What is a Code Editing Program?
A code editing program is a computer program that helps the programmer to write and modify computer program code. A code editor can be integrated with other development tools such as compiler, debugger, version control system, etc.
The code editing program is the core of any IDE (Integrated Development Environment). It provides a source code editor with syntax highlighting, line numbering, auto-indentation, auto-completion, and other features. A typical IDE will include a code editor as well as many other tools that make the programmer’s job easier.
A user of a code editing program can also do a lot of things that can’t be done in IDE such as editing a single file without starting the whole project files, copying a single file to another location, using a command-line interface, etc.
So in general we can say that the code editing program is an editor with advanced skills which come with extra features.
How Can You Improve Your Code Editing Program?
We've all seen a bad code editing program, and we've all seen a good one. Some very obvious features make for a good code editing program, but there are also some features that a code editing program user might not even realize were there.
When designing your program, don't be afraid to borrow ideas from another editing product. Some features may seem trivial, but they can save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run. So without further ado, here are 10 tips for making a good code editing program even better.
Note: the tips here apply mainly to the editing of source code, but some of them can be applied to the editing of other types of files as well.
What Should Be on Your Code Editing Program?
1. Does it have an Integrated FTP Client?
The first thing you should do when designing your code editor decides how it will interact with the rest of the world. There are two ways to do this: through a built-in FTP client, or an external FTP client.
Between the two, there are more advantages to an integrated FTP client.
Integrated FTP client basically means that you can log into your FTP server, drag and drop files from your local computer to the FTP server, and back again. The great thing about integrated FTP clients is that they will automatically detect whether you are connected to a local computer or a remote one. You don't have to remember which file goes where, because you can drag it anywhere.
2. Does it come with Code Auto-Completion?
Auto-completion is a feature that allows you to type in a few characters of code, and then have the editor fill in the rest for you. When you type in the letter ‘p’, the editor will automatically fill in the rest of the word ‘print’.
It is very helpful to have this feature because it means that you do not need to type a lot of long words or whole lines of code. However, auto-completion isn't just for saving time; it can also help you avoid mistakes.
If you type in “Cha” and then press the Tab key, the editor will automatically add “chance” to the end of your code. If you didn't mean to type that word, then auto-completion will help you fix your mistake before it's too late.
3. Does it have Multi-Caret Editing and Multi-Selection Capabilities?
The answer is simply, “Yes!”
There are several programs that offer multi-caret edit options. With this option, you can input multiple carets on the same line of code. This is a very useful feature because it allows you to easily make multiple changes at once.
If you want to change the word ‘view’ to ‘display,’ you just need to put a caret after the word ‘view’ and a caret after the word ‘display.’ After pressing Ctrl+H, you will see that the editor has changed the word ‘view’ to the word ‘display’.
Multi-selection is another useful feature that you should consider. It is very useful to save lots of time. It allows you to select multiple lines of code at once, and then perform an action on them all at once. Another example is if you want to copy five lines of code from one part of your program to another part, then multi-selection can help you do that quickly and easily.
4. What about HTML and Markdown Live Preview?
The next thing you should consider is whether or not your code editor will support live preview. This is a feature that allows you to see the results of your code changes before you make them. When you type in the word ‘print’, the editor will show you what that word means in HTML. And you do not even need to save your file and open it in a web browsing program.
Live preview is especially useful for working with HTML and Markdown because it allows you to see how your document will look when it's published on the web. But it can also be used for other languages as well, such as CSS and JavaScript.
5. Does It Have A Code Folding/Collapsing Blocks of Code Feature?
Code folding is a feature that allows you to collapse blocks of code into one line of text. This can be very useful when working with large amounts of code because it reduces clutter on your screen and makes things easier to read.
For example, if you have a long function that takes up several lines of code, then it's much easier to read if all those lines are collapsed into one line instead. And if all those lines are collapsed into one line, then you can collapse that line even further into a single word.
6. Does It Have A Search Feature?
The next thing you should consider is whether or not your code editor will have a search feature. This is a very useful feature because it allows you to find specific lines of code quickly and easily. For example, if you want to find all instances of the word “modify,” then the search feature can help you do that.
The search feature can also be used for more than just finding text; it can also be used for finding lines of code that contain certain words or phrases. It is possible to find all the instances of the word ‘change’, for example.
7. Does It Have Intuitive Column Mode?
Column mode is a feature that allows you to see multiple lines of code at once. This can be very useful when working with large amounts of code because it reduces clutter on your screen and makes things easier to read.
For example, if you have a long function that takes up several lines of code, then it's much easier to read if all those lines are stacked on top of each other instead of being spread out over the entire screen.
This product functionality for column mode will be a nice addition to the code editing program because it will make the code editing process more efficient.
8. Can It Open a Binary File as a Text Editor?
Some code editors have a feature that allows you to open a binary file as a text editor. This is very useful because it allows you to view the contents of binary files without having to download them or use a separate program.
For example, if you want to view the contents of an image file, then you can just open it in your code editor and view it there.
You may encounter a file format that you are unfamiliar with. In this case, you can use your code editor to view the contents of the file. You will be able to see the file’s contents in plain text and make sense of it.
Sometimes you might also want to view a program file, but it may be stored in a compressed format. In this case, your code editor can extract the contents of the compressed file and display them as plain text for you to read.
9. Can It Support Base64 Encoding and Decoding (on selected text)?
Some code editors have a feature that allows you to encode and decode Base64 on selected text. This is very useful because it allows you to encrypt and decrypt strings of text in your code editor.
Some people may want to encrypt the string “this is a secret message.” To do this, they can just select that string and then click on the “encrypt” button in their code editing program. This will surely enhance the level of user experience.
10. Does It Have A Customizable UI?
The last thing you should consider is whether or not your code editor will have a customizable user interface. This is a very useful feature because it allows you to change the layout of your editor and tailor it to your own needs.
For example, if you prefer to have all of your tools on the left side of the screen instead of the right side, then you can move them there. Or if you prefer to have all of your tools on one line instead of two lines, then you can do that as well.
A default setting is not always right for everyone. It is always important to have an option to change things. Screen reader user interface customization is a good example of this.
Ready to get started with a powerful code editing program?
Many other features could be added to a code editing program; this list only contains 10 features. But these 10 features are the most important ones because they make for a good code editing program even better. So don't be afraid to borrow ideas from other editors when designing your own; these features will help make your program easier and more fun to use. UltraEdit offers many of these features, including code auto-completion, column mode, HTML and Markdown live preview, and much more. For more information about UltraEdit's features, visit UltraEdit.com.
