Visual Studio Code commands 75.9% of the developer market as of 2025, more than triple the usage of its nearest competitor. This Microsoft-developed editor has increased adoption by 2.3 percentage points since 2024, when it held 73.6% market share according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey.
The 2025 survey collected responses from over 49,000 developers across 177 countries. Among Linux developers specifically, VS Code maintains similar dominance while traditional text editors like Vim and Neovim continue serving substantial user bases.
This article examines current IDE and text editor usage patterns among Linux developers, including market share data, feature preferences, and adoption trends for major development tools.
IDE and Text Editor Usage Among Linux Developers: Key Statistics
- Visual Studio Code leads with 75.9% usage among all developers as of 2025
- Vim records 24.3% adoption while Neovim reaches 14% among surveyed developers
- IntelliJ IDEA holds 27.1% market share, serving primarily Java developers
- Emacs usage declined to single-digit percentages compared to historical peaks
- Neovim achieved 83% admiration rating in the 2024 Stack Overflow survey
- Among Java developers, IntelliJ IDEA usage increased from 71% in 2024 to 84% in 2025
VS Code Dominance in the IDE and Text Editor Market
Visual Studio Code recorded 75.9% usage in 2025, representing a 2.3 percentage point increase from 2024. The editor first reached the number one position in Stack Overflow’s 2018 survey with 35% usage.
VS Code’s market share expanded consistently since its 2015 release. Usage grew from 50% in 2019 to 74.5% in 2021. The editor maintained above 73% adoption through 2023 and 2024 before reaching its current 75.9% level.
The platform operates across Windows, Linux, and macOS. Microsoft reported 14 million monthly active users as of early 2020, though more recent official figures have not been published.
VS Code Feature Adoption
The editor’s extension marketplace contains over 70,000 extensions as of 2025. Developers use extensions to add language support, debugging capabilities, and integration with version control systems.
Built-in features include syntax highlighting, IntelliSense code completion, and integrated terminal access. The editor supports remote development via SSH and container-based workflows without additional configuration.
Vim and Neovim Usage Among Linux Developers
Vim reported 24.3% usage in the 2025 Stack Overflow survey, up from 21.6% in 2024. Neovim recorded 14% adoption, establishing itself as a distinct option from traditional Vim.
The combined Vim and Neovim usage reaches 38.3% among developers. These modal editors maintain significant presence despite the rise of graphical IDEs.
Neovim recorded 83% admiration in Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, the highest rating among all development environments. This indicates strong satisfaction among users who have adopted the tool.
Neovim Architecture Improvements
Neovim introduced built-in Language Server Protocol support, enabling code completion and diagnostics without external plugins. The editor uses Lua for configuration and plugin development, replacing Vim’s VimScript.
Tree-sitter integration provides syntax highlighting and code folding. Asynchronous I/O allows plugins to run without blocking the editor interface.
| Editor | 2024 Usage | 2025 Usage | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vim | 21.6% | 24.3% | +2.7% |
| Neovim | N/A | 14.0% | New |
| Emacs | 8-9% | <9% | Declining |
IntelliJ IDEA and JetBrains IDE Statistics
IntelliJ IDEA recorded 27.1% usage in 2025, up from 26.8% in 2024. Among Java developers specifically, IntelliJ IDEA usage jumped from 71% in 2024 to 84% in 2025.
PyCharm and Android Studio both maintain 15% market share. Eclipse usage among Java developers dropped from 39% in 2024 to 28% in 2025.
IntelliJ IDEA showed 17.5% desire and 58.2% admiration in the 2025 survey. Among developers currently using IntelliJ IDEA as their primary tool, 68% also use Visual Studio Code as a secondary editor.
Multiple IDE Usage Patterns
42% of developers report using more than one IDE in their regular workflow. This practice allows developers to select specialized tools for different programming languages or project types.
Developers combine general-purpose editors like VS Code with language-specific IDEs for tasks requiring advanced features. Java developers using IntelliJ IDEA frequently switch to VS Code for JavaScript or TypeScript work.
Text Editor Usage Trends on Linux Systems
Ubuntu leads Linux distribution adoption at 27.7% for both personal and professional development environments according to 2024 data. Windows Subsystem for Linux reached 17.1% personal adoption and 16.8% professional use.
Traditional command-line editors maintain presence on Linux systems where they ship pre-installed. Nano recorded 12.2% usage in 2025, serving users who prefer simpler interfaces than Vim.
Notepad++ reported 27.4% usage in 2025, though this Windows-native editor has limited direct use on Linux systems. Linux developers using Windows often rely on WSL for development tasks.
| Text Editor | Type | 2025 Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Studio Code | GUI | 75.9% |
| Notepad++ | GUI | 27.4% |
| Vim | Terminal | 24.3% |
| Neovim | Terminal | 14.0% |
| Nano | Terminal | 12.2% |
AI-Powered IDE Adoption Statistics
Cursor recorded 17.9% usage in 2025 with 46.7% admiration among developers. Claude Code reached 10% adoption while Windsurf achieved 5% usage.
These subscription-based AI editors have not displaced Visual Studio Code or Visual Studio from their top positions. Both traditional IDEs maintained leadership for the fourth consecutive year.
GitHub Copilot reports over 15 million users globally as of 2025, representing a 4x increase in one year. 81.4% of developers who receive Copilot licenses install the extension on their first day.
AI Extension Integration
Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA added AI capabilities through extensions rather than built-in features. This approach allows developers to choose whether to adopt AI tools.
The average acceptance rate for AI code suggestions stands at 30%. Developers use AI tools at least five days per week according to enterprise deployment data.
Emacs Usage Decline and Current Status
Emacs usage dropped to 8-9% in recent LinuxQuestions polls, down from historical levels when it competed directly with Vi for market share. The editor maintains a dedicated user base but faces competition from modern alternatives.
Vim and its variants recorded 37-38% usage in the same polls, over four times Emacs adoption. The gap between these historically competing editors has widened over time.
Modern distributions like Doom Emacs and Spacemacs provide preconfigured setups to reduce learning curve barriers. Spacemacs integrates Vim-style modal editing into Emacs.
FAQs
What percentage of developers use Visual Studio Code?
75.9% of developers use Visual Studio Code as of 2025 according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey. This represents a 2.3 percentage point increase from 73.6% in 2024.
How many developers use Vim or Neovim?
Vim records 24.3% usage while Neovim reaches 14% adoption among developers. Combined usage of both editors totals 38.3% in the 2025 survey data.
Which IDE do Java developers prefer?
IntelliJ IDEA is the most used Java IDE with 84% adoption among Java developers in 2025, up from 71% in 2024. Eclipse usage declined from 39% to 28% during the same period.
Are AI-powered IDEs replacing traditional editors?
No. Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio maintained their top positions for the fourth consecutive year. Cursor reached 17.9% usage, Claude Code 10%, and Windsurf 5%, but traditional IDEs continue leading the market.
What is Neovim’s admiration rating?
Neovim achieved 83% admiration in Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey, the highest rating among all development environments. This indicates strong satisfaction among developers who have adopted the editor.
Sources
Stack Overflow 2025 Developer Survey
