Side by side
GNU nano vs jEdit
Both stand on text editors. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose GNU nano for a free editor with Pico compatibility, multi-file buffers, configurable settings, and regular-expression search. Its Unicode text handling depends on a UTF-8 terminal encoding and locale, and restricted mode disables several actions.
Visit GNU nano Free plan LinuxMacWindows
jEdit offers broad editing and customization features at no cost. Check the Java requirement and likely startup impact of a large plugin set before adopting it.
Visit jEditThe facts
| GNU nano | jEdit | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | GNU nano | Not published |
| Website | nano-editor.org | jedit.org |
| On text editors | #16 of 82 | #12 of 82 |
GNU nano: what it does well
- Free plan costs nothing.
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Search and replace supports regular expressions and backward searches.
- Separate buffers allow multiple files to remain open.
- Settings can be adjusted through nanorc files.
What to know first
- Unicode support depends on UTF-8 terminal encoding and locale.
- Restricted mode disables shell commands, spell checking, suspending, and backup creation.
jEdit: what it does well
- Syntax highlighting for 233 languages and file types.
- Searches open files or a directory.
- Supports multi-cursor and column editing.
- Plugins can add debugging and code completion.
What to know first
- Requires Java 11 or later from version 5.6.
- Many installed plugins slow startup.
Alternatives to GNU nano Alternatives to jEdit The whole list