Lite XL is a lightweight text editor designed around a small core and an extensive plugin system. It provides a fast graphical editing environment while making it straightforward to add commands, language support and interface functionality using Lua.
The editor works with projects as well as individual files. Directories can be added to a workspace, files can be located through fuzzy matching, and commands are available through a searchable palette.
Lite XL’s extensibility is central to its design. Users can install plugins and themes or write their own, allowing the base application to remain comparatively compact while still accommodating more sophisticated programming workflows.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Multiple cursors for editing several locations simultaneously.
- Fuzzy file opener.
- Searchable command palette.
- Regular-expression find and replace.
- Project-wide text search.
- Integrated file browser with file-management operations.
- Workspaces can contain multiple directories.
- Restores previously opened files and directories.
- Automatic detection of indentation settings.
- Configurable indentation and line-ending behaviour.
- Customisable keyboard mappings.
- Plugin system written around Lua.
- Extensive theme support.
- Syntax and language functionality can be expanded through plugins.
- Supports split editing workflows through its configurable interface.
- Designed to remain responsive with a comparatively small core.
Website: github.com/lite-xl/lite-xl
Support:
Developer: lite-xl contributors
License: MIT License
Lite XL is written in Lua and C. Learn Lua with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Simple GUI Based Text Editors | |
|---|---|
| Notepad Next | Cross-platform text and source code editor |
| Pulsar | Hyper-hackable text editor |
| Lite XL | Lightweight cross-platform text editor derived from lite |
| Kate | Multi-document editor |
| GNOME Text Editor | Default text editor for the GNOME desktop environment |
| CudaText | Replacement for the discontinued SynWrite |
| Pluma | Powerful text editor for MATE |
| Mousepad | Simple text editor for the Xfce desktop environment |
| FeatherPad | Lightweight Qt plain-text editor |
| Nota | Browse, create, and edit text files |
| CorePad | Document editor for C Suite, a minimalistic application suite |
| xed | Small and lightweight text editor |
| gedit | Small and lightweight text editor for GNOME |
| Jottr | Designed for writers, journalists and researchers |
| typobuster | Simplified text editor with transformations and automatic correction |
| Jollpi | A nimble editor with syntax highlighting, tabs and a handy minimap |
| Howl | General purpose editor |
| Parchment | Strips away the clutter to put words firmly centre stage |
| Janus | Simple native Linux notepad meant for text editing |
| Webkit Word | Text editor built with GTK4/Libadwaita |
| v2 | Local-first rich-text editor with versioning capabilities |
| Mini Text | Very small and basic text editor |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
 LinuxLinks helps you discover the best free and open source software for Linux. Explore our extensive collection of recommended applications, including alternatives to popular proprietary software.We also publish software reviews, Linux tutorials, hardware reviews, free programming books and articles covering the wider open source community. Browse our Linux resources to discover more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application we haven't covered? Suggest a program for inclusion. Has your software been featured on LinuxLinks? Display one of our Featured on LinuxLinks badges on your website or GitHub README. |
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.