Text editors

With APL code in text files (rather that the traditional workspaces) many source code tools, including editors, can easily be used with APL. This article lists some text editors that are especially well-equipped to deal with APL.

Besides for the listed editors, there is a Language Server available for all editors that use Microsoft's Language Server Protocol (LSP).

In addition, Dyalog's RIDE interface allows using most any external editor instead of its internal editor by setting the RIDE_EDITOR configuration parameter.

Name	Platform	Features
Atom	Windows, Linux, MacOS	language-apl Provides syntax highlighting, indentation support.
APL Keys	Android	A simple notepad that supports APL characters.
Dyalog Editor	Windows	Basically same editor as the one built into the IDE, providing syntax colouring, auto-formatting, language help, comment handling, and tree-view.
Emacs	cross-platform	GNU APL mode provides shifting and prefix key input. Integrates with GNU APL to perform completion, function editing, etc. Dyalog APL mode integrates with the Dyalog IDE so you can use Emacs instead of the built in editor, supports syntax highlighting (including correct highlighting of localized variables), indentation and convenience functions like toggling localization of variables. Dyalog APL Input provides backtick keyboard support. The emacs APL tutorial provides easy-to-follow instructions on how to get set up using GNU APL or Dyalog APL.
Kakoune	Linux, MacOS, and Cygwin	Syntax highlighting.
Mark Text	Windows, Linux, macOS	Syntax highlighting for code blocks.
Jupyter Notebook	Windows, Linux, macOS, AIX	Dyalog Jupyter Kernel provides syntax colouring and HTML/SVG rendering.
Scintilla	Windows, Linux, macOS	Scintillua provides syntax colouring
Sublime Text	Windows, Linux, macOS	APL Highlighting package enables syntax highlighting for APL, including Dyalog and APL2 dialects.
Typora	Windows, Linux, macOS	Syntax highlighting for code blocks.
Vim	cross-platform	vim-apl provides rainbow curly braces with a matching colour for ⍺, ⍵, ∇, and : in dfns, prefix key input, and completion for quad names, keywords, and system commands. Vim Notebook runs an interpreter in the background to evaluating code cells.
Vis	Linux, macOS	Scintillua provides syntax colouring
Visual Studio Code	Windows, Linux, macOS	APL Language extension provides syntax highlighting and snippets. APL Language Server Client provides tool tips on primitives, prefix (e.g. backtick) completion. APL Debug is a debug adapter

See also

• Fonts — you might need to select an appropriate font before using a new editor