Atom

A text editor may seem like a simple thing on the surface, but even the most basic of notepads can form the basis for incredibly complex apps and software. Most coders working on more advanced designs are looking for a little more than what a traditional notepad offers, and Atom brings a feature rich environment appropriate for coders writing in a variety of languages and working towards any number of different goals. Customization is one of the most necessary components of a good text editing program, and Atom understands that implicitly. They market themselves as a "fully hackable text editor", and that shows all the way down to the platform's most basic DNA. The fact that Atom is written completely in HTML and CSS means that it lends a lot of flexibility in how you want it to function. You can control how your panels display down to the atom, even if that means creating different styling formats for every language you use. You can hop between complex components of your project and be comfortable knowing that each of these scripts will adapt to match the parameters you've put in place. Setting up and overriding the basic style elements of the software takes a little bit of learning, but a rich library of documentation helps you learn the ins and outs with minimal fuss. That customization extends well beyond the base package. Atom is modular in design, so you can install packages directly into the software and create a platform that's vastly different than anything your colleagues use. Package integration is exceedingly simple through the pre-installed package manager, and all of Atom's packages are hosted directly through GitHub for easy access and integration. The support here is very impressive. There are thousands of different packages available, and they range from styles that can change the aesthetic design of your editor to tools that fundamentally change how the software works. These include a fully functioning IDE that can transform Atom into much more than a simple text editor and a Teletype integration that lets you collaborate with the rest of your team in real time. It's this level of modular control that really transforms Atom into something special. It's not just a text editor. It's a whole platform for coding and development, and it can change and adapt to your needs. Despite all of this, the interface is refreshingly simple. A basic expanding tree panel gives you access to everything you need nimbly without having to deal with vast and cluttered menus, and this leaves plenty of space free to write your code without interruption. A minimap allows you to jump easily between all the components of your project, while the autocomplete functions are both intuitive and adjustable.