Installing a Text Editor

The following text editors are ensured to properly read and understand .json files, offer useful features, and generally ensure you have a much more streamlined experience while modding. Other well-made text editors exist beyond the three listed here, but these are among the best free editors out there.

Don’t get too worried about your choice, as you can easily change it at any time.

These all have portable versions if you want your editor and modding to work on a USB, separate from your main system.

Visual Studio Code

Portable version

Web version (Chrome-based browser recommended for local development)

  • Supports all desktop platforms and the web.

  • Most well-featured editor out of the box. JSON Linter pre-installed.

  • Built-in project folder navigation and management.

  • Extension support, with the largest and well-maintained collection.

  • Best Git and GitHub integration.

  • MGD extension is available for some automated error checking and easing development. Use ctrl+shift+x or ⌘+shift+x, search for MGD Language.

Pulsar

For the portable version, go to the above link, and select “Portable” for your given platform (currently only Windows as of writing).

  • Supports all desktop platforms.

  • Moderately featured.

  • Built-in project folder navigation and management.

  • Package support, including a JSON Linter. Open settings using ctrl+,, or ⌘+,, go to Install, search linter, linter-ui-default, and linter-jsonlint. Say yes to any dependencies.

  • Git and GitHub integration.

Note

Previously known as Atom. Github, the original creators of Atom, ceased development on the editor and was continued by the community as Pulsar. Pulsar currently has access to the same packages and provides continued security, bug fixes, compatibility, and feature updates for the editor.

Notepad++

For the portable version, go to the Downloads page, select the latest version, and grab the zip file.

  • Windows only.

  • Feature-lite.

  • Has built-in folder navigation under View -> Folder As Workspace. Cannot manage folders and files.

  • Supports packages and customization (use 32-bit version), though not as convenient or powerful, with weak defaults.

  • Fast boot times.

  • Handles large multi-thousand-line files best.

NOTE: When using Notepad++, please use spaces for tabs, and utf-8 encoding! This helps prevent indentation and whitespace errors between text editors.

  • Settings -> Preferences -> Language -> ‘Replace by space’ on the right.

  • Settings -> Preferences -> New document -> Encoding -> choose UTF-8 without BOM.

Linter

It’s HIGHLY encouraged to use a built-in JSON linter in your editor of choice. It will help you avoid critical errors that cause the game to crash from improper JSON formatting in real-time. If you truly don’t wish to use one within your text editor, then you can use this handy website to check for JSON formatting issues.