Atom vs Brackets: Which Text Editor is Best?

For a web developer, it’s crucial to have an efficient HTML text editor. This tool helps you create and edit text files without having to worry about the hidden formatting. It helps to manage quick editing with simple commands. Most of them perform well in front end and backend development.

Many online HTML text editors are available, and every developer has their program preferences. But there are only two top text editors: Atom and Brackets. Today we’ll explore the benefits and limitations of them both in a comparative guide. That’ll make your decision easier when choosing the right text editor. 

What is Atom?

Atom was designed as an open-source code editor at GitHub. Atom allows users to customize coding projects with ease. If you’ve been working with another text editor called Sublime, it shouldn’t be difficult to start using Atom. Atom also incorporates a learning curve feature which is a great way to see the performance of your project.

Atom comes with helpful features that make web development easier, including a smart auto-complete and a find-and-replace tool. Atom also includes a handy integrated spell-check tool.

Atom was designed to be a customized version of Chromium, which is Google’s open-source web browser. It allows users to write packages with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, further optimizing the process of web development. 

Atom has an excellent tool that is also very practical. The built-in package manager will allow you to add packages in seconds. Additionally, Atom makes it easy to work with config files.

What is Brackets?

Brackets is an HTML text editor developed by Adobe. When it comes to front-end development, Brackets stands out among other text editors. Since Brackets is an Adobe project, it performs brilliantly in everything related to design integration. 

The program offers a live preview tool which is a big hit amongst many users. This feature allows you to edit code and see how the changes are doing in real-time in a preview window. 

Brackets also offers code hint integration with Photoshop, making it possible to import handy files from Photoshop like fonts, colors, or measurements. On the other hand, Brackets includes some handy keyboard shortcuts that will make the process easier.

Functionality and Plugins

Atom:

Atom allows you to install code review and analytics plugins to increase functionality. Atom also integrates TSLint and Wakatime functionality. TSLint is a code review plugin, and Wakatime provides time tracking and insights into your programming habits. 

Brackets:

Brackets features are design-oriented, so it’s a great option for front-end development projects. Brackets integrates Adobe Photoshop, JavaScript and Adobe Dreamweaver. Dreamweaver helps with errors and optimizing front-end projects to increase speed.

Which companies use these text editors:

According to a 2019 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, Atom is one of the most popular development tools in its class. However, there are still many companies that choose Brackets because of its speed and front-end design performance.

Companies that work with Brackets include Easygenerator, Life Church, Sodep, and Zenkit. WorldGaming also uses the program to design its excellent website UI. 

The popular ridesharing app Lift uses Atom for its simple and functional website. Additionally, other companies like TypeForm, HubSpot, and PedidosYa use Atom. GitHub also uses Atom for its primary website.

Atom vs Brackets: What’s the Best Choice for Me?

Both text editors have many excellent features and the support of great companies like GitHub and Adobe. Additionally, both programs are lightweight text editors that work with JavaScript. Atom and Brackets are both some of the best code editors for Mac, Windows, and Linux. 

So, which of these programs works best for you? Atom and Brackets are both excellent text editors, so it’s best to choose based on what you intend to code.

• For front-end development: 

Brackets provides better features for web design. It’s an Adobe product that features simple integration with other common design tools, such as Photoshop. Brackets also features Creative Cloud access, making it easy to manage an entire front end project. 

• For versatility: 

In this case, Atom is the best choice for your text editor. This text editor is known to be easy to adapt. Atom is a flexible platform that you can use to develop your website. 

Atom is a versatile program that, when compared to Brackets, excels in backend development projects. It’s a flexible program with lots of technical features, making it a great choice for web development.

Atom’s modular and adaptable design makes it easy to customize. Thanks to a built-in package manager, users can mix design elements and install a range of add-ons to increase functionality. The program also features terminal integration, which is a major convenience bonus for many developers.

• For the best speed: 

Many users believe that Atom imitates Sublime’s dynamic. And while there are similarities between the programs, Atom is purpose-built for fast web programs. However, Brackets is faster than Atom when working with large files. Many users report that Brackets is faster on startup as well.