25 Best Text Editors for Ubuntu and Other Linux

We review the best of Linux text editors available today with their features and installation guides.16 min


There is no scarcity of text editors in the Ubuntu and the Linux ecosystem in general. They all come in different shapes and cater to various use cases. Earlier, we reviewed notepads like text editors and ultra-lightweight editors.

Now, it’s time to bring all of them together and give you a complete list of text editors in Linux. The following list is not in a particular order. However, they are classified according to their generic use cases. Although, they are termed as text editors, some of them are used for coding and development as well. That said, you can use them as code editors if you want.

However, this list does not have heavy-duty code editors, such as Visual Studio code, etc. They are in a different category. You can check them out in this guide: 5 best code editors for Ubuntu

Let’s take a look at some of the best free and open-source text editors for Ubuntu and Linux.

All-purpose text editors for Ubuntu and Linux

Gedit

Gedit is a free and open-source text editor for Linux known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features. Here are some of its highlights:

  • Lightweight and Easy-to-Use: Gedit is perfect for beginners and experienced users alike, with a clean and intuitive interface.
  • Syntax Highlighting: Gedit supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, making code easier to read and understand.
  • Tabbed Browsing: Easily switch between multiple files with tabbed browsing.
  • Search and Replace: Find and replace text with ease, including regular expressions for advanced searching.
  • Spell Checking: Ensure error-free writing with built-in spell-checking.
  • Customization: Change the font, colour, and background to personalize your editing experience.
  • Plugins: Extend Gedit’s functionality with plugins for file compression, code snippets, and more.
Gedit text editor
Gedit text editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install gedit
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S gedit
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install gedit
Flatpak (all distributions)flatpak install flathub org.gnome.gedit

Additional resources for Gedit:

Kate

Kate, developed by the KDE community, is a feature-rich text editor loved by programmers and casual users. Here’s a summary of its features:

  • Multi-document and multi-view: Edit multiple files simultaneously, both in separate tabs and split views.
  • Powerful syntax highlighting: Supports a vast range of programming languages, making code easier to read and understand.
  • Bracket matching and code folding: Navigate your code effortlessly with these helpful features.
  • Infinite undo/redo: Easily undo and redo any changes, no matter how far back you go.
  • Auto indentation and completion: Save time and write cleaner code with automatic help.
  • Embedded terminal: Run commands directly from Kate for a seamless workflow.
Kate editor
Kate editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install kate
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S kate
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install kate
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for Kate:

Kwrite

Developed by KDE, KWrite is a lightweight and user-friendly text editor that packs a punch for everyday tasks. Here are some highlights:

  • Simple and Intuitive: KWrite’s clean interface makes it easy to pick up and use, perfect for beginners and casual users.
  • Syntax Highlighting: KWrite supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, making code easier to read and understand.
  • Word Completion: KWrite offers word completion suggestions for faster and more efficient typing.
  • Find and Replace: Easily search and replace text, including regular expressions for advanced searching.
  • Auto Indentation: KWrite automatically indents your code, making it neat and organized.
  • Multiple Document Support: Work on multiple files simultaneously with tabbed browsing.
  • Session Management: Restore your previous editing session with one click.
KWrite text Editor
KWrite text Editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install kwrite
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S kwrite
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install kwrite
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.kde.kwrite

KWrite vs. Kate:

While KWrite and Kate share the same core text editing engine, they target different user groups. KWrite is ideal for everyday text editing tasks, while Kate offers more advanced features and customization options for programmers and power users.

Additional resources for KWrite:

GNOME Text Editor

GNOME Text Editor, is the default text editor for the GNOME desktop environment. Recently it has been introduced, replacing Gedit. It strikes a balance between simplicity and power, making it a great choice for both casual and experienced users. Its modern editor is built upon GTK4 and libadwaita.

