jEdit

by jEdit

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Current version4.4.2 Last release19/11/2011

There's a reason that many people refer to jEdit as "the programmer's text editor". It's a serious tool, for serious people, who are serious about writing software and applications. Which is not to say that jEdit is a boring, stuffy editor that's a pain to use. Quite the opposite, in fact. What jEdit lacks in flair or trendiness it makes up for in raw, uncomplicated functionality. The learning curve with jEdit is such that it's easy for it to become your new favorite editor without you even realizing it.

Features
In a nutshell, jEdit features pretty much everything you'd find on any other editor, as well as some features you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. For starters, its syntax-highlighting scheme features bracket matching. In addition, jEdit remembers all the tabs you had open the last time you shut it down and automatically opens them when you start it back up. The “kill ring” functionality remembers previously deleted text by default. All menus feature keyboard shortcut combinations written directly next to each item. And much like other well-known editors, jEdit has a healthy assortment of third-party plugins available to satisfy practically any need.

Pros and Cons
First and foremost, jEdit is a community-driven, open source project. That fact alone is a selling point for many. FOSS fans will no doubt appreciate the open nature of the program. Aside from that, it's cross platform thanks to its reliance on Java. That's a big plus, especially if you work on multiple machines with different operating systems or your Macbook happens to be in the shop. The only real drawback is that it uses a fair amount of RAM. But it makes good use of all that memory, if it's any consolation.

Feedback and User Reviews
More or less every serious programmer and developer that's given jEdit a try offers high praise for jEdit's terrific features, uncompromising simplicity, and generally rock-solid stability. It may not be everyone's cup of tea. But it at least earns the respect of those who don't personally use or prefer it. Coders who want an IDE to hold their hand may not agree with the jEdit community's frank take on what a text editor should be. But those who do use jEdit for coding projects large and small swear by it.

Final Thoughts
It's nice to work on an editor that isn't fussy, doesn't put on airs, and just does its job without making a big production. Fortunately, jEdit is just such an editor. While hard-core coders are its primary user base, it can handle any project thanks to its support for more than 130 languages. So whether you're cranking out Java, writing legacy COBOL, whipping up the latest Python web app, or just editing some HTML, jEdit is up to the task.