Which Editor (2026)

Introduction

I wrote my first editor choice post back in 2024 and some things have changed. So this post will go over what has changed with the same options, what new alternatives there are out there, and what I am currently using.

VS Code

VS Code Advantages

Cross-platform
Stable and battle-tested
Massive extension ecosystem
Integrated Git control
Works with basically every language
GitHub Codespaces and the browser version (press `.` on any repo)
Copilot is deeply integrated for AI assistance

VS Code Disadvantages

Slower — it's Electron, so not as fast as native
Heavy on memory usage
Feels bloated compared to newer alternatives
Copilot adds cost on top of an already heavy editor

Vim

Vim Advantages

Available on every machine without installing anything
Fastest editor once you know it
Cross-platform
Extremely stable — it has been around for decades
Highly configurable with Neovim plugins

Vim Disadvantages

Steep learning curve
Neovim config can become a rabbit hole
No GUI out of the box — requires effort to get a polished setup
AI integrations exist but feel bolted on

Zed

Zed Advantages

Fastest editor I know of
Minimal and clean by default
Vim mode built in
Multiplayer/collaboration features baked in
AI assistant built in with support for multiple models
Extension ecosystem has grown a lot since 2024

Zed Disadvantages

Still maturing — some extensions you rely on in VS Code may not exist
Less supported languages
Less features than VS Code
Smaller community than VS Code or Vim

Cursor

Cursor Advantages

AI-first editor built on top of VS Code
Accepts your existing VS Code extensions and settings
Best editor tab completions
Inline chat and agent mode for larger refactors
Codebase indexing so the AI understands your whole project

Cursor Disadvantages

Subscription cost on top of everything else
Feels like VS Code but heavier
The AI features can encourage lazy habits
Privacy concerns — your code is sent to their servers

Athas

Athas is a very new editor and therefore it is not fully featured or stable. It is currently at v0.7.1 so if you use this you can expect bugs. It is however a very fast and minimal editor while containing the features you need. I am very excited to see where this editor goes in the future.

Athas Advantages

Lightweight and minimal, built with Tauri
AI agents with full project awareness built in
Git operations (stage, commit, push, diff, conflict resolution) without leaving the editor
Pull request tracking and review built in
Fuzzy file search and command palette
Available on all major platforms

Athas Disadvantages

Early stage — currently at v0.7.1
No debugger support yet
Small ecosystem compared to VS Code or Vim
Fewer extensions and themes available

What Do I Use?

I am still using Zed with vim mode enabled. The speed difference over VS Code and Cursor is hard to give up, and the AI assistant built into Zed has gotten good enough that I do not need Cursor for day-to-day work, saying that I usually use Claude Code for AI related activity anyway. Athas is one to watch — the idea of having Git and PR review baked in is genuinely interesting, but it is a bit early for me to switch my main driver to it. If you are coming from VS Code and want AI features without the baggage, Cursor is the easiest switch. If you want something fast and modern, Zed is where I would point you.