Sunday, September 04, 2005

Testing code editors

This days I'm having a look on differents code editors, by now I've test those once;

  • VI
  • Eclipse
  • gphpedit
  • bluefish
  • quanta

And this is my short about each one, don't forget one simple thing, I was looking for a code editor that satisfied this items;
  • syntax highlighting
  • able to run on differents Operative Systems
  • code snippets (if possible)
  • ability of manage different projects (if possible)

Here're my opinions, very sort, very personal:

VIM

Good: It's not a true code editor, its target is been a editor, used at Unix system for almost everything. Due to the fact of this presence all around I've become familiar with it. It has syntax highlighting for many program languages, you may find it in almost all Unix flavours in also in Windows. It's fast, lightweight and when are familiar useful.

Bad: You don't have a GUI for keep different projects, preview (like WSIWYG) or plugins for CVS or FTP access. It doesn't have code snippets, code completation or help about languages functions.

gphpedit

Good: Almost without dependences in order to install it. Lightweight to run. Syntac highlighting for html, php, css, sql and with integrated help.It's fast and easy to use. This one has code snippets

Bad:Just for Linux (also Freebsd) and focused on Gnome. If I'm right, it is not able to manage projects.

Bluefish

Good: Fast, easy, syntax highlighting for html, php, css, python, C, DocBook... You may run different browsers to check your code or programs, like javac, make, html analizers,

Bad: Focused on Linux like gphpedit on Gnome. No projects manager, but you define a root place for all your directories and keep there your projects, isn't a manager for projects but looks likes

Eclipse

Good: Most powerful, you may look for a pluging if doesn't work like you need. That is my case, I've been trying to install phpeclipse pluging unsuccessfully. It has plugings for CVS, FTP, you may have and manage different projects, it ... it may do almost everything, it's a very powerfull IDE not just a code editor.

Bad: Requires java, it's heavy program, does many things and need a lot of resources

Quanta

Good: You may have CSV pluging, but allways you got sysntax check, link checker, project manager, syntax highlighting for html, php, DocBook... with incorporated help (very profuse). If took objective reasons this one has to be the one to use plus Eclipse.

Bad:Depens on Kde, so when I run it on my Fedora laptop it starts the hole Kde libraries environment with increasing resource consume. And also you may not run it on Windows.