Features:

  • Clean and intuitive interface: Easy to navigate and learn, perfect for beginners.
  • Syntax highlighting: Makes code easier to read and understand, supporting many programming languages.
  • Tabbed browsing: Work on multiple files simultaneously with ease.
  • Search and replace: Find and modify text quickly, including with regular expressions.
  • Spell checking: Ensure error-free writing.
  • Auto indentation: Keeps your code clean and organized.
  • Distraction-free mode: Focus on your writing without any distractions.
  • Customizable: Change the font, colour, and background to personalize your experience.
  • Auto save: It saves unsaved files automatically so that you never lose any data.
GNOME Text Editor
GNOME Text Editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install gnome-text-editor
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S gnome-text-editor
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install gnome-text-editor
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.gnome.TextEditor

Additional resources for GNOME Text Editor:

Geany

Geany is a free and open-source text editor for Linux systems, specifically designed for programmers, focusing on lightweight resource usage and powerful features. It is one of the oldest and most underrated editors. The best thing is it is available for all platforms, including Windows and macOS, alongside Linux. Here are some key highlights:

Features:

  • Lightweight and fast: Uses minimal system resources and loads quickly, making it ideal for older computers.
  • Syntax highlighting: Supports over 50 programming languages, including Python, C++, Java, and HTML, for easier code readability.
  • Code completion: Offers auto-completion for keywords, functions, and variables to speed up your coding.
  • Symbol name auto-completion: Saves time by automatically suggesting symbols and functions as you type.
  • Construct completion and snippets: Provides pre-written code snippets for common tasks, saving you further typing.
  • Build system integration: Allows you to compile and execute your code directly from the editor.
  • Cross-platform: Available on Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Geany
Geany

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install geany
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S geany
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install geany
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.geany.Geany

Additional resources for Geany Editor:

Bluefish

Bluefish is a free and open-source text editor for Linux, particularly popular among web developers and designers. It offers a robust feature set, with a focus on code editing and web development tasks. Here are some key highlights:

Features:

  • Advanced code editing tools: Supports syntax highlighting for over 60 programming languages, code completion, code folding, and regular expressions for powerful search and replace operations.
  • Web development features: Offers built-in support for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other web languages, including integration with external tools like web browsers and FTP clients.
  • Macros and automation: Automate repetitive tasks with custom macros and scripts.
  • Customization: Extensive options for personalizing your workspace, including themes, color schemes, fonts, and keyboard shortcuts.
  • Multi-platform: Available on Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Bluefish editor
Bluefish editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install bluefish
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S bluefish
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install bluefish
Flatpakflatpak install flathub nl.openoffice.bluefish

Additional resources for Bluefish Editor:

SciTE

SciTE (SCIntilla based Text Edit) is a free and open-source text editor for Linux, known for its simplicity, performance, and extensive features. Here are some of its key highlights:

Features:

  • Lightweight and fast: Uses minimal system resources and loads quickly, making it ideal for older computers.
  • Syntax highlighting: Supports over 50 programming languages, including Python, C++, Java, and HTML, for easier code readability.
  • Code folding and navigation: Allows you to easily collapse and expand code sections and navigate through your projects.
  • Multi-view editing: Edit multiple files at the same time and easily switch between them.
  • Macro recording and playback: Automate repetitive tasks with custom macros.
  • Portable: Can be run without installation from a USB drive or cloud storage.
SciTE editor
SciTE editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install scite
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S scite
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install scite
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.scintilla.SciTE

Additional resources for SciTE Editor:

gvim

gvim is the graphical user interface (GUI) version of the popular Vim text editor. It offers all the powerful features of Vim, including:

  • Extensive text manipulation tools: multi-level undo/redo, powerful search and replace, block editing, etc.
  • Support for hundreds of programming languages and file formats with syntax highlighting.
  • Built-in scripting language for customization and automation.
  • Splitting and tabbed windows for efficient multitasking.
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts and user interface.
Gvim
Gvim

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install vim-gtk3
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S gvim
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install gvim
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for gvim:

neovim

Neovim is a modern and highly customizable text editor for Linux, built on the Vim codebase. It offers a powerful and efficient editing experience with a focus on performance and extensibility.

