In previous article, I mentioned eMMC vs SSD Storage (Difference) but in this article, I have mentioned one of the widely used Code editor, i.e, VS Code (Visual Studio Code) alternatives.
Visual Studio Code - also known as VS Code - is a free Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for coding in any programming language. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux; and is made by Microsoft.
It provides all the tools for programmers to build and debug modern web and cloud applications. Its features and looks are customizable based on your needs, preference, and style.
No doubt, VS Code is an excellent tool, but you may want to consider some of its alternatives for comparison or increased options. If you do, check them out below:
1. Notepad++
Notepad++ is a free, open-source code editor that is written in C++ programming language but supports several programming languages. The C postfix increment influences its name.
Notepad++ uses pure Win32 API and STL to ensure programmers have a higher execution speed and smaller program size. It is a good tool and a reliable alternative to Visual Studio Code. One major drawback is that it is only available for Windows users.
You can check it out on GitHub.
Features
- It is lightweight and consumes less storage space.
- It has a portable version that runs without installation.
- It is extendable with add-ons or plugins.
- It autosaves your work.
- It finds and replaces strings of texts with regular expressions.
- It searches text strings within opened tabs.
- It searches text strings in a directory.
- It has a simultaneous editing feature.
2. Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a text editor for any text file developed by Jon Skinner. You can use it freely, but you must buy a license.
It is known as "Sublime" and is widely used by developers because of its user interface, features like multi-line editing, regex finds and replace, and a Python API for developing plugins. It is not just your regular text editor but is also a tool in the hands of bloggers and writers.
It is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and other operating systems. Download Sublime Text here for free.
Features
- It is lightweight and does not consume much storage space.
- It is extensible with add-ons, plugins, and extensions.
- It is customizable.
- It is usable from a USB drive or any other external storage without installation.
- It is easy to navigate.
- You can make the same changes to multiple selected areas simultaneously.
- It is compatible with many language grammars from TextMate.
3. VSCodium
VSCodium is a free, open-source code editor. Not only is it an alternative to VS Code, but it is also a clone of Microsoft's tool.
The main goal of VSCodium is to provide you with Microsoft's telemetry code. It means you can use VS Code without the proprietary code from Microsoft, especially when you do not want to build the code from its source.
You can check out VSCodium's latest release for Windows, Mac, and Linux on GitHub.
Features
- It is easy to customize with themes and other features.
- It does not track or use your data.
- It is extensible with plugins and extensions.
- It consumes lesser device resources compared to other code editors.
- It does not require registration or sign-up.
- You can easily migrate from VS Code to VSCodium.
4. Vim
Vim, also known as Vi Improved, is a free, open-source advanced text editor for Windows, Mac, Linux, and other operating systems.
It allows syntax highlighting and word completion and has a large amount of content contributed by its community. It is excellent and always gets better with regular updates to meet its users' needs.
Click here to go to Vim's download page.
Features
- It either has CLI support.
- It is extensible with add-ons, plugins, and extensions.
- It is customizable to suit your taste.
- It consumes lesser device resources.
- It has a powerful "search and replace" feature.
- It is integrable with many tools.
- It supports multiple programming languages and file formats.
5. Eclipse
Eclipse is a free, open-source, Java-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) known for its plugins that lets developers develop and test code in another programming language.
Its developers are Eclipse Foundation, and it supports various operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Click here to download Eclipse for your computer.
Features
- It features a lot of plugins.
- You can increase its functionality by adding plugins.
- You can automatically create documentation for classes by using JavaDoc.
- It has an easy-to-use interface.
- It provides a visual code debugging tool.
- It supports project development and administered framework.
Note: Atom is one of the best alternatives to VS Code, but it does not make this list because it will be discontinued by the end of 2022.
Conclusion
There are a lot of alternatives to Visual Studio Code, but we have picked some of the best and most popular ones. You should try these alternatives if you want something different from Visual Studio Code.
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