View source for JEdit

{{Short description|Cross platform text editor}}
{{About|the Java text editor jEdit|the Japanese text editor|Jedit X}}
{{Lowercase title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox Software
| name                   = jEdit
| logo                   = JEdit Logo.png
| screenshot             = JEdit 4.3 Fedora.png
| caption                = jEdit 4.3 showing Java macro.
| author                 = Slava Pestov
| developer              = jEdit project
| released               = {{Start date and age|1998}}
| latest release version = 5.7.0
| latest release date    = 3 August 2024 <ref name="latest release" />
| operating system       = [[Java platform|Java]]-supporting<ref name="compatibility" />
| programming language   = [[Java (programming language)|Java]] 
| language               = [[English language|English]]
| genre                  = [[Text editor]]
| license                = [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]]
| website                = {{URL|jedit.org}}
}}

'''jEdit''' is a [[free software]] [[text editor]] available under [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]]. It is written in [[Java (programming language)|Java]] and runs on any operating system with Java support, including [[BSD]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]] and [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].

==History==
The development of jEdit was started by [[Slava Pestov]] in 1998, who left the project in 2006, handing development to the [[free software community]].<ref name="slava" />

==Features==
jEdit includes [[syntax highlighting]] that provides native support for over 200 [[file format]]s. Support for additional formats can be added manually using XML files. It supports [[UTF-8]] and many other encodings.

It has extensive [[code folding]] and [[text folding]] capabilities as well as text wrapping that takes indents into account.

The application is highly customizable and can be extended with [[Macro (computer science)|macros]] written in [[BeanShell]], [[Jython]], ECMAScript and some other [[scripting language]]s.

===Plug-ins===
There are over 150 available jEdit [[plug-in (computing)|plug-in]]s for many different application areas.

Plug-ins are used to customize the application for individual use and can make it into an advanced XML/HTML editor, or an [[integrated development environment]] (IDE), with [[compiler]], code completion, context-sensitive help, debugging, visual differentiation and language-specific tools.

The plug-ins are downloaded via an integrated plug-in manager which finds and installs them along with any dependencies. The plugin manager will track new versions and can download associated updates automatically.<ref name="jedit.org" />

Some available plug-ins include:
* Spell checker using [[Aspell]]
* Syntax and style checkers for various languages<ref name="jedit plugin" />
* Text auto-complete
* Accents plugin that converts character abbreviations for accented characters as they are typed.
* XML plugin that is used for editing XML, HTML, ECMAScript and CSS files. In the case of XML, the plug-in does validation. For XML, HTML and CSS, it uses auto-completion popups for elements, attributes and entities.<ref name="jedit plugins" />

==Reception==
In general, jEdit has received positive reviews from developers.

Rob Griffiths wrote in April 2002 for ''MAC OS X HINTS'' saying he was "very impressed" and naming it "pick of the week". He cited its file memory upon reopening, its ability to notice if an open file was changed on disk by another program, syntax coloring, including that users can create their own color schemes, split windows feature, show line number feature, convertible tabs to soft-tabs and view sidebars. He also praised its customization possibilities using the extensive preferences panel and the "on the fly" search engine, which searches while typing. Griffiths noted that the application has a few drawbacks, such as that it is "a bit slow at scrolling a line at a time" and that because it is a Java application it doesn't have the full [[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]] interface.<ref name="Griffiths" />

Also reviewing the application in April 2002, Daniel Steinberg writing for O'Reilly Media said: {{quote|The strength of jEdit for Java developers comes from the plug-ins contributed by the community...For the most part, there's nothing here that couldn't be done with [[BBEdit]] or even with [[Emacs]] or [[Vi (text editor)|vi]]. jEdit packages the capabilities much more nicely and makes it easy to call often-used functionality using the plug-ins. Where I saw [[NetBeans]] as overkill, others may see jEdit as underkill for an [[integrated development environment|IDE]] or overkill for a text editor. I find it Mac friendly and easy to use. I don't expect too much from it, so I tend to be pleased with what I get.<ref name="steinberg" />}}