Features:

  • Extensive syntax highlighting: Supports over 200 programming languages and file formats.
  • Powerful code editing tools: Offers features like code completion, code folding, and regular expressions for advanced search and replace operations.
  • Lua scripting support: Extend Neovim’s functionality with custom Lua scripts.
  • Extensive plugin support: Expand Neovim’s capabilities with thousands of plugins available for various tasks.
  • Modal editing: Utilize different editing modes for specific tasks, similar to Vim.
  • Integrated terminal: Execute commands directly from the editor.
neovim
neovim

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install neovim
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S neovim
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install neovim
Flatpakflatpak install flathub io.neovim.nvim

Additional resources for neovim:

medit

Medit is a free and open-source text editor for Linux designed with programmers and general users in mind. It offers a robust feature set and a clean interface, making it suitable for various editing tasks.

Features:

  • Syntax highlighting: Supports over 30 programming languages for easier code reading and comprehension.
  • Multi-window editing: Work on multiple files simultaneously with ease.
  • Regular expressions support: Powerful search and replace functionality for advanced editing.
  • Customizable interface: Personalize your workspace with various options like themes, colour schemes, and fonts.
  • Integrated terminal: Execute commands directly from the editor.
Medit
Medit

Installation commands:

Medit is not available in the official repositories of most Linux distributions. However, you can install it using the following methods:

Debian and Ubuntu: Download the precompiled binary from https://mooedit.sourceforge.net/download.html and extract it to your desired location. Then, add the extracted folder to your PATH environment variable to access the medit command from anywhere.

Arch Linux: Build Medit from source using the AUR (Arch User Repository). You can install Yay or any AUR helper and then install it using the below command:

yay -S medit

Resources:

mcedit

mcedit is not a separate text editor but rather a shortcut to the internal file editor within the awesome Midnight Commander file manager. When you execute mcedit, you’re actually launching the internal file editor of Midnight Commander.

Key Features:

  • Full-screen editing: Maximizes editing space and minimizes distractions.
  • Syntax highlighting: Supports various programming languages for improved code readability.
  • Regular expressions support: Powerful search and replace functionality.
  • Line numbering: Shows the line number of each line in your document.
  • Binary file editing: Edit non-text files.
mcedit
mcedit

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install mc
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S mc
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install mc
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for mcedit:

Emacs

Emacs is a powerful and highly customizable text editor for Linux. It’s known for its extensive features, extensibility, and community-driven development, making it a popular choice among programmers, writers, and power users.

Features:

  • Highly customizable: Extensive options for tailoring the interface, behaviour, and keyboard shortcuts to your specific needs.
  • Extensive plugin support: Thousands of plugins are available for various functionalities and languages.
  • Lisp-based extensibility: Customize and extend Emacs functionality with Lisp code.
  • Multi-window editing: Work on multiple files simultaneously.
  • Powerful code editing tools: Syntax highlighting, code completion, code folding, regular expressions, etc.
  • Search and replace with regular expressions: Powerful text manipulation capabilities.
  • Integrated terminal: Execute commands directly from the editor.
  • Mail and news clients: Built-in mail and news clients for efficient communication.
emacs editor
emacs editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install emacs
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S emacs
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install emacs
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.gnu.emacs

Additional resources for emacs:

Terminal-based text editors

nano

Nano is a free and open-source text editor for Linux known for its simple interface and user-friendly features. It’s a popular choice for beginners and experienced users alike, especially for basic editing tasks and quick file modifications. It comes as default in almost all Linux distributions.

Features:

  • Simple interface: Easy to learn and use, even for beginners.
  • Lightweight and fast: It runs smoothly on older computers and uses minimal system resources.
  • Basic editing features: Cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, and find/replace functionality.
Nano editor
Nano editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install nano
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S nano
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install nano

Additional resources for nano:

vim

Vim is a highly popular and powerful text editor for Linux, known for its extensive features, customization options, and modal editing approach. It’s a favourite among programmers and experienced users who value efficiency and control.

