GitHub Atom

Software Overview

GitHub Atom is a free, cross-platform text editor. Popularly billed as "the hackable text editor," Atom's most noteworthy feature is the ability to customize it using a bevy of user-developed enhancements, referred to as packages. GitHub discontinued Atom in 2022.

Atom's default installation allows users to open and edit any text or source code file, including .HTML, .CSS, .PHP, .JSON, and .XML files, as well as development projects. Projects' file structure appears in Atom's left-hand sidebar, which uses can show or hide as needed.

Those who are planning to use Atom to review or write code will enjoy the editor's built-in syntax highlighting and code autocompletion features, as well as the ability to find, replace, and preview text within not just one file, but all of a project's files. Developers can also edit multiple source code files at once using pane-based workspaces, collaborate with other developers in real-time using Atom's Teletype feature, and take advantage of built-in integration with GitHub's online code repository.

However, Atom's best feature is the ability to extend it by installing packages. From 
Atom's Settings window, you can search for existing Atom packages, which allow you to change the program's theme, improve its syntax highlighting, download support for new programming languages, add a clock to the program's status bar, and more. If the package you want doesn't exist, you can develop it yourself and share it with other users at Atom.io.

Summary

At its core, GitHub Atom is a simple, lightweight text editor that is as good or better than the default text editor bundled with your operating system. It also allows users to customize the program as they see fit, using a wealth of packages developed by an active user base. Whether you're looking for a basic or advanced text editor, GitHub Atom is a great option that rivals the best. However, since GitHub no longer develops Atom, you should use a different text and source code editor, like Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

Primary File Type

.HTMLHypertext Markup Language File

Supported File Types

Additional Related File Types