GNU Emacs vs Atom : Which is Better?

GNU Emacs icon

GNU Emacs

GNU Emacs is the most popular and most ported Emacs text editor. Developed by The Free Software Foundation

License: Open Source

Categories: Development

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux BSD

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Atom icon

Atom

Atom is a free open-source code editor from Github. Developed by Github

License: Open Source

Categories: Development

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux BSD Electron / Atom Shell

GNU Emacs VS Atom

Atom is a user-friendly, extensible text editor suitable for beginners and collaborative projects, while GNU Emacs offers powerful customization and extensibility at the cost of a steeper learning curve. Emacs is better suited for advanced users and complex coding tasks, whereas Atom shines in ease of use and community-driven enhancements.

GNU Emacs

Pros:

  • Highly customizable and extensible
  • Powerful keyboard shortcuts
  • Robust support for Lisp programming
  • Excellent documentation and community resources
  • Great for large projects and complex coding tasks

Cons:

  • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • Interface may feel dated to some
  • Configuration can be complex and time-consuming
  • Can be overwhelming due to vast functionality
  • Performance can degrade with excessive customizations

Atom

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Easy to install and set up
  • Strong package management with Atom Packages
  • Great for collaborative coding
  • Good performance for smaller projects

Cons:

  • Performance can lag with large files
  • Limited built-in features compared to Emacs
  • Less efficient for heavy customization
  • Dependency on third-party packages for advanced features
  • Not ideal for users looking for a minimalist approach

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