Features:

  • Modal editing: Different modes for different tasks, like command mode for editing and visual mode for selecting text.
  • Powerful code editing tools: Syntax highlighting, code completion, code folding, regular expressions, etc.
  • Extensive plugin support: Thousands of plugins are available for various functionalities and languages.
  • Macros and scripting: Automate repetitive tasks and customize your workflow.
Vim editor
Vim editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install vim
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S vim
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install vim-enhanced

Additional resources for vim:

micro

Micro is a free and open-source text editor for Linux designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind. It offers a clean interface, powerful features, and a focus on usability.

Features:

  • Lightweight and fast: Runs smoothly on older computers and uses minimal system resources.
  • Syntax highlighting: Supports over 60 programming languages for improved code readability.
  • Line numbering: Shows the line number of each line in your document.
  • Distraction-free mode: Focus on writing without any distractions.
Micro editor
Micro editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedDownload the latest binary from https://github.com/zyedidia/micro/releases and install.
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S micro
Fedora, RHEL and relatedDownload the latest binary from https://github.com/zyedidia/micro/releases and install.

Additional resources for micro:

ash

Ash is a free and open-source text editor designed specifically for Linux. It is known for its modern interface, efficient performance, and focus on user-friendliness. Ash is created using Python. Hence, it requires Python runtime and pip to install.

Features:

  • Lightweight and fast: Runs smoothly on older computers and uses minimal system resources.
  • Syntax highlighting: Supports over 50 programming languages for improved code readability.
  • Regular expressions support: Powerful search and replace functionality.
  • Search and replace with regular expressions: Powerful text manipulation capabilities.
  • Line numbering: Shows the line number of each line in your document.
  • Distraction-free mode: Focus on writing without any distractions.
ash editor
ash editor

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pip
sudo pip3 install ash-editor
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S python3-pip
sudo pip3 install ash-editor
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install python3-pip
sudo pip3 install ash-editor

Additional resources for ash:

Notepad-type lightweight editors

Mousepad

Mousepad is a free and open-source text editor designed for the Xfce desktop environment in Linux. It focuses on providing a simple and user-friendly experience, making it ideal for basic editing tasks and quick notes.

mousepad running in Ubuntu
mousepad running in Ubuntu

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install mousepad
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S mousepad
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install mousepad
Flatpakflatpak install flathub org.xfce.mousepad

Additional resources for Mouespad:

Featherpad

Looking for a lightweight and user-friendly text editor for Linux? Look no further than Featherpad! This powerful editor offers a clean interface, basic syntax highlighting for various languages, and tabbed editing for efficient multi-file work. It usually comes as default in many lightweight linux distributions.

featherpad running in Ubuntu
featherpad running in Ubuntu

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install featherpad
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S featherpad
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install featherpad
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for Featherpad:

Leafpad

Leafpad is a free and open-source text editor designed for simplicity and efficiency. It’s a great choice for anyone looking for a basic editor that doesn’t bog down their system.

leafpad - a simple notepad running in Ubuntu
leafpad – a simple notepad running in Ubuntu

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedwget http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/l/leafpad/leafpad_0.8.18.1-5_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i leafpad_0.8.18.1-5_amd64.deb
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S leafpad
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install leafpad
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for Leafpad:

Beaver editor

Beaver is a free and open-source text editor designed for efficiency and flexibility. While lightweight, it packs a punch with features that make it suitable for programmers, web developers, and anyone who wants a powerful text editor without the bloat.

Beaver editor running in Ubuntu
Beaver editor running in Ubuntu

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedwget https://www.bristolwatch.com/debian/packages/beaver_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i beaver_amd64.deb
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedNot available
Fedora, RHEL and relatedNot available
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for Beaver editor:

Xed

Xed is a free and open-source text editor designed to be both lightweight and feature-rich. It’s a great choice for anyone looking for a simple editor that doesn’t bog down their system, but still offers some advanced functionality.

