combines simplicity with power.
Scribes focuses on streamlining your workflow. It does so by ensuring common and repetitive operations are intelligently automated. And also by eliminating factors that prevent you from focusing on your tasks.
The res.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Xfce
Embitz is a free C/C++ IDE built to meet the most demanding needs of its users working in the field of embedded software development Finally, an IDE with all the features you need and operation across different targets (ARM, MSP430, PIC, ...).
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Alerts
- Discontinued
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
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