Best Text Editors in 2026 · page 2

jEdit

jEdit is a Java-based text editor for programmers, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with support also listed for Unix/Linux, Mac OS X, VMS, and OS/2.

SciTE

SciTE is a Scintilla-based text editor that can also compile or run source files and show command output in its output pane.

GNU nano

GNU nano is a free text editor made as an alternative to Pico, with additional editing functions while aiming to remain compatible with it.

CudaText

CudaText is a free, open-source text editor written in Object Pascal for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Nova

Nova is a Mac-native code editor and IDE for editing, debugging, version control, and remote files.

NoteTab

Poe

KWrite

KWrite is a free text editor from KDE, built on Kate’s editor component.

EditiX

EditiX is a free, open-source XML editor and development toolkit for XML and related formats.

Altova XMLSpy

010 Editor

010 Editor is a text and hex editor for working with text and binary data on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

CotEditor

CotEditor is a free plain-text editor made for macOS.

Pulsar

Pulsar is a free, open-source desktop text editor and a community-led fork of the discontinued Atom editor.

EditPad Pro

FeatherPad

Helix

Helix is a free text editor designed for terminal use on Linux, macOS and Windows.

gedit

gedit is a general-purpose text editor for notes, documents, and software development.

TeXworks

TeXworks is a free desktop application for authoring TeX, LaTeX, and ConTeXt documents on Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux.

CKEditor 4

Fresh

Fresh is a free, open-source terminal IDE and text editor designed to work alongside a full IDE and drive coding agents.

GNU TeXmacs

GNU TeXmacs is a free scientific editing platform for creating technical documents in a WYSIWYG interface.

PSPad

PSPad is a free Windows text and code editor from a maker based in the Czech Republic.

Kakoune

Espresso

WriteMonkey

WriteMonkey 3 is a minimal, plain-text editor for writers who want a focused space to draft and organize longer work.