Text Editor In Java, Project and Source Code Included

Text editors are an effective way of creating and formatting plain text files. The main focus of text editors is on simple plain data. They are frequently used for writing source code and documentation. 

There are a plethora of text editors available for different programming languages that let you write your source code. For instance, you will find a number of Java text editors on the web for writing source code in Java. Still, many developers prefer building text editors on their own. 

Creating a text edition from the ground up is not a straightforward task. But, it is not as challenging as creating complex software solutions. When you develop your own text editor, you will find it fun and get a clear idea of many programming concepts. 

In this blog post, you will explore what a text editor in Java is, why it is used, popular text editors for Java, and some text editor projects in Java with their source code. Let’s begin!

What is a Text Editor in Java?

A text editor for Java is a software program that enables users to access, update, and in most cases, print text, which is the combination of characters and numbers that provide some meaning to users and other programs.

It is a general definition. More specifically, a Java text editor or Java code editor is a software program that lets you create and edit files containing the source code written in Java. In the most simple terms, a text editor for Java is a place where you can write Java source code all in one place. 

Creating Text Editor In Java

For creating a text editor in Java, users need to make use of JTextArea, a JMenuBar with JMenu added to it, and JMenuItems to create a simple text editor in Java Swing. ActionListener will be introduced to all menu options to detect any activity. The list of modules in a text editor is provided below.

• File menu

In the file menu, add the following options: 

• Open: To open a specific file.
• Save: To save any new or currently opened file. 
• Print: To print the file that is currently open. 
• New: To create a new file for writing source code. 
• Edit menu

To edit text, add the following options in the edit menu:

• Cut: To the selected area of text and copy it to the keyboard. 
• Copy: To copy the selected area of text. 
• Paste: To paste the copied or cut text to the text area. 
• Close

The Close button closes the screen.

What text editor or program do I use to run Java?

The most important point to note here is that a text editor is not capable of running Java programs. It only lets you write code in Java. After you write Java code in a text editor, save it with a specific name. Now, to run the file containing the Java code, you need to use the terminal of your system. 

To compile a Java file, use the following command

javac filename.java

If there are any errors in the source code, the terminal will display it to you. After compilation, you need to run the Java file using the following command to see the desired output. 

java filename

To understand it better, we shall create a simple Java program for printing ‘Text Editor in Java’. 

1. Use any text editor, such as Notepad++. Click on the File menu and hit the ‘New’ option. Later, write the following Java program.

publicclassTextEditor
{
publicstaticfinalmain(final String[] args)
{
System.out.println("Text Editor in Java");
System.exit(0);
}
} 

1. Save the file with the name ‘TextEditor’ and the extension as .java. Make sure to keep the name of the file the same as the class name used in a Java program. 
2. Now, go to Command Prompt or Terminal. 
3. To compile the file, enter: 

javac TextEditor.java

1. Now enter the following command to run the Java file: 

java TextEditor

1. Finally, you will get the following output: 

Text Editor in Java

Why Should You Use a Text Editor for Java Programming? 

A text editor offers commendable features that facilitate the creation of source code. Some of the features that fascinate developers in using a text editor for Java programming are as follows: 

• Editing
• File Splitting
• Syntax highlighting
• Project switch
• Multiple selections
• Code formatting
• Supports multiple platforms 

Popular Text Editors – Java

1. Notepad++

Notepad++ is one of the most popular and oldest innovative text editors. It comes in a small package with no fees and powerful editing features. It is a text editor that runs on Microsoft Windows and seeks to use less computational power than the average text editor. One feature that distinguishes Notepad++ is that it has been transcribed into over 80 languages, giving access to people all over the world.

Features

• Notepad++ is available to everyone for free.
• A multi-view editor with syntax highlighting and folding is provided.
• The personalization tools are simple to use but powerful enough for even the most advanced programmers.
• It has a multi-document interface that allows you to switch between tabs and manage multiple projects at the same time.

2. Atom

Atom provides you with access to an open source text editor designed for developers. There is also a developer community that contributes themes and plugins for Atom from time to time, just like WordPress or other open-source tools.

It already includes a GitHub package with the text editor. Your team will be able to develop everything from branches to stages in a single interface this way.

Features

• Atom includes a GitHub package for integrating and performing tasks such as pull requests and merging conflicts.
• Keep a check on new packages and themes right from the text editor.
• With the help of smart autocompletion, a file system browser, and a find and replace feature, editing and writing code get fairly simple.
• Atom provides multiple panes for comparing and editing code in parallel.

3. Sublime Text

Sublime Text is best known for being extremely lightweight (low resource usage) while still retaining some of the more advanced features you’d expect from a top text editor.

The main advantage is that Sublime Text provides shortcuts and search tools for quickly finding specific functions and implementing adjustments to multiple lines at once. It only takes a few seconds to navigate to specific symbols or words.

• Sublime Text allows you to try it out before making a purchase to their premium plan.
• The text editor is cross-platform and runs on multiple platforms, including Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Sublime Text also allows you to customize almost everything. This is particularly true when discussing shortcuts and menus.
• There are some fantastic community themes available as well.

4. Visual Studio Code

Being one of the youngest players in the game (launched in 2015), Visual Studio Code makes a concerted effort to build a stable community and ensure that users get the features they require. It’s also a free open-source project that you can install on macOS, Windows, or Linux.

Visual Studio Code is frequently regarded as being faster than older editors present in the market. You can also eliminate all clutter by selecting Zen Mode, which eliminates all menus and items that do not involve your editor.

Features

• Visual Studio Code is a free and robust text editor with open source availability and a massive collection of plugins.
• It has built-in Git commands.
• You have the option of directly debugging your code in the editor. As a result, there is no need for print statement debugging.
• This is a cross-platform text editor that works on Linux, Mac, and Windows.

5. Komodo Edit

The idea behind Komodo Edit is to provide something powerful while also keeping it simple enough for beginners to understand. Komodo Edit is available for both Mac and Windows operating systems. It’s free and open source, giving those who don’t require all of the advanced features a text editor for smaller projects.

Features

• Komodo Edit is among the finest text editor options because it has two versions, one for light users and another for advanced users.
• Both of the versions, named Komodo Edit and Komodo IDE, are free to download.
• The Komodo editor’s live previewing ensures that you can render HTML visuals while modifying your code.
• The Komodo Edit version allows you to keep track of modifications and make multiple choices.

Text Editor Projects in Java with Source Code

Let us now have a look at some text editor projects in Java. 

1. PHNotepad 

It is a simple text or code editor developed in Java. It is packed with various features, including a find and replace text tool, a search tool, drag and drop files, and auto-completion for Java and C++ keywords. 

Source code

2. JavaFX

It is a simple Java programming editor with a basic set of functionality, as follows: 

• Project saving
• Text and paragraph formatting
• Search for symbols in code
• Adjust font, size, color, and alignment of code
• Create bulleted list

Source code

3. JSimple

JSimple is yet another simple text editor in Java with all the basic functions required to write Java code and other text. 

Source code

4. Just Edit

It is a multi-language text editor developed in Java. However, it supports syntax highlighting only for Java code. 

Source code

You can refer to the source code of the aforementioned Java code editors and build your own text editor with amazing features. 

Conclusion

Here ends our discussion on a text editor in Java. We have covered all the key points about text editors in Java, and their importance, along with mentioning the best Java text editors available in the market. Also, we have discussed how to run Java programs developed in text editors and some popular text editor projects with their source code. 

Vijay Singh Khatri

Graduate in Computer Science, specialized in Digital Marketing. I am very fond of writing tech articles and creating my own blog to teach my audience.

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