This article provides basic comparisons for notable text editors. More feature details for text editors are available from the Category of text editor features and from the individual products' articles. This article may not be up-to-date or necessarily all-inclusive. Feature comparisons are made between stable versions of software, not the upcoming versions or beta releases – and are exclusive of any add-ons, extensions or external programs (unless specified in footnotes). Overview Operating system support This section lists the operating systems that different editors can run on. Some editors run on additional operating systems that are not listed. Cross-platform Natural language (localization) Document interface Notes Multiple instances: multiple instances of the program can be opened simultaneously for editing multiple files. Applies both for single document interface (SDI) and multiple document interface (MDI) programs. Also applies for program that has a user interface that looks like multiple instances of the same program (such as some versions of Microsoft Word). Single document window splitting: window can be split to simultaneously view different areas of a file. MDI: Overlappable windows: each opened document gets its own fully movable window inside the editor environment. MDI: Tabbed document interface: multiple documents can be viewed as tabs in a single window. MDI: Window splitting: splitting application window to show multiple documents (non-overlapping windows). Basic features Programming features Notes Syntax highlighting: Displays text in different colors and fonts according to the category of terms. Function list: Lists all functions from current file in a window or sidebar and allows user to jump directly to the definition of that function for example by double-clicking on the function name in the list. More or less realtime (does not require creating a symbol database, see below). Symbol database: Database of functions, variable and type definitions, macro definitions etc. in all the files belonging to the software being developed. The database can be created by the editor itself or by an external program such as ctags. The database can be used to instantly locate the definition even if it is in another file. Bracket matching: Find matching parenthesis or bracket, taking into account nesting. Auto indentation: May refer to just simple indenting to the same level as the line above, or intelligent indenting that is language specific, e.g., ensuring a given indent style. Compiler integration: Allows running compilers/linkers/debuggers from within editor, capturing the compiler output and stepping through errors, automatically moving cursor