this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2025
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I'm looking for a privacy-focused code editor that can handle HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I am just learning how to code, so I need something that works for beginners as well as respecting my privacy. I have looked around, but I don't know which one is the best option.

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[–] grue@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

WTF is a "privacy-focused code editor?" They're just glorified text editors! They run locally! They don't connect to the Internet at all! How would they be anything other than "privacy-focused" by default? Why is this even a question?!

I fucking hate this timeline.


Anyway, to answer your question: emacs, obviously. Or vim if you're evil, I suppose. Or just whatever the Hell you want, because if your editor even has "terms of service" or a "privacy policy" of any kind something has already gone horribly wrong.

[–] ganymede@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I fucking hate this timeline.

my first thought as well....how did we get to the point that this is a valid topic?

(not a comment about you OP, just the state of the world)

[–] SatyrSack@quokk.au 2 points 1 week ago

This is one of the few types of software where it would probably make more sense to just list the few that are not "privacy-focused".

[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 14 points 1 week ago
[–] CodenameDarlen@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago

You can use VSCodium, it's VSCode without Microsoft telemetry

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 week ago
[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Geany is a great, lightweight FOSS editor that totally respects your privacy, and supports all if the languages you mentioned, plus many more.

[–] starlight@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

I like that Geany is lightweight, so I'll more into it. Thank you!

[–] mas@jlai.lu 12 points 1 week ago
[–] hellfire103@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you're just writing those languages, here are my picks:

For Linux and Unix:

  • Xed (just called "Text Editor" in the menu)
  • Geany
  • Notepadqq
  • Micro (terminal, but very friendly)
  • Nano (also terminal, also friendly)

For Windows:

  • Notepad++
  • VSCodium

For macOS:

  • Micro
  • Nano
  • VSCodium
[–] starlight@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 week ago

Thank you for breaking it down my operating system. I forgot to to mention which OS I'm looking for (Windows and Linux). I'll take a look at the options your provided. Thank you!

[–] monovergent@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most of the popular open-source ones are fine. VSCodium if you want a rich GUI or perhaps Geany if you want a lightweight but beginner-friendly editor. Only things you'll have to watch out for are editors with online features like AI integration, particularly Microsoft VSCode and the new notepad.exe with AI.

[–] starlight@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 week ago

Yes, I want to stay away from the AI integration so I will take a look at VSCodium and Geany. Thank you.

[–] kurotora@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Probably I'm going to be downvoted as f*ck, but if it's for HTML, CSS and JavaScript the most privacy respecting option could be vim or, with a pinch of salt, Notepad++ if you are on Windows. If you are learning grab a good reference book or website (I used w3school like 20 years ago) and break things. On a personal level, I never liked the "training wheels" that some editors force into you. But, could be that this isn't a quite popular opinion 😅

Edit: some fat-finger typos

[–] starlight@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've been using websites like w3school, but I'll also pick up some books as well. Thank you.

[–] Quique@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

You want a privacy code editor but you use w3schools? That is not very good combo.

[–] potatopotato@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

Vim, Emacs, Helix, Neovim

[–] OpFARv30@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

On the privacy front, that would be cat, I think. Well, except on Ubuntu.

Shout out to tee.

[–] yo_scottie_oh@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

How might cat and/or tee fit into one's coding workflow? Is it basically cat for displaying what's been saved and tee for writing changes to a file?

[–] OpFARv30@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 week ago

No, both work for both but tee will yap back at you.

[–] communism@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago

...I can't think of a "privacy-focused code editor" because code editors are generally not known for having telemetry/tracking/anything privacy-invasive in the first place? A "privacy-respecting" code editor is just a normal one. Use whatever you like. Vim is great. Maybe Kate if you want a GUI.

[–] hylaea@reddthat.com 3 points 1 week ago

i like Pulsar

[–] hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 week ago

pluma is good. i used it until switching to vim/emacs https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluma_(text_editor)

[–] liliumstar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago

I would check out Lapce and CudaText. They are both solid editors. If you are comfortable in the terminal, then nvim as well, of course.