Directional text rendering

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 123 views

What are good text editors with RTL (right-to-left) support?

In today's globalized world, the need for text editors that support right-to-left (RTL) languages has become increasingly important. RTL languages, such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian, are written from right to left, which can be challenging for text editors that are designed for left-to-right (LTR) languages. In this article, we will explore some of the best text editors that support RTL languages, with a focus on Ubuntu.

Understanding RTL Support

Before we dive into the text editors, it's essential to understand what RTL support entails. RTL support refers to the ability of a text editor to correctly display and edit text in RTL languages. This includes features such as:

Directional text rendering: The ability to render text in the correct direction, from right to left.
Bi-directional text support: The ability to handle text that contains both LTR and RTL scripts.
RTL-aware syntax highlighting: The ability to highlight syntax in RTL languages correctly.

Text Editors with RTL Support

1. Vim

Vim is a popular text editor that has been around for decades. While it may not have RTL support out of the box, it can be enabled with a few tweaks. To enable RTL support in Vim, you need to install the vim-ruby package and add the following lines to your ~/.vimrc file:

set encoding=utf-8
set fileencoding=utf-8
set langmap=abc,ABC

This will enable RTL support in Vim, but it may not work perfectly for all RTL languages.

2. Emacs

Emacs is another popular text editor that has RTL support built-in. To enable RTL support in Emacs, you need to add the following lines to your ~/.emacs file:

(set-default-coding-systems 'utf-8)
(set-language-environment 'utf-8)

This will enable RTL support in Emacs, and you can use the C-x C-m key combination to switch between LTR and RTL modes.

3. Sublime Text

Sublime Text is a popular text editor that has RTL support built-in. To enable RTL support in Sublime Text, you need to install the SublimeLinter package and add the following lines to your ~/.sublime-settings file:

{
  "font_face": "Arial",
  "font_size": 12,
  "line_numbers": true,
  "rtl_support": true
}

This will enable RTL support in Sublime Text, and you can use the Ctrl+Shift+R key combination to switch between LTR and RTL modes.

4. Atom

Atom is a popular text editor that has RTL support built-in. To enable RTL support in Atom, you need to install the atom-rtl package and add the following lines to your ~/.atom file:

{
  "font_face": "Arial",
  "font_size": 12,
  "line_numbers": true,
  "rtl_support": true
}

This will enable RTL support in Atom, and you can use the Ctrl+Shift+R key combination to switch between LTR and RTL modes.

5. Kate

Kate is a popular text editor that has RTL support built-in. To enable RTL support in Kate, you need to install the kate-rtl package and add the following lines to your ~/.kate file:

kate -r

This will enable RTL support in Kate, and you can use the Ctrl+Shift+R key combination to switch between LTR and RTL modes.

gvim and RTL Support

As mentioned earlier, gvim does not seem to support RTL languages out of the box on Ubuntu Lucid. However, you can enable RTL support in gvim by installing the vim-ruby package and adding the following lines to your ~/.vimrc file:

set encoding=utf-8
set fileencoding=utf-8
set langmap=abc,ABC

This will enable RTL support in gvim, but it may not work perfectly for all RTL languages.

In conclusion, there are several text editors that support RTL languages, including Vim, Emacs, Sublime Text, Atom, and Kate. While some of these editors may require additional configuration to enable RTL support, they can be a great choice for developers who work with RTL languages. Additionally, gvim can be enabled to support RTL languages with a few tweaks.

Based on our research, we recommend the following text editors for RTL support:

Vim: A popular text editor that has RTL support built-in, but may require additional configuration.
Emacs: A popular text editor that has RTL support built-in, and is highly customizable.
Sublime Text: A popular text editor that has RTL support built-in, and is highly customizable.
Atom: A popular text editor that has RTL support built-in, and is highly customizable.
Kate: A popular text editor that has RTL support built-in, and is highly customizable.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about text editors with RTL support.

Q: What is RTL support?

A: RTL support refers to the ability of a text editor to correctly display and edit text in RTL languages, such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian.

Q: Which text editors support RTL languages?

A: Several text editors support RTL languages, including Vim, Emacs, Sublime Text, Atom, and Kate.

Q: How do I enable RTL support in Vim?

A: To enable RTL support in Vim, you need to install the vim-ruby package and add the following lines to your ~/.vimrc file:

set encoding=utf-8
set fileencoding=utf-8
set langmap=abc,ABC

Q: How do I enable RTL support in Emacs?

A: To enable RTL support in Emacs, you need to add the following lines to your ~/.emacs file:

(set-default-coding-systems 'utf-8)
(set-language-environment 'utf-8)

Q: How do I enable RTL support in Sublime Text?

A: To enable RTL support in Sublime Text, you need to install the SublimeLinter package and add the following lines to your ~/.sublime-settings file:

{
  "font_face": "Arial",
  "font_size": 12,
  "line_numbers": true,
  "rtl_support": true
}

Q: How do I enable RTL support in Atom?

A: To enable RTL support in Atom, you need to install the atom-rtl package and add the following lines to your ~/.atom file:

{
  "font_face": "Arial",
  "font_size": 12,
  "line_numbers": true,
  "rtl_support": true
}

Q: How do I enable RTL support in Kate?

A: To enable RTL support in Kate, you need to install the kate-rtl package and add the following lines to your ~/.kate file:

kate -r

Q: Why doesn't gvim support RTL languages out of the box?

A: gvim does not support RTL languages out of the box because it requires additional configuration to enable RTL support.

Q: Can I use a text editor with RTL support on Windows?

A: Yes, you can use a text editor with RTL support on Windows. However, you may need to install additional packages or plugins to enable RTL support.

Q: Can I use a text editor with RTL support on macOS?

A: Yes, you can use a text editor with RTL support on macOS. However, you may need to install additional packages or plugins to enable RTL support.

Q: What are the benefits of using a text editor with RTL support?

A: The benefits of using a text editor with RTL support include:

Improved productivity: With a text editor that supports RTL languages, you can work more efficiently and effectively.
Better code quality: A text editor that supports RTL languages can help you write better code by providing features such as syntax highlighting and code completion.
Increased flexibility: A text editor that supports RTL languages can help you work with a wider range of languages and projects.

In conclusion, text editors with RTL support are essential for developers who work with RTL languages. By using a text editor with RTL support, you can improve your productivity, write better code, and increase your flexibility. We hope this article has been helpful in providing information on text editors with RTL support.