Sublime Text Buyer Guide
What do users really think about Sublime Text? This buyer guide was created utilizing real, vetted user reviews and will help you get to the nitty-gritty details about where Sublime Text performs well, and where it may have room for improvement.
Highlight the Right Reviews
Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.
Table of Contents
Development and Coding
Code Editing and Development
User consensus seems to be that Sublime Text’s code editing and development capabilities are highly regarded and praised by reviewers across various organizations and departments. Users appreciate the lightweight nature of the application, its flexibility in handling multiple programming languages, and the ease of customization through plugins. The ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and the efficient code editing features such as syntax highlighting and code completion are highlighted as key strengths of Sublime Text. Additionally, the software’s speed and reliability in handling large datasets contribute to an overall positive coding experience for users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Sublime Text is one of the largest Text Editors with IDE and is one of the underrated Text Editors as a developer I have used so many editors but so far Sublime is one of the best and we can write code in any language and support all languages very well.” – Employee in Engineering, Computer Software, 51-200 employees
“Sublime Text is my go-to for any extensive coding or for when I need to write new code. The CMS I’m using has only small boxes for inputting code and often results in a lot of scrolling with little option to extend the size of the box. Sublime Text helps me to open up the code and see it clearly and as more of a complete whole.” – Administrator in Marketing, Marketing & Advertising, 1001-5000 employees
“Sublime Text is used by me and other developers at my organization on iOS, Windows and Linux. It really helps us to open a file with its syntax highlighted and makes it so much more easier to edit text and save changes.” – Employee in Information Technology, Information Technology and Services, 1-10 employees
Programming Languages Support
Users across various departments and organizations consistently highlight Sublime Text’s exceptional support for a wide range of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, Python, JavaScript, and PHP. The software’s ability to handle multiple languages efficiently and effectively has garnered positive feedback from users who rely on it for their coding needs. Sublime Text’s robust language support capabilities have proven to be a valuable asset for developers working on diverse projects, contributing to a smoother and more productive coding experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Sublime text is my main code editor. It’s light, fast and reliable. As well, its plugin market has a lot of modules that may improve its usage without [Source] too much performance.” – Team Lead in Other, Internet, 1-10 employees
“Sublime Text is one of the largest Text Editors with IDE and is one of the underrated Text Editors as a developer I have used so many editors but so far Sublime is one of the best and we can write code in any language and support all languages very well.” – Employee in Engineering, Computer Software, 51-200 employees
“CONS: Auto-recognize code type – it would be nice to have it recognize what type of code without manually selecting it every time or even just a default setting for your most commonly used code type.” – Administrator in Marketing, Marketing & Advertising, 1001-5000 employees
Text Editing and Manipulation
Users unanimously praise Sublime Text’s robust text editing and manipulation capabilities. The software’s ability to handle various programming languages with ease and accuracy has garnered high acclaim from developers and coders alike. Reviewers appreciate the efficiency and speed at which Sublime Text allows them to edit and manipulate text, making it a preferred choice for those seeking a reliable and versatile text editing tool. The intuitive interface and powerful features for text manipulation have solidified Sublime Text’s reputation as a top-tier text editor in the industry. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Using colorful coding makes it simple to review or write code and accurate code completion. In Sublime Text, there are a lot of shortcuts. It’s easy to manipulate text, and we can text package controls to save a lot of time.” – Project Manager in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
“Because of this, it is easy to use and has several different uses. At the bottom of the editor, it also shows the language being used which is nice if you have several files written in different languages.” – Administrator in Information Technology, Education Management, 51-200 employees
“Less and complicated plugins.; Formatting a large document file can be confusing.; Often prompts to purchase a new version.; No auto-saving a document.; Cannot highlight a particular portion of text.” – Employee in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
Tools and Enhancements
Plugins and Extensions
User feedback on Sublime Text’s plugins and extensions is generally positive, with many users appreciating the wide variety of plugins available to enhance the functionality of the text editor. The ability to customize the editor according to individual needs through the use of plugins is highlighted as a significant advantage by reviewers. While some users mention a few limitations such as the need for additional plugins to fully utilize Sublime Text as an integrated development environment, the overall sentiment leans towards the effectiveness and versatility of the plugins and extensions offered by the software. Additionally, the support for third-party plugins is seen as a valuable feature that allows users to further extend the capabilities of Sublime Text to suit their specific requirements. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“It has tons of plugins that will help you to customize sublime entirely according to your needs and thereby is not bloated; Package control is really easy to work with and most plugins can be installed in 2 just clicks.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees
“Less plugins; Always shows a pop-up requesting to purchase a version; Keeps changing frequently.” – Employee in Information Technology, Information Technology and Services, 1-10 employees
“Wide variety of plugins; It has LINT for several languages by default.; It can detect the type and programming language of the file and show code highlights based on this, which is good.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology and Services, 1001-5000 employees
