C#•6mo ago

Text Editor Dev Framework suggestion

I want to create a text editor like Visual Studio in C#. What framework do you recommend?

SleepWellPupper•7/17/25, 1:23 PM

$desktopappdev

SSleepWellPupper $desktopappdev

MODiX•7/17/25, 1:24 PM

https://github.com/Insire/diagrams/blob/main/drawio-assets/.net-gui-overview.png?raw=true
Open image in new tab or follow this to view it on github

SleepWellPupper•7/17/25, 1:24 PM

$guicomparison

SSleepWellPupper $guicomparison

MODiX•7/17/25, 1:24 PM

https://github.com/robloo/PublicDocs/blob/master/XAMLFrameworkComparison.md

GitHub

PublicDocs/XAMLFrameworkComparison.md at master · robloo/PublicDocs

Contains documents and articles that may be publicly useful. - robloo/PublicDocs

SleepWellPupper•7/17/25, 1:24 PM

Here are some overviews on dotnet gui frameworks.

SleepWellPupper•7/17/25, 1:24 PM

Personally I use Blazor, but these are more traditional.

DDev_Infimer(1294)I want to create a text editor like Visual Studio in C#. What framework do you r...

leowest•7/17/25, 2:14 PM

that is no trivial task tbh, visual studio ui is written using WPF, vs code is mainly typescript

leowest•7/17/25, 2:14 PM

vscode uses https://microsoft.github.io/monaco-editor/

leowest•7/17/25, 2:15 PM

there is also a more native version for wpf and avalonia called https://github.com/icsharpcode/AvalonEdit

GitHub

GitHub - icsharpcode/AvalonEdit: The WPF-based text editor componen...

The WPF-based text editor component used in SharpDevelop - icsharpcode/AvalonEdit

leowest•7/17/25, 2:15 PM

its nowhere similar ofc

leowest•7/17/25, 2:15 PM

but u can use both as a start point

leowest•7/17/25, 2:15 PM

if u were to use monaco editor with avalonia, winforms or wpf u would be using webview2 to embed it

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:15 PM

What do you think about Avalonia?

leowest•7/17/25, 2:16 PM

avalonia is great but the task it self is not simple

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:16 PM

Is it difficult?

leowest•7/17/25, 2:16 PM

if u have to ask the question then yes it is

leowest•7/17/25, 2:16 PM

just take a look at those 2 projects above and u will see how much work they require

leowest•7/17/25, 2:17 PM

plus if u want to have proper integration with code analyser, auto complete etc

leowest•7/17/25, 2:17 PM

its even more work

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:17 PM

So what framework do you recommend? Do you not recommend using the programming language C#?

DDev_Infimer(1294)Is it difficult?

SleepWellPupper•7/17/25, 2:17 PM

Building a replacement/equivalent? Yes
Building a practice project? Depends on the scope.

leowest•7/17/25, 2:18 PM

@Dev_Infimer(1294) how much c# u know

SSleepWellPupper Building a replacement/equivalent? Yes Building a practice project? Depends on t...

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:18 PM

For personal satisfaction only.

leowest•7/17/25, 2:18 PM

and what is the goal here, are u doing this out of curiosity? for something specific? to sell?

leowest•7/17/25, 2:18 PM

ok so again it would depend how much c# u know and how much of it u want to do your self

leowest•7/17/25, 2:19 PM

vs how much u want to delegate to already existing solutions

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:19 PM

This is my portfolio.

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:19 PM

This level of skill is enough.

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:20 PM

C# + Avalonia
C# + .NET MAUI
C++ + Qt
Rust + iced / egui
Which of these 4 do you recommend?

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:20 PM

I want to develop for multiple platforms.

leowest•7/17/25, 2:21 PM

I mean it depends how much of it u want to do your self really... do u want to create everything from scratch? the editor, the parsing, etc or are u whiling to use existing solutions to help?

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:22 PM

yes

Dev_Infimer(1294)OP•7/17/25, 2:22 PM

I plan to make it as big as possible.

leowest•7/17/25, 2:25 PM

does "make it as big as possible" mean u want to make things from scratch as in no help or libraries that do it for u?

leowest•7/17/25, 2:39 PM

well either way before u choose anything I would suggest you explore those 2 links I sent u above

leowest•7/17/25, 2:39 PM

they will help u see how much work u have ahead

Lex Li•7/17/25, 4:27 PM

There were many attempts (for commercial or personal satisfaction) to build such, so if you want to avoid wasting your time or speed up your development, you really should evaluate them and learn from mistakes.

Lex Li•7/17/25, 4:29 PM

AvaloniaEdit is more likely to be your option