Xed editor from Linux Mint team
Xed editor from Linux Mint team

Installation:

If you are using Linux Mint, it should come as default. However, to install it in Ubuntu, you need a bunch of commands, unfortunately. Open a terminal and run the following commands to install Xed in Ubuntu.

wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/import/i/inxi/inxi_3.0.32-1-1_all.deb
wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/backport/x/xapp/xapps-common_2.4.2+vera_all.deb
wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/backport/x/xapp/libxapp1_2.4.2+vera_amd64.deb
wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/backport/x/xed/xed-common_3.2.8+vera_all.deb
wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/backport/x/xed/xed_3.2.8+vera_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i inxi_3.0.32-1-1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i xapps-common_2.4.2+vera_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i libxapp1_2.4.2+vera_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i xed-common_3.2.8+vera_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i xed_3.2.8+vera_amd64.deb

Arch Linux users can install it using the following command:

sudo pacman -S xed

Additional resources for Xed:

Pluma

Pluma is a powerful and user-friendly text editor for Linux that caters to a wide range of users, from beginners to experienced coders. It’s the default text editor for the MATE desktop environment but can be easily installed on other distributions as well.

Pluma editor
Pluma editor

Features:

  • Complete support for UTF-8 text
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Support for editing remote files
  • Search and Replace
  • Printing and Print Previewing Support
  • File Revert
  • A complete preferences interface
  • Configurable Plugin system

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install pluma
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S pluma
Fedora, RHEL and relatedsudo dnf install pluma
FlatpakNot available

Additional resources for Pluma:

Notepad++

Notepad++ is a free and open-source text editor renowned for its features and customization options. While not officially supported for Linux, it can be run using Wine, a compatibility layer that allows you to run Windows applications on Linux.

Notepad++ running in Ubuntu
Notepad++ running in Ubuntu

You can install it using Snap in Ubuntu with the below commands:

sudo apt install snapd
sudo snap install notepad-plus-plus

Notepadqq

Notepadqq is a free and open-source text editor for Linux inspired by the popular Windows application Notepad++. It’s designed to be simple and lightweight, yet it packs a punch with features that make it suitable for programmers, web developers, and anyone who needs a powerful text editor.

Notepadqq is running in Ubuntu
Notepadqq is running in Ubuntu

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and relatedsudo apt install notepadqq
Arch Linux, Manjaro and relatedsudo pacman -S notepadqq
Fedora, RHEL and relatedNot available
Flatpakflatpak install com.notepadqq.Notepadqq

Additional resources for Notepadqq:

Notepad Next

Notepad Next is a free and open-source text editor designed for efficiency and ease of use. It’s a powerful alternative to traditional editors, offering a modern interface and a wealth of features while remaining lightweight on system resources.

Notepad Next
Notepad Next

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Flatpakflatpak install com.github.dail8859.NotepadNext

Additional resources for Notepad next:

More editors

Mini Text

If you want a simple text editor for Linux, which works as both a notepad and a sticky pad, then try Mini Text. It is a new editor, built using GTK4, which has been unveiled recently. Here’s how it looks.

Mini Text - drag and move
Mini Text – drag and move

Installation:

Distribution typesCommand to install
Flatpakflatpak install io.github.nokse22.minitext

Additional resources for Mini Text:

Closing notes

In conclusion, the free and open-source ecosystem offers a diverse range of text editors to cater to the varied needs of users, from beginners to seasoned users. In this list, we covered some of the best options available for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.

The choice ultimately depends on your preferences, workflow, and the specific tasks you need to accomplish. Experiment with different editors, explore their features and find the one that aligns perfectly with your coding or text editing requirements.

Cheers.


Arindam

Creator and author of debugpoint.com. Connect with me via Telegram, 𝕏 (Twitter), or send us an email.
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