Code Writer

Pros

• An impressive visual design that's rare in text editors
• Large variety of options for identifying syntax
• Most major programming languages represented

Cons

• Missing some key quality of life features
• Visual flourishes can be a distraction

Code Writer is one of the most colorfully designed text editors on the market, and while it offers a range of features and compatibility with most of the popular programming languages around, many coders might find that the interface gets in the way. But it's a great choice for programmers looking for a little more visual flair, and it can be a comfortable gateway for those looking to looking to get into the world of programming but intimidated by the more traditional text editors around.

That said, Code Writer might just have the sharpest looking interface available for this type of program. Clear inspiration was taken from the Windows design sensibilities, and that can be seen as soon as you boot up the app. You start by picking the language you want to write in, and all of the choices are displayed in semi-transparent panels that are projected in bright primary and secondary colors. Over twenty different options are available here, and they cover all of the bases you'd expect as well as some lesser used or more specialized languages as well. The menus are equally as bright and colorful, making use of the sorts of distinct icons that are generally replaced by simple text interfaces in other notepads of this type.

Coding isn't an easy job, and most programmers spend a lot of time buried in line after line of simple code. While most code editors use a number of effects to help parse through code quickly and easily, simpler is often better. Fortunately, Code Writer does away with some of its flashier sensibilities once you start writing code. While Code Writer uses a rainbow of different colors to highlight the syntax of your document, users can change how these are laid out by digging into the menus, and the overall presentation is not all that different from other editors like Notepad++ or Atom.

But given the colorful design and the impressively dynamic front end, this is actually one of the lighter text editors around, and it's surprisingly economical in terms of features. GitHub integration isn't included, and there's a distinct lack of modules that you can use to customize your experience. Even some of the more standard expectations like word wrapping and text folding are absent from the package. It's an odd choice for a text editor with such a distinct and bold design. Still, most of the standard features are present. The search bar offers find and replace functionality, and the command line palette makes sure that you have all of your recent commands easily available when you need them. There's also a dedicated explorer sidebar. Despite the bright presentation, this isn't a code editor that will light the world on fire, but it's a serviceable choice that combines style with a sometimes basic feature set.

Pros

• An impressive visual design that's rare in text editors
• Large variety of options for identifying syntax
• Most major programming languages represented

Cons

• Missing some key quality of life features
• Visual flourishes can be a distraction