How to Choose and Install an Online Text Editor Setup

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An efficient online text editor can make your workflow seamless and quick to follow. With the help of the right graphical user interface (GUI), the scientific and technical aspects of coding become easier. Online text editors have several advantages, such as interaction with tools at the command line and writing bash scripts to process files. Furthermore, text editors also help scientists and coders to write a long set of code. In their article for Earth Lab, Leah Wasser and Martha Morrissey share features you should look for in text editors.

Online Text Editor Features You Should Look for

Here is a list of text editor features that make the coding process effortless and user-friendly:

Automatic color-coding
Running code inline
Find and replace option

These tools help you write distinguishable and legible chunks of code where you can find and replace a specific word if required.

How to Choose

A text editor is an integral part of the coding process, which makes it an inherently personal choice for the coder. However, it is better to have a thorough understanding of text editors. It will enhance your knowledge and help you choose an online text editor that will support your needs and empower your work model.

Vim as an Online Text Editor

Vim is generally used as the default text editor for Mac, Linux, and Windows. It supports the command line or terminal interface, depending upon your preference. Here is a list of commands that can help set up the Vim text editor:

To exit Vim, hit the escape key and type ‘:q!’ (colon, lowercase ‘q’, exclamation mark). Hit enter, and you will go back to the terminal.
To enter the insert modes, press the ‘i’ key.
To save your document, press escape > press colon (:) > press w and then type the name of the file > press enter > exit vim using ‘:q!’.
To open a pre-existing file, type ‘vim’ and the name of the file.
To edit a pre-existing file, ensure you are in the insert mode by clicking ‘i’. Once you have edited your file, save it by pressing the escape key > press colon (:) > press w and then type the name of the file > press enter > exit vim using ‘:q!’.