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Features
Users appreciate Sublime Text’s integrated development environment (IDE) features for their versatility and ease of use. The consensus among reviewers is that these features contribute positively to the overall user experience, allowing for efficient coding and project management. While some users suggest minor improvements, the general sentiment leans towards the effectiveness and practicality of Sublime Text’s IDE capabilities. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“CONS: It is [Source] perfect IDE in it’s own way. It should contains more extensions and plugins to make it easier for building projects.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Computer Software, 11-50 employees
“Sublime Text is well suited for multi-language projects that require rapid prototyping. For example, creation of a react application with a python backend can be stubbed out rather quickly. It is less suited for projects that are dedicated to a particular stack such as a C# enterprise-level application, of which Visual Studio would be more appropriate.” – Engineer in Quality Assurance, Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees
“Sublime Text is an outstanding, lightweight text editor. While a portion of our organization uses a more complex IDE, we all enjoy using Sublime for its speed, efficient design, and simplicity.” – Director in Product Management, Design, 1-10 employees
Customization and Configuration
Users consistently highlight Sublime Text’s customization and configuration capabilities as standout features of the platform. The ability to tailor the IDE to individual preferences through themes, user settings, and plugins is widely appreciated. While some users find the configuration process slightly challenging, the overall consensus is that Sublime Text offers a high level of control and flexibility in customizing the coding environment to suit diverse needs. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
“Sublime allows extensive user-customization and functional extension via configuration settings and Package Control.” – Manager in Information Technology, Education Management, 1001-5000 employees
“Customization for bespoke needs has been a huge benefit.” – Director in Research & Development, Legal Services, 11-50 employees
“Sublime Text could be a little more intuitive, sometimes it is difficult to find the setting you are looking for.” – Professional in Information Technology, Consumer Goods, 10,001+ employees
“There are many themes available to chose from which makes it an ideal code editor.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Computer Software, 11-50 employees
Syntax and Debugging
Syntax Highlighting and Color Coding
Users across various reviews consistently praise Sublime Text’s syntax highlighting and color coding capabilities. They appreciate how the tool effectively differentiates between various programming languages, making it easier to identify and understand code elements. The color-coded syntax not only enhances code readability but also aids in error detection and debugging. Users find the feature intuitive and valuable for improving their coding experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Syntax highlighting helps developers quickly view and understand the code.” – Employee in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
“Sublime Text does an incredible job with appropriate color coding and syntax definitions; makes code extremely readable.” – Director in Research & Development, Legal Services, 11-50 employees
“Not sure if I just am not using it right but JavaScript syntax error highlighting isn’t obvious.” – Engineer in Research & Development, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees
Debugging and Error Analysis
Opinions on Sublime Text’s debugging capabilities vary among users. While some reviewers praise its multicolor coding feature for making debugging more straightforward, others express concerns about the lack of direct support for debugging Python code. The availability of accurate syntax suggestions and text highlights for debugging is appreciated by many, but the absence of prominent text comparison between files and PEP-8 coding standard suggestions for Python is noted as areas for improvement. In essence, the sentiment towards Sublime Text’s debugging and error analysis abilities appears to be a mix of positive and constructive feedback, highlighting both strengths and areas that could be enhanced for a more robust debugging experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
“Text highlights are great for debugging.” – Employee in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
“Multiple-color coding is both lightweight and fast, making debugging much more straightforward.” – Project Manager in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
“Debugging Python code is not directly supported.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees
Efficiency and Management
Keyboard Shortcuts and Efficiency Tools
Reviewers consistently highlight Sublime Text’s keyboard shortcuts as a standout feature, enabling users to navigate and manipulate text swiftly and efficiently. The efficiency tools, such as autocomplete and multi-selection options, are lauded for streamlining coding tasks and enhancing productivity. Users appreciate the intuitive design and customization options that contribute to a smooth and tailored coding experience. While some users mention a learning curve in discovering the full potential of these tools, overall sentiment leans towards positive experiences with Sublime Text’s keyboard shortcuts and efficiency tools. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“In Sublime Text, there are a lot of shortcuts. It’s easy to manipulate text, and we can text package controls to save a lot of time.” – Project Manager in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees
“Great keyboard shortcuts and multi-selection options; Great package manager installation process for easily extending functionality.” – Director in Product Management, Design, 1-10 employees
“All developers know how valuable keyboard shortcuts are, and Sublime Text’s keyboard navigation and shortcuts system is amazing.” – Professional in Other, Online Media, 1-10 employees
“Sublime Text is powerful where you need it to be, but simple and out of your way at the same time.” – Director in Product Management, Design, 1-10 employees
File and Project Management
