A good text editor is always needed by everyone to keep note of small things, a big write-up, quick notes, etc. Here we list some text editors for Ubuntu and other related distros. Check them out.
If you are a developer, then Text Editor is a must for you. In Ubuntu there is plenty of text editor available and here is a snapshot of some of the tested free text editors available, their features, how to install and most importantly how they look. The order is from BASIC editor to MEDIUM/COMPLEX editor.
Table of Contents
List of Text Editors for Ubuntu
Leafpad
Leafpad is a very simple text editor. It’s very lightweight. Only recommended for taking small notes, easy access. One can use this for programming, development but it’s an editor that’s purpose only text – nothing else. Simple and elegant.
How to Install Leafpad
To Install Leafpad in Ubuntu, Mint run the below command in the terminal (enter the password when prompted):
sudo apt-get install leafpad
A sample screenshot leafpad text editor at work:
SciTE
SciTE is also similar to Leafpad but with some added features. It’s for entry-level programmers and a simple editor. All basic editor features are available. It has syntax highlighting for almost all popular language features but it doesn’t provide auto-complete. However, it has a tabbed facility.
How to Install SciTE
To install SciTE in Ubuntu run the below command in the terminal and enter the password when prompted:
sudo apt-get install scite
A sample screenshot SciTE text editor at work:
Geany
It’s a lightweight editor, the main target is the programmers or developers. Almost all basic features are available, here is a snapshot of some important features:
- Syntax Highlighting: Yes
- AutoComplete: No
- Features to look for: In-built file browser, HEX Color picker, Basic Compiler, Tabbed browsing, A scratchpad, in document navigation (to back and to from).
How to Install Geany
To install Geany in Ubuntu, run below command in terminal and enter password when prompted.
sudo apt-get install geany
A sample screenshot Geany text editor at work:
Bluefish
Bluefish is perfect for developers, programmers. It is simple and has lots of cool features inbuilt. It has a small one-time learning curve before you use it. In a snapshot – it’s perfect for entry-level programmers.
- Syntax Highlighting: Yes
- AutoComplete: Yes (basic)
- Features to look for: In-built file browser, a character map, in-built documentation, PHP and Apache support, Tabbed editor, CSS, HTML5 generator.
How to install Bluefish
To install Bluefish in Ubuntu, run the below command in the terminal and enter the password when prompted:
sudo apt-get install bluefish
A sample screenshot of bluefish text editor running in Ubuntu:
Some other editors
Apart from these, some more advanced editors are available which you can look for. These need some bit of learning before you use them and they are for advanced developers, programmers – here is a list of them, you can check out on their webpage.
- VIM
- Vim Webpage (the best)
- Eclipse
- Emacs
- MonoDevelop
I hope this quick list helps you to get some ideas about the list of text editors in Ubuntu and related distributions. This tutorial is part of the Top List series.
