Sublime Forum

Is Sublime Text Still Worth Using as a Main Editor in 2026?

#1

Hey everyone,

I’ve been using Sublime Text on and off for a while now, and recently I started wondering how many people here are still using it as their main editor in 2026.

What keeps pulling me back is how fast, lightweight, and distraction-free it feels compared to heavier editors. I’ve tried other options like VS Code and even experimented a bit with Neovim, but somehow Sublime always feels more “focused” when I just want to write code without too much overhead.

At the same time, I do feel like modern development workflows often expect more built-in features debugging tools, deep integrations, etc. which sometimes makes me question if sticking with Sublime long-term is the right move.

So I’m curious:

  • Are you using Sublime Text as your primary editor for daily work?
  • What kind of projects do you mainly use it for (web dev, scripting, large-scale apps, etc.)?
  • Do you rely heavily on plugins/LSP to turn it into a more IDE-like setup?
  • Or do you pair it with other tools for certain tasks?

I’d really like to hear real experiences especially from people who have stuck with Sublime for years. What makes you stay, and what (if anything) still feels missing?

Looking forward to your thoughts

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#2

Why do you open another thread? Anyone else still sticking with Sublime in 2026?

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#3

Para 1. Subl is my main editor due to its matching my eyes.

Para 2. Agreed. Subl is focussed. One stop.

Para 3. I find no expansion limits. Sticking is a personal decision. Editors rise and fall (I cited Atom). I am “sticking”.

Para 4.
Yes.
All those … and desktop publications. Deployment.
One gateway plugin is all I need. Fans out to others.
Absolutely. With XML compliant apps. Network with processes.
Missing? Added natural language layer to remove key-binding memory. Read Dijkstra. Work in progress. But see Albert for ideas.

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#4

I use Sublime Text and Sublime Merge every day as my main apps. Totally worthy.

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#5

As I research deeper I find same question asked years ago. Seems seasonal. Should I invest into Sublime anymore?

My puzzle at moment is if I have a large number of Subl file tabs (just as I am prone to have in browser) what is similar to tab breadcrumbs in chrome?. i.e. toggle back and forth in Subl file history? In Chrome it is [Ctrl+W] and [Ctrl+Alt+T]. So tab navigation?

Found this … Browser-like back/forward history navigation

Solved: It is in File History …

Late edit … I found this which seems relevant to OT … https://github.com/sublimehq/sublime_text/issues/6856

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#6

Yes, it is my main editor and even more so now in 2026. With the rise of AI agents and CLI tools, I basically don’t touch codes much anyway. Sublime Text and Sublime Merge are my daily drivers for verifying what I output is not just AI slop. Every once in a while I’ll cross check with Rider and other tools but Sublime remains my main editor.

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#7

marryjoseph8

  • I think you can take it that nearly everyone on this forum is using ST as their main text editor for work :rofl:

  • Web dev

  • Apart from the basic tools like Emmet, FileIcons and suchlike, I don’t rely heavily on add-ons

  • Occasionally

  • Why stay ? Same reasons as you, I guess. VS Code tends to jam on rapid use and tries to tell me how to structure my projects. I do single-page apps as I like the almost desktop app speed pagestate changes. I get something of the same feeling using ST.

I suppose I should also say that it is FREE. And there ain’t much free today.

That’s why I wear the ST logo on my shirt.

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#8

I agree that it is good for my elder eyes … but it is far from being a binary choice. I write here on the twin discussion. Anyone else still sticking with Sublime in 2026?
Subl is the maestro in the orchestra. But the key is the entire symphony. I also have contributions from Claude “docking”. But sans VSCode etc.

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