14 DAY TRIAL // Handling text data these days has gotten pretty advanced, especially considering the increasing demands in terms of input, editing, and further processing. Whether you’re an occasional writer wanting some peace of mind with a decent word processor, a full-time journalist seeking professional-grade text-inputting tools, or a dedicated programmer on a quest to find the ideal IDE, having the right text editor can be essential.
In a time when the border between classic text editor capabilities and coding-specific IDE features has gotten blurred by the advent of so many capable text editors, finding a do-it-all solution can be tricky. You might end up getting only one side of the deal: writer-oriented or developer-oriented, which is totally fine if you find yourself in either of those categories.
Having tested Sublime Text, I can clearly say that this text editor aims at providing a more balanced approach for the whole text processing endeavor, the best of both (and why not, all) worlds, in a package that addresses a multitude of specific tasks, through an elegant and efficient design.
Streamlined IDE-type design, which comes equipped with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect from a versatile text editor
Having previously worked with various text editors, some more inclined towards the writer side, and some to the developer angle, I kind of knew what to expect in terms of design and classic, shared features. And I was not disappointed by Sublime Text and its elegant design.
Pleasant to the eye, as well as functional, the layout and constituent elements of the editor are much akin to those you would find in an IDE, and this is emphasized both through the visual elements pertaining to pagination and syntax, as well as the very ample feature set, which addresses a variety of useful tasks.
Be it that you aim to write code and be seconded by a syntax highlighting feature, making things easier for you, or you just plan on proofing a draft for your novel, the app’s design can address any things in between.
Allows for easy multi-project management, and bears a multitude of features that cater to both writing and formatting, as well as syntax in the context of development
I enjoyed the fact that the editor allows you to work with tabs, as well as side-by-side views of the content. However, where Sublime Text steps things up a notch is by allowing you to easily manage and work on multiple projects simultaneously, and easily switch between them.
And in terms of actual text processing functionality, you will have access to a wide range of features, which allow for classic formatting and editing tasks, as well as programming-oriented operations pertaining to syntax management, operators, indenting, code folding, and much, much more.
Intricate search and selection tools, coupled with impressive text management capabilities, ensure a very adaptable experience
It would be unfair to assess the capabilities of a text editor without addressing search and selection tools, and again, Sublime Text doesn’t disappoint. Starting with the fact that a very ample choice of elements can be used as selection criteria, and all the way down to the fact that you can even perform directional text browsing.
Finding data quickly is king, and just as with its selection capabilities, the app also offers superb search and filtering, as well as replacing, and for the really keen users out there, support for specific syntax and operators is provided, which allows for an even more efficient identification process.
Excellent choice of development-specific tools, which can cater to the requirements of even the most stringent coding projects
There’s no two ways about it, the amount of development-oriented functionality in Sublime Text is impressive, to say the least, and this is very well highlighted by the fact that functionality is addressed in a hierarchical manner: from syntax, to structuring, to editing, to special functions, to snippets, and so on.
And did I mention that you’ll also get macros? Yes, and I feel that this is a very welcomed addition, especially in the context of improving the efficiency of your workflows.
Fantastic text editor, whose flawless design and rich feature set make it a jack of all trades, offering superb functionality regardless of the challenge
Having pretty high standards when it comes to text editors, I was very pleased to see what the latest version of Sublime Text has to offer. Calling it a jack of all trades is a more than fair affirmation, although, for my part, I might be biased to see the prevalence of developer-oriented functionality in it.
Either way, the editor builds its tool collection on a solid foundation of standard features, which then receive layers upon layers of text processing functionality, which in the right hands, can amount to a highly adaptable and versatile approach. Whether you intend to use it for working on literary masterpieces or for your intense, all-nighter coding tears.
The Good
Advanced functionality, such as macros, snippets, and specific developer tools are also provided.
When compared to similar solutions, such as Notepad++, its inherently elegant and functional design might give it the upper edge.
The Bad
Although its elegant design aims to offer the best of both worlds for either writers or coders, similar IDEs out there with more basic, plainer designs might offer a more direct approach, and consequently more efficient operation. But this concern pertains more to developers.
The Truth
As it offers a quite balanced package in terms of the target use, Sublime Text can be whatever you want it to be for your text input and processing needs. It all depends on your specific requirements, and I consider it more than capable of facing the rigors of most text-processing endeavors these days.
