Kate Editor
UnclaimedGet an edge in editing with a feature-packed text editor for developers and power users.
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Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Highly customizable with configurable hotkeys and plugins.
TL;DR - Kate Editor
- A powerful, feature-rich text editor for code and text files.
- Offers extensive programming features like syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and an embedded terminal.
- Supports multiple platforms (Linux, Windows, macOS) and is highly customizable with plugins.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
What is Kate Editor?
Kate is a powerful and versatile text editor designed for viewing and editing a wide variety of text files, with a strong emphasis on programming and development. It allows users to work with multiple files simultaneously through tabs and split views, and offers extensive customization options, including configurable hotkeys.
Targeted at developers, programmers, and users who frequently work with code or complex text documents, Kate provides advanced features like syntax highlighting for over 400 languages, multi-cursor editing, and robust search and replace capabilities across entire projects. Its integration with the Language Server Protocol (LSP) enhances autocompletion for many programming languages, making it an ideal environment for application development.
The editor is highly extensible through a rich plugin ecosystem, offering functionalities such as an embedded terminal, SQL query execution, GDB debugging, and one-click project building. Kate also includes essential features for efficient workflow, such as session support, network transparency for remote files, and comprehensive backup and recovery options, ensuring data integrity and a smooth editing experience across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Available on: Linux, Windows, macOS
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highly customizable with configurable hotkeys and plugins.
- Excellent support for programming with advanced coding features.
- Cross-platform availability (Linux, Windows, macOS).
- Efficient for complex projects with multi-file editing and project navigation.
- Includes essential data recovery features like backups and swap files.
Key Features
View and edit multiple documents simultaneously with split viewsSyntax highlighting for over 400 languagesMulti-cursor and multi-selection editingEmbedded terminal for console commandsAutocompletion with Language Server Protocol (LSP) supportProject sidebar for directory navigationPowerful search and replace across projects and filesScriptable auto indentation and smart comment/uncomment handling
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Jun 24, 2026
Kate
Free
- Syntax highlighting for over 400 languages
- Bracket navigation
- On-the-fly spellchecking
- Multi-cursor and multi-selection
- Configurable hotkeys
- Split views
- Project sidebar
- Smart tabs for recently opened documents
Reviews
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Kate Editor FAQ
How does Kate Editor support application development workflows?
Kate Editor enhances application development by integrating with the Language Server Protocol (LSP), which provides advanced autocompletion for many programming languages. It also offers features like syntax highlighting for over 400 languages, multi-cursor editing, and robust search and replace capabilities across entire projects.
Which teams would benefit most from using Kate Editor?
Kate Editor is best suited for developers, programmers, and teams who frequently work with code or complex text documents. Its advanced coding features, project-wide search and replace, and extensive customization options make it ideal for development environments.
How does Kate Editor compare to Neovim for text editing?
Kate Editor provides a feature-packed text editing experience with extensive customization through configurable hotkeys and a rich plugin ecosystem, similar to Neovim. However, Kate also offers native cross-platform availability across Linux, Windows, and macOS, and includes an embedded terminal and one-click project building.
Can Kate Editor be extended with additional functionalities?
Yes, Kate Editor is highly extensible through its rich plugin ecosystem, allowing users to add functionalities such as an embedded terminal, SQL query execution, and GDB debugging. This extensibility helps tailor the editor to specific development needs.
Does Kate Editor include a free tier?
Kate Editor is free to use, meaning no paid plan is required to access its features and functionalities. This allows developers and power users to utilize its capabilities without any cost.
What kind of files can Kate Editor handle?
Kate Editor is designed for viewing and editing a wide variety of text files, with a strong emphasis on programming and development. It supports syntax highlighting for over 400 languages and can efficiently manage complex projects with multiple files.
How does Kate Editor ensure data integrity during editing?
Kate Editor includes essential data recovery features such as comprehensive backup and recovery options, along with swap files. These features help ensure data integrity and provide a smooth editing experience even in unexpected situations.
Source: kate-editor.org