jEdit
7.1#26 in text editorsFree planFree planLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitjEdit vs Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code
8.2#3 in text editorsFree planFree planWebLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | jEdit | Visual Studio Code |
|---|---|---|
| Column editing | Yes | Yes |
| Customization | Users can customize keyboard shortcuts, toolbars, and context menus, and automate editing with BeanShell macros. | Settings Sync shares user settings across VS Code instances, and profiles let users create and switch between sets of customizations. |
| Extension support | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Listed plugin options include FTP, SVN, XML, XSLT, and project management tools. | The editor includes Git source control and can connect to GitHub Codespaces and remote development environments. |
| Languages | Version 5.7.0 supports syntax highlighting for 233 languages and file types. | JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, and HTML support are included, and extensions add support for other languages. |
| Multi-cursor editing | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows,Unix/Linux,Mac OS X,VMS,OS/2 | web,windows,macos,linux |
jEdit plans
- jEditFree
Visual Studio Code plans
- Visual Studio CodeFree
Pick jEdit if…
jEdit suits programmers who want a free editor with broad language highlighting, customizable editing, and plugin-based additions. It may also fit users who need multi-cursor or column editing on one of its listed platforms.
Pick Visual Studio Code if…
VS Code suits developers who want a free editor for desktop or browser coding, with built-in tools and a large extension library. It also fits users who want to combine AI agent workflows with direct coding, provided they have a GitHub account to start building with agents.