VS Code vs Sublime Text–which code editor is best for you? A good code editor can act as a best friend for a coder. If you have known to code for quite some time, then you’re probably aware that back in the early days of coding, only text editors were used. To top it all off, there were only two text editors; one was TextEdit for Mac, and the other was Notepad on Windows.
Fast forward to the modern age, and we have more code editors than we know what to do with: Atom, PyCharm, Notepad++ and tons of others. If you are a beginner, it can be hard to figure out which one is best to start with. Furthermore, there are so many different code editors and IDEs out there that you can find yourself overwhelmed.
In today’s article, we are going to explore two of the most highly regarded code editors, VS Code, and Sublime Text, to help you figure out which is better for you. We’ll look at some pros and cons of VS Code and Sublime Text, and finally answer some frequently asked questions. So without further ado, let’s get started!
VS Code Editor In A Nutshell
Languages Supported: C++, Python, TypeScript, and JavaScript
Price: Free to use
Expertise level: Ideal for beginners who are willing to learn to code
Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS, Linux (Ubuntu, Red Hat, SUSE, Debian, Fedora)
Visual Studio Code was released to the public in 2016; Visual Studio Code is probably the best code editor you can get if you are just starting out. If you are a beginner, you’ll be happy with the support for HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Not only does VS Code offer a wide variety of programming languages, but there are a ton of helpful features.
For instance, the debugging feature, if you are someone who used to code without a code editor, then you know the importance of this feature. The software allows coders to find and debug the code without hassle. To start debugging, you must press F5 to start it immediately, or you could also navigate to the debug menu.
Through VS code, you are free to create “breakpoints,” which are the points that will stop the debugging process automatically. Another cool feature that VS code offers is the Intellisense feature. This feature is the perfect alternative for googling a problem in your code.
How does this work? Intellisense analyzes the code the user is inputting and then suggests how they should finish their code. However, Intellisense is available for most common languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. If you can’t find Intellisense for your language, download its extension.
Through VS code, coders can also get support for their snippets; this can come in handy as it allows the users to have a catalog for the small parts of reusable code, which can be reinserted into different bodies of code as per the user’s need. Another feature that VS code has is the “Go to” functionality, allowing users to find and go to lines, files, definitions, and symbols without having to search them absurdly line by line.
Pros Of Using VS Code
Using VS code can be beneficial for you in a lot of ways. For starters, the software is insanely stable and boots up quickly as it’s lightweight. If you ever need help or answers to a question, you’ll find the support community is fantastic for VS code. In addition to this, there are loads of tutorials out there to help you get started.
For more advanced programmers, you will be pleased to find that there are built-in Git commands for working with source control applications. Additionally, if you want to extend the functionality of VS Code, there are tons of extensions for almost everything you could think of. Overall, VS Code is easy to use, smooth, and looks way better than most of the code editors on the market.
Cons Of Using VS Code
The cons of VS Code aren’t as many as the pros. The only con you may notice is that you might find debugging tricky in some web development languages. Additionally, getting used to all the tools and features may be difficult for a beginner to handle.
VS Code can be a little heavy, and therefore may run slowly on older machines.
Sublime Text In A Nutshell
Languages Supported: PHP, Rails, C++, Python, and many more
Price: $99/License
Expertise level: Intermediate coders that require shortcuts and high-level customization
Platforms Supported: macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Sublime Text was released in 2007, and the first thing you may notice is that it is not completely free. Although there is a free version, you are only able to evaluate it for a limited time. But getting past that, Sublime Text is actually quite good. StackOverflow ranked this code editor fourth for its widespread development environment in 2018. Additionally, you may find that there are a few things Sublime text offers that VS code lacks.
For starters, Sublime text has package control which can help a lot of beginners explore different types of packages. The feature was available in VS code but could only be used as an extension.
Sublime Text also offers users a command palette that helps find and solve your queries much faster than manually navigating through them. The command palette is so convenient that it will autofill for you.
If you are unsure what you are looking for, this can be great for beginners and intermediates. To access the command palette, you must press ctrl + shift + p.
Additionally, there’s a Project feature in Sublime Text that helps with organizing your folders and files. This enables quick access to any files you need as they will be right in front of you, and you don’t have to waste time navigating for them. And if you want to change projects, you can use the “Switch Project” feature.
Pros Of Using Sublime Text
While we are talking about the pros, it is worth mentioning that Sublime Text has an intuitive and user-friendly interface that is aesthetically pleasing.
The code is much more readable on the code editor, as it displays code in syntax-specific color schemes. Furthermore, the editor supports plug-ins and integration. Overall the whole editor is fast, customizable, and efficient.
Cons Of Using Sublime Text
Besides the obvious disadvantage that it costs money, some drawbacks you might face while using Sublime Text include the hassle of transferring your license to a new computer. The Git integration is also sometimes clumsy and glitchy.
The code editor’s cross-platform needs improvement. At the same time, you might even have to face some distracting pop-up that tells you to buy the premium version of the editor if you use the free one.
Final Words
Finding the correct code editor can be a little challenging, especially after considering each editor’s features. Nonetheless, the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference. There are many more environments to try out, like Atom, PyCharm, and Netbeans. Between Sublime Text and VS Code, you can use whichever you want according to your needs and coding style.
FAQs
Is VS Code good for beginners?
VS Code is the Ideal Code Editor for beginners and students who want to learn to code. It is available on all platforms and there are a ton of helpful tutorials online to get started. The only downside is that you can get distracted by the sheer magnitude of available features and extensions.
Is VS Code good for HTML?
VS Code is a great code editor for HTML programming. It has amazing features like syntax highlighting, smart completions, and more. If you are building a website with HTML, you can also use the Live Server Extension to view your edits in real time.
Is Sublime or VS Code slower?
While Sublime Text is excellent for managing large-scale development projects, it is slightly slower than VS Code, according to most user reports. However, if you run VS Code with many extensions installed, it begins to slow down and runs even heavier than Sublime Text. In short, you will have to consider your needs carefully if performance is a concern.
