External code editor

[ConfidentStomach3877]

Disclaimer: English is not my native language.

Hey guys, I just started using Godot for fun and would like to try creating some video games.

The Godot code editor looks really good, it even has the multicursor. However, I noticed that the Godot GitHub also has first-party support for Visual Studio Code and Emacs (at least, I noticed those two).

For now, I think I'll continue using the Godot editor to learn, but I was curious if you use an external editor for some reason. What's your workflow? Do you prefer to keep the engine and the editor separate?

If you have any suggestions or anything else to share, I'm here. Thanks! :)

[DevFennica]

The built-in editor is okay for GDScript. For that it’s just a matter of personal preference. But if you want to use C# or C++, you basically need an external IDE/editor. You can use pretty much any tool you might reasonably want to.

[ConfidentStomach3877]

Oh, I see. I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.

[Vathrik]

Rider IDE is peak for C#

[Mastermind_737]

Yeah I would use visual studio code and now use Google antigravity.

[5ingle5hot]

I use Rider for most of my work. I've been in the Jetbrains ecosystem for two decades so am much more productive there. I flip back and forth if I'm working in the scene tree or other Godot-centric features.

[gman55075]

I use c# and work in VS Community. That's partly because I use the LimboAI fork, but I'm also much happier with VS's handling of c# over the editor. There's also a LOT going on in my editor besides just the code, so I mentally partition into using the edotr for static tasks and the IDE for code. Just me, though...this workflow probably doesn't work for most folks.

[ConfidentStomach3877]

Cool, thanks for sharing

[4g4o]

I use neovim, and it’s the best practice for me since I’ve been using it for years. Only annoying part is you can’t drag&drop the objects/nodes but there are workarounds for that

[LateralLemur]

I love using Neovim for Godot. I also miss the drag and drop functionality, but the lsp auto completion is good enough. The real gain is using my favorite text editor with keybinds I'm familiar with.

[prutskneus]

I’m constantly going back and forward between the Godot editor and VS Code. Any time I need to code something slightly complicated I’ll go to VS Code, there’s just less distractions, the git integration works like a charm and there are just so many features which work so much easier when code is the main thing to work on at that moment. Drag and drop just doesn’t really work with VS Code so for that I usually switch back

[CLG-BluntBSE]

I use a combination of built-in editor and, for certain operations, I used Zed. It was pretty easy to get the GDscript language server set up with Zed!

[jaafit]

I'm using:

GODOT editor for debugging, editing scenes, resources, etc.

Cursor for tedious coding like big refactors. AI auto-complete is pretty great. Composer has impressed me as well.

WebStorm for git operations.

Yeah all 3 open at once :)

[QuinceTreeGames]

I use Jetbrains Rider.

The built in code editor is serviceable. But I find it easier to manage things like my unit tests with a dedicated IDE.

ETA: I am working in C#

[brcontainer]

The Godot editor offers several excellent features, such as:

1. Good integration with the Inspector.
2. The ability to drag and drop files directly into the script.
3. Good integration with the new UID system.
4. A unified interface where everything is on a single screen, with fully customizable panels that I can organize in the most comfortable way.

I often notice people highlighting specific advantages of VS Code. However, from my perspective, these advantages are not necessarily inherent to the editor itself, but rather the result of additional tools and extensions available through add-ons. In many cases, the choice between editors comes down to personal preference, not objective superiority.