To edit HTML, CSS and pretty much any other kind of code you only need a simple plaintext-editor (Like TextEdit on a Mac or Notepad on a Windows). However, to make your life a little bit easier, there are other programs with advanced editing features. These features can effectively support you during coding, debugging and testing. Powerful modern editors provide developers with syntax highlighting, macros, plugins, code-snippets, preview-option and an integrated FTP-management tool. Some editors go even further and offer a complete integrated development environment with numerous features and functions.
In this round-up, I will be listing the best code editors, where you can get them, and how much they cost (if anything).
Coda 2 by Panic (Mac)
Panic have just released a new update to their world famous code editor, Coda, bringing loads of new and awesome features such as iCloud Support, Code Folding, Smart Complete, Tabs, Dynamic Placeholders and more. While it is one of the best editors out there, it has a large price tag of $99 $75. You can purchase it or find out more by clicking here.
Sublime Text 2 (Mac, Windows & Linux)
Just like Panic, a new update to Sublime Text was released recently, drastically improving the core features of a plaintext-editor. Some of the new features include Split Editing, Distraction Free Mode, Multiple Selections and it is hugely customisable. It, like Coda 2 also carries a large price tag at $70, however you can download the trial version and use it for as long as you want. You can purchase it or find out more by clicking here.
BBEdit (Mac)
BBEdit is one of the really well known source code editors for Mac. It was created with focus on web-authors and software-developers. Among interesting features of BBEdit are text factories which allow to automate repetitive text-processing tasks and Preview Server support you can use to preview pages which use PHP, JSP, or other server-side processing techniques. BBEdit costs $125. If you are using Mac, BBEdit is definitely a good option to consider. There is a 30-days trial version available. You can find out more or purchase it by clicking here.
TextWrangler (Mac)
TextWrangler is in fact BBEdits little brother. It is a basic version of BBEdit, with all the core features but minus some of the more exciting ones. It is, however, free. You can download it from the Mac App Store.
Notepad++ (Windows)
A free, mature source code editor and Notepad replacement, which supports several programming languages, running under the MS Windows environment. The editor can be considered as an advanced yet simple text-editor which is extremely customizable and offers most functionalities which are available in high-end commercial products. You can download it here.
That just abouts sums up this evenings update. Please remember to subscribe to our RSS feed (No adverts!) and share us on Facebook, Twitter and anything else. Feel free to comment with other suggestions of editors and I will include them in the next update.