Using a Text File Editor

Using a text file editor application to create and edit your files is important for a number of reasons. It lets you copy and paste text from other programs or websites without having to worry about auto formatting, it can be used as a personal notepad to keep track of things throughout the day, and it can be shared with others through an easy-to-access link.

It can be useful when you have to work with a large number of complex files, especially if you use HTML, CSS or JavaScript. Most computers come pre-installed with a text file editor that can do the basics, but you'll need more functionality for advanced use.

There are a lot of free text file editors available, including those from the Windows operating system, Mac OS X and Linux. The best ones have features that make them more than just plain text editors; they offer tools like automatic syntax highlighting, word auto-completion, offline text-file conversion, and bookmarking.

The main differences between these text file editors include the interaction language, what options they offer, and whether they support file formats that aren't included with the operating system. For example, if you're writing a document that contains characters from a foreign script, you'll need a text file editor that can handle those characters.

The most popular text file editors are those that can open all major file formats, such as TXT, DOC, HTML, XML, and PDF. They also offer features such as code folding, resizing text, tabbed browsing, and automatic save, backup, and restore.