User feedback on Sublime Text’s file and project management capabilities varies across reviews. While some users praise its ability to handle large files efficiently and its intuitive file organization features, others express concerns about certain limitations, such as difficulties in automatically identifying specific coding languages like Cisco-IOS. The general consensus leans towards Sublime Text being a reliable tool for managing files and projects, with its lightweight nature and customizable options being highlighted as key strengths. However, there are occasional mentions of areas where improvements could enhance the overall file and project management experience for users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Lightweight and easy to use.; Configurable per user so nobody’s stuck in a one-size-fits-all that doesn’t actually fit.; Handles large files well.” – Professional in Information Technology, Insurance, 10,001+ employees
“In addition to the ability to manually compare the text file, Sublime has the feature of automatically comparing the files but it’s hard to use and needs to be improved because it’s a useful feature.; Although Sublime Text has the features of identifying the many vendor’s coding, many other vendors’ coding cannot be identified like Cisco-IOS coding, which would be very useful for writing codes for Cisco devices.; Adding the ability to mark or highlight the text with different colors would be nice.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Oil & Energy, 1001-5000 employees
“The biggest advantage over many other editors is the ability to open large files. Some editors just can’t open a CSV with millions of lines but Sublime Text does it like a champ.; Multiple selections let you change or create many instances of the same variable or value with ease.; The Goto Anything simplifies navigation and lets you control, open, or move within files without ever having to take your hands off the keyboard.; Likewise, the command palette allows you to access any of the application’s functionality right from the keyboard.; It is highly customizable with a rich ecosystem of third party plugins and the ability to create your own.” – Employee in Information Technology, Marketing and Advertising, 11-50 employees
Version Control Integration
Users appreciate Sublime Text’s version control integration capabilities, noting that it offers extensive control over IDE settings and supports multi-line and block editing in an intuitive manner. The ability to customize and extend functionality through configuration settings and Package Control is highly valued by reviewers. While some users mention a preference for a more integrated version control tool within the main app, overall, Sublime Text’s version control integration is seen as a strong asset by the majority of users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)
“Sublime Text has created a separate product called Sublime Merge that acts as a version control GUI. Personally I don’t use this, but I would want to if it was built-into Sublime Text as a single app.” – Director in Product Management, Design, 1-10 employees
“Sublime supports multi-line and block editing in an intuitive, easy to learn manner.” – Manager in Information Technology, Education Management, 1001-5000 employees
“The Goto Anything simplifies navigation and lets you control, open, or move within files without ever having to take your hands off the keyboard.” – Employee in Information Technology, Marketing and Advertising, 11-50 employees
Licensing and User Experience
Licensing and Cost Options
Opinions on Sublime Text’s cost and licensing features vary among users. While some appreciate the free version’s extensive features and cost-effective licensing options, others find the constant reminders to purchase a license annoying. Users highlight the ease of use and customization options provided by Sublime Text, making it a popular choice for coding tasks. However, concerns are raised about the process of transferring licenses to new devices and certain glitches in features like Git integration. Despite these drawbacks, many users find the licensing costs reasonable and the overall user experience satisfactory. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“It is free software but they have an annoying pop up to get you to buy it.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 1-10 employees
“The free version keeps bugging to buy and gets irritating (on the contrary buying it is worth it in my opinion); Git integration is clumsy and sometimes glitchy and has room for improvement.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees
“Free version is constantly ‘begging’ you to buy a license.” – Analyst in Finance and Accounting, Banking, 1001-5000 employees
“Given the tiny cost and huge impact on productivity, the Sublime Text license was a no-brainer; Great for helping new staff and interns learn coding basics using the color schema; Customization for bespoke needs has been a huge benefit.” – Director in Research & Development, Legal Services, 11-50 employees
“It has a cheap license cost.; It’s simple to use, meaning more productivity.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Information Technology and Services, 1001-5000 employees
User Interface and Experience
User feedback on Sublime Text’s user interface and experience features is varied across the reviews. While some users appreciate its simplicity and clean design, others feel that the interface could be improved for better usability. The ability to customize the color schemes and syntax highlighting is praised, but there are suggestions for enhancing the overall interactive user experience. Despite differing opinions, many users find Sublime Text’s interface intuitive and easy to navigate, contributing to a positive overall user experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Cannot close all tabs in single shot; User interface can be improved; The user’s profile is missing.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospitality, 51-200 employees
“It is very light and boots up instantaneously.; It has tons of plugins that will help you to customize sublime entirely according to your needs and thereby is not bloated; Package control is really easy to work with and most plugins can be installed in 2 just clicks.; Free version has nearly all the features of the paid version.; Its User Interface is simple and makes it easy to located many features.; It gives you a ton of control over your ide setting through User-settings where you can customize almost everything.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees
“Sublime Text is one of the most popular text editors and the interface is clear and legible. Out of the different text editors on the market, this one is probably amongst the best and the plugins allow for a suitable amount of customization so that different use cases can be addressed.” – Project Manager in Professional Services, Architecture & Planning, 10,001+ employees
