Privacy-focused code editors for beginners
from starlight@lemmy.ca to privacy@lemmy.ml on 03 Oct 23:00
https://lemmy.ca/post/52752744

I’m looking for a privacy-focused code editor that can handle HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I am just learning how to code, so I need something that works for beginners as well as respecting my privacy. I have looked around, but I don’t know which one is the best option.

#privacy

threaded - newest

mas@jlai.lu on 03 Oct 23:10 next collapse

VSCodium

kurotora@lemmy.world on 03 Oct 23:45 next collapse

Probably I’m going to be downvoted as f*ck, but if it’s for HTML, CSS and JavaScript the most privacy respecting option could be vim or, with a pinch of salt, Notepad++ if you are on Windows. If you are learning grab a good reference book or website (I used w3school like 20 years ago) and break things. On a personal level, I never liked the “training wheels” that some editors force into you. But, could be that this isn’t a quite popular opinion 😅

Edit: some fat-finger typos

starlight@lemmy.ca on 04 Oct 04:23 collapse

I’ve been using websites like w3school, but I’ll also pick up some books as well. Thank you.

Quique@lemmy.world on 04 Oct 07:23 collapse

You want a privacy code editor but you use w3schools? That is not very good combo.

grue@lemmy.world on 03 Oct 23:53 next collapse

WTF is a “privacy-focused code editor?” They’re just glorified text editors! They run locally! They don’t connect to the Internet at all! How would they be anything other than “privacy-focused” by default? Why is this even a question?!

I fucking hate this timeline.

Anyway, to answer your question: emacs, obviously. Or vim if you’re evil, I suppose. Or just whatever the Hell you want, because if your editor even has “terms of service” or a “privacy policy” of any kind something has already gone horribly wrong.

ganymede@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 04:34 next collapse

I fucking hate this timeline.

my first thought as well…how did we get to the point that this is a valid topic?

(not a comment about you OP, just the state of the world)

SatyrSack@quokk.au on 04 Oct 13:12 collapse

This is one of the few types of software where it would probably make more sense to just list the few that are not “privacy-focused”.

monovergent@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 00:14 next collapse

Most of the popular open-source ones are fine. VSCodium if you want a rich GUI or perhaps Geany if you want a lightweight but beginner-friendly editor. Only things you’ll have to watch out for are editors with online features like AI integration, particularly Microsoft VSCode and the new notepad.exe with AI.

starlight@lemmy.ca on 04 Oct 04:14 collapse

Yes, I want to stay away from the AI integration so I will take a look at VSCodium and Geany. Thank you.

DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone on 04 Oct 01:07 next collapse

vim

potatopotato@sh.itjust.works on 04 Oct 01:28 next collapse

Vim, Emacs, Helix, Neovim

communism@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 01:39 next collapse

…I can’t think of a “privacy-focused code editor” because code editors are generally not known for having telemetry/tracking/anything privacy-invasive in the first place? A “privacy-respecting” code editor is just a normal one. Use whatever you like. Vim is great. Maybe Kate if you want a GUI.

ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net on 04 Oct 02:35 next collapse

Geany is a great, lightweight FOSS editor that totally respects your privacy, and supports all if the languages you mentioned, plus many more.

starlight@lemmy.ca on 04 Oct 04:06 collapse

I like that Geany is lightweight, so I’ll more into it. Thank you!

hellfire103@lemmy.ca on 04 Oct 02:45 next collapse

If you’re just writing those languages, here are my picks:

For Linux and Unix:

  • Xed (just called “Text Editor” in the menu)
  • Geany
  • Notepadqq
  • Micro (terminal, but very friendly)
  • Nano (also terminal, also friendly)

For Windows:

  • Notepad++
  • VSCodium

For macOS:

  • Micro
  • Nano
  • VSCodium
starlight@lemmy.ca on 04 Oct 04:10 collapse

Thank you for breaking it down my operating system. I forgot to to mention which OS I’m looking for (Windows and Linux). I’ll take a look at the options your provided. Thank you!

OpFARv30@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 03:31 next collapse

On the privacy front, that would be cat, I think. Well, except on Ubuntu.

Shout out to tee.

yo_scottie_oh@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 13:52 collapse

How might cat and/or tee fit into one’s coding workflow? Is it basically cat for displaying what’s been saved and tee for writing changes to a file?

OpFARv30@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 14:39 collapse

No, both work for both but tee will yap back at you.

krolden@lemmy.ml on 04 Oct 04:53 next collapse

vim

liliumstar@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 04 Oct 08:38 next collapse

I would check out Lapce and CudaText. They are both solid editors. If you are comfortable in the terminal, then nvim as well, of course.

hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org on 04 Oct 09:14 next collapse

pluma is good. i used it until switching to vim/emacs en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluma_(text_editor)

CodenameDarlen@lemmy.world on 04 Oct 09:51 next collapse

You can use VSCodium, it’s VSCode without Microsoft telemetry

hylaea@reddthat.com on 04 Oct 14:31 collapse

i like Pulsar