Scott Beatty reviewing jEdit on ''[[SitePoint]]'' in 2005 particularly noted the application's folding feature along with its search and replace and [[PHP]] syntax highlighting capabilities. He recommended the use of the PHPParser plug-in. PHPParser is a sidebar that checks for PHP syntax errors whenever a PHP code file is loaded or saved. He noted that downloading jEdit is simple, but that getting and installing the plug-ins to customize it for individual use can be a complex process: "Beware that a full setup requires a series of downloads, and that this process can take time."<ref name="jedit php" />

Writing in December 2011, reviewer Rares Aioanei praised jEdit's versatility, stating "jEdit's design allows you to use it as a simple editor, but also use it as an IDE and expand its functionality via plugins so that it becomes exactly what you want it to be for the task or language at hand." but also adding that "jEdit is not, however, an IDE with everything but the Christmas tree, like [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]] or [[Microsoft Visual Studio]]. Rather, it's a compact application for editing code, providing practical tools along with basic IDE features."<ref name="renamed_from_188063_on_20211013153204"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[List of text editors]]
* [[Comparison of text editors]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="slava">{{cite web |url = http://factorcode.org/slava/ |title=Slava Pestov |author = Slava Pestov |access-date=2012-09-23}}</ref>

<ref name="jedit php">{{cite web |url = http://www.sitepoint.com/article/use-jedit-php |title = Use jEdit to Edit Your PHP |date = February 8, 2005 |author = Scott Beatty |access-date = 2007-10-01 |publisher=[[SitePoint]]}}</ref>

<ref name="steinberg">{{cite web|url = http://oreilly.com/pub/a/mac/2002/04/16/osx_java.html?page=2|title = The IDEs of Mace|access-date = 7 January 2011|last = Steinberg|first = Daniel|date=April 2002}}</ref>

<ref name="Griffiths">{{cite web |url = http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20020429002812925 |title = Review: jEdit programming text editor |date = April 29, 2002 |author = Rob Griffiths |access-date = 2007-10-01}}</ref>

<ref name="jedit plugins">{{cite web |url = http://plugins.jedit.org/list.php?category=1 |title = jEdit Plug-ins |date = October 1, 2007 |author = jEdit |access-date = 2007-10-01}}</ref>

<ref name="jedit plugin">{{cite web|url=http://plugins.jedit.org/list.php|title=All Plugins|quote=The AStyle Beautifier Plugin formats and beautifies Java, C and C++ source code....The Beauty plugin is a general framework for code beautifiers and provides several built-in beautifiers....CheckStylePlugin is a wrapper around the CheckStyle program that allows you to check your code for adherence of deviation from a Coding Standard. Any errors are displayed in the ErrorList plugin....CodeLint is a Lint Plugin for JEdit that can identify syntax & semantic errors in your Java & C/C++ source code & Class files.}}</ref>

<ref name="jedit.org">{{cite web |url = http://www.jedit.org/index.php?page=features |title = jEdit Features |date = October 1, 2007 |author = jEdit |access-date = 2007-10-01}}</ref>

<ref name="compatibility">{{cite web
 | url        = http://www.jedit.org/index.php?page=compatibility
 | title      = Operating Systems and Java Versions
 | date       = October 4, 2007
 | author     = jEdit
 | access-date = 2007-10-04}}</ref>

<ref name="latest release">{{cite web
 | url        = http://jedit.org/index.php?page=devel
 | title      = jEdit - Programmer's Text Editor - Developers' Page
 | date       = 2020-09-03
 | author     = jEdit
 | access-date = 2020-09-23}}</ref>

<ref name="renamed_from_188063_on_20211013153204">{{cite web|url=http://www.openlogic.com/wazi/bid/188063/jEdit-The-Force-is-Strong-with-This-Programmer-s-Editor|title=jEdit: The Force is Strong with This Programmer's Editor|access-date=2012-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016184028/http://www.openlogic.com/wazi/bid/188063/jEdit-The-Force-is-Strong-with-This-Programmer-s-Editor|archive-date=2013-10-16|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}

{{FLOSS}}

[[Category:Free text editors]]
[[Category:Windows text editors]]
[[Category:Java platform software]]
[[Category:MacOS text editors]]
[[Category:1998 software]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in Java (programming language)]]
[[Category:Free HTML editors]]
[[Category:Linux text editors]]
[[Category:Software using the GNU General Public License]]