Web development text/code editors for Windows

Question

I'm currently using E-TextEditor. This application is trying very hard to be TextMate for Windows, but unfortunately it isn't very stable. Also, it has some serious problems opening minified files (e.g. 70 kB JavaScript files), which is unacceptable IMHO.

Notepad2 has no problem at all opening these files, and seems to be very stable as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't allow multiple file instances through tabs, and it lacks a remote editing feature.

To me, the perfect text editor would be something as fast and lightweight as Notepad2, but with added features such as opening documents in tabs and remote editing through FTP.

So, any suggestions? Which editor do you use to directly edit files through FTP?

P.S.: I'm not looking for heavy applications like Zend Studio or Dreamweaver. A simple program with the abovementioned features that doesn't take 30 seconds to launch would be perfect, ithankyou.

P.P.S.: And yes, I read the Text Editors topic, but my question obviously is a little more specific.

Answer 1

I am using Visual Studio Code (VSCode) for directly open, edit and save files on server. you can install Simple-ftp extension according this then enjoy developing.

Answer 2

As a developer I am well used to coping with Notepad++, and I would just like to say that Tabs and FTP access features are available in N++. However, I don't know how it handles minified JS, as I have never tried, but There is probably some plugin for that as well. It's a very handy tool and very lightweight too :)

Answer 3

I would never have given up TextPad 4.7 if it were Unicode-compatible, but nowadays it can't open 30% of my files without corrupting them.

I finally found Notepad++, whose speed and flexibility matched (or exceeded) TextPad's and whose syntax highlighting surpassed it.

The only reason I've left Npp is that I'm working on a project that moves me between Mac and Windows, and I stumbled upon Sublime Text 2 when looking for a Mac editor. ST2 is cross-platform — OS X, Win & Linux — and uses TextMate bundles, so the syntax highlighting (which has grown in significance to me over the years) is even better than Npp's.

I guess Sublime Text came out of the Mac ecosystem, which may be why it's not better-known on Windows. For my money, it's without question the best Windows text editor, hands down.

Of course, maybe in April 2009 when you asked your question, it wasn't. But since it is now, that's why I'm bothering to respond to a three-year-old query that lots of people have already answered.

Answer 4

I like VEdit. I don't know if it allows you to edit through FTP, but I wouldn't be surprised. It has multiple tabs and several out of the box macros, along with ones you can add too.

Answer 5

Vim meets those classifications, though if you're a fan of heavily mouse-based environments, the learning curve might be steep.

Answer 6

I suggest you try Intype and Komodo Edit.

The former is another "TextMate for Windows" and one I actually like. It's pretty barebones at the moment and sometimes unstable but for quick edits I much prefer it to Notepad.

The latter is an open-source editor based on Komodo IDE by ActiveState. Slightly more heavy weight but far more feature-rich. And if you end up getting into IDEs, Komodo itself is quite nice.

I'm a Mac user at home, so in both editors I personally appreciate the lack of overloaded toolbars and generally very clean GUIs. Komodo's also got a superb community behind, something you may or may not care much about.