SciTE 5.5.4

Overview

When it comes to text editing, there are a lot of tools and utilities out there but one of the best and feature-packed text editors is Scite. A free and open source editor boasting a tabbed interface, explorer integration, code highlighting and many more features, Scite is one of the best editors out there. However, the best thing about it is the support from the developers, as the program is regularly updated. So can Scite improve your editing capabilities? We shall take a look and see how things pan out!

Installation

A lightweight tool, Scite offers a trouble free and fast installation process. You are guaranteed a quick download given its small setup kit of just 1MB. You should be happy to find out that, in terms of system requirements, Scite supports all of the available versions of the Windows operating system. In addition, keep in mind that it doesn’t come with adware/spyware or other installed programs. The Linux platform is also supported! Let’s move on to the interface of Scite!

Interface

The best aspect that comes into play regarding Scite’s interface is surely its functionality and simplicity. Providing its users a tabbed interface resulting in accessibility and easier management of files, the interface of Scite will pose no problems to novice users, although there is a mild learning curve in order to learn all of the tool’s features. All of the usual categories, such as File, Edit, Search, Options, Tools and more are present. Overall, a text editor should be easy to use and Scite certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard.

Pros

In terms of the number of features available, there are other editors out there that are able to outperform Scite but the most important feature of any extended text editor is represented by its load up performance. In this regard, none can match Scite’s performance. When you just want to make a quick change or search, this feature is priceless.

Another useful feature of Scite is the code highlighting. Nobody wants to load up a full-blown IDE when they have in mind only a quick review of the piece of code so the code highlighting is extremely handy. It is also customizable and known extensions are often added to the list. Compile, debug and run tools as well as an auto indentation fix tool and indentation guides are provided by Scite. The usability of this great editor is enhanced by its folding support.

Cons

A “recent files” list would have been great. What is more, the lack of keystroke macro recording can be annoying for programmers.

Alternatives

There is no shortage of text editors on the market. Let’s have a look at some of them. The following is just a small selection of tools that fall into this category: Notepad++, Eclipse, Vim, Aptana, Geany, GNU Emacs.

Conclusion

All in all, Scite is a fast text editor that packs enough features to make it a recommended tool for many people, even novices.