Sublime Text
A fast, cross-platform proprietary text and code editor with a Python plugin API.
Loved for its native speed, smooth handling of large files and use as a quick scratch pad,12345 along with multiple cursors and an extensible plugin ecosystem.678 The most common complaint is a slow pace of development910 that leaves basic usability issues, such as sidebar ergonomics, unaddressed.1112
Why people recommend it
Speed · 3
Commenters describe it as fast and snappy, and some prefer its native performance over VS Code and Zed.
“This is why I love Sublime Text. It's so fast, it works so well.”
“since then, it has been really hard to beat sublime text. the speed and rendering of sublime is much better.”
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“I used Sublime for a decade and always missed its native performance”
Scratch pad · 3
Persistent unsaved buffers make it a popular place for notes, to-do lists and temporary text.
“To this day I always install Sublime on my new machines, it's the perfect text editor for my needs”
“I love being able to Alt-Tab to Sublime, hit Ctrl+N to get a new "file" which is a temporary/ephemeral workspace for typing text”
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“I now just use three text files open in Sublime Text”
Lightweight · 3
Seen as a lean, focused alternative to Electron-based editors like VS Code.
“Sublime did everything I needed otherwise.”
“Sublime Text is still my go-to”
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“I switched from VSCode back to Sublime Text lol.”
Plugins · 3
A flexible plugin API and package ecosystem let users customize it, even into a lightweight IDE.
“The super flexible plugin API and the huge package ecosystem is a powerful combo.”
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“I use Sublime with the AutoProjects extension”
Multiple cursors · 3
Multiple cursors are credited with making quick work of one-off text edits.
“I could have done that in Sublime in a minute with multiple cursors”
“Sublime Text and its many cursors for the win!”
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“I personally use it with vim shortcuts enabled. it lets me use vim motions on top of everything sublime offers.”
Large files · 2
Handles very large text and log files well.
“Still find it to be a marvel when it comes to large text files, and how well it still handles them”
“I wouldn't open a 100MB logfile in VS Code, but ST or Zed handle that fine.”
Caveats and dissent
Slow development · 3
Some users left because long-standing usability issues went unfixed and releases are infrequent.
“I had left ST when I felt that there wasn't the will or resources to address basic usability things”
“Moved away from ST to VSCode a couple of years ago for similar reasons too.”
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Licensing friction · 3
Upgrade popups and version-specific licenses pushed some users to other editors.
“I used Sublime Text for years, but the occasional upgrade popup eventually pushed me to try building my own editor”
“I used the Sublime Text 3 flatpak for many years”
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“I wouldn't open a 100MB logfile in VS Code, but ST or Zed handle that fine.”
Not an IDE · 2
Some see it as a better notepad, and some still use a full IDE for debugging.
“Pure sublime text is better, but still just a better notepad and no ide.”
“Sublime did everything I needed otherwise.”
Plugin security · 2
Plugins are not sandboxed and Package Control is run by a volunteer, and some plugins show changelog tabs with ads.
“Sublime also has packages.”
“Pure sublime text is better, but still just a better notepad and no ide.”
Non-native feel · 1
Mac users say it lacks the native Mac feel TextMate had.
“I use Sublime mostly these days”
Often compared with
1 moved from Visual Studio Code to Sublime Text
3 moved from Sublime Text to Visual Studio Code
3 moved from Sublime Text to ZedVim13 comments mention both
2 moved from Vim to Sublime Text
2 moved from TextMate to Sublime Text
Who recommends it in their own words
From the makers not counted in the ranking
“We put a fair amount of effort into reducing our resource footprint”
Threads where it came up
- Sublime Text Build 4213 10 mentions
- Good Tools Are Invisible 7 mentions
- I switched from VSCode to Zed 4 mentions
- Ask HN: New clean macOS install. Must-have apps? Best browser? 3 mentions
- Zed is 1.0 2 mentions
- Show HN: How I take notes as a VC, and the app I built for it 1 mention
Data: sublime-text.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 43
“my notes lived in saved (and unsaved) text files in Sublime Text”
“use sublime to open the odd file every so often”
“Sublime did everything I needed otherwise.”
“Otherwise, really excellent editor.”
“I wouldn't open a 100MB logfile in VS Code, but ST or Zed handle that fine.”
“I use Sublime mostly these days”
“The super flexible plugin API and the huge package ecosystem is a powerful combo.”
“To this day I always install Sublime on my new machines, it's the perfect text editor for my needs”
“I feel like Sublime is snappier and gives me better battery life.”
“add it to my NixOS config without having to use `permittedInsecurePackages`”
“The last time I used it was back in my freshman year of college”
“I had left ST when I felt that there wasn't the will or resources to address basic usability things”
“I used the Sublime Text 3 flatpak for many years”
“Still find it to be a marvel when it comes to large text files, and how well it still handles them”
“I do pay for Sublime Text these days.”
“Sublime still feels like the most natural extension of the mind”
“It's still all I use. You know it's good because you can use it to crack itself”
“Pure sublime text is better, but still just a better notepad and no ide.”
“Sublime Text[3] for editing”
“Maybe I should just go back to Sublime Text now lol”
“Sublime Text and its many cursors for the win!”
“Currently, I have been using Sublime Text in Vintage mode for 4-5 years.”
“Sublime just is the tool I want. I install it and I use it.”
“eventually I moved to Sublime and never looked back.”
“I personally use it with vim shortcuts enabled. it lets me use vim motions on top of everything sublime offers.”
“I could have done that in Sublime in a minute with multiple cursors”
“He turned sublime into the tool he wanted.”
“Brave, SublimeText”
“GhostText for editing browser text areas with Sublime Text or other. (life-saver)”
“SublimeText (https://www.sublimetext.com/)”
“Today I have one: sublime-text-4.”
“I use Sublime with the AutoProjects extension”
“give me a simple editor like Sublime and ask me to make a web page”
“Sublime Text and a DeepSeek plugin for file by file cosmetic fixes”
“Sublime also has packages.”
“I was a fan of Sublime Text”
“I used Sublime for a decade and always missed its native performance”
“I love Sublime”
“t for sublime”
“I'll probably see what Nova is like, or what Sublime has been up to.”
“This is why I love Sublime Text. It's so fast, it works so well.”
“since then, it has been really hard to beat sublime text. the speed and rendering of sublime is much better.”
“Moved away from ST to VSCode a couple of years ago for similar reasons too.”