IDEs vs Text Editors

The cluster debates the productivity, necessity, and preferences for Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) versus lightweight text editors like Emacs or Vim, with discussions on features, language dependencies, and personal workflows.

➡️ Stable 0.6x Programming Languages
7,538
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#3018
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
20
2008
90
2009
113
2010
238
2011
266
2012
455
2013
372
2014
396
2015
397
2016
497
2017
444
2018
328
2019
403
2020
700
2021
694
2022
579
2023
480
2024
461
2025
566
2026
39

Keywords

MS CLI DevPac CI TI PARC GPL AMOS OS LOC ide ides editor text editor turbo visual text features loc java

Sample Comments

johncoltrane Apr 3, 2013 View on HN

Why do so many people seem to miss IDE features when they use something that is so obviously not an IDE?

criddell Dec 28, 2023 View on HN

What’s an example of a type of work where an IDE is more of a hindrance?

kentosi Nov 16, 2012 View on HN

Can someone explain why the discouragement of IDEs is seen as a good idea?

k__ Sep 19, 2014 View on HN

I thought IDEs were a programmer's dream :D

ses1984 Jan 22, 2026 View on HN

The point of an IDE is that it does stuff a simple text editor does not.

johncoltrane Oct 12, 2013 View on HN

Why would you use a text editor if you need IDE features?

mruts Apr 14, 2019 View on HN

Could you give an example of how an IDE could make you much more productive than emacs?

Datenstrom Jun 4, 2022 View on HN

Name one thing an IDE can do that I can't do with my (Turing complete) editor and shell.

Uchikoma Nov 18, 2012 View on HN

Interesting how people without good IDE support rationalize things.

lambdom Mar 10, 2010 View on HN

With those great IDE, you can do everything, but not editing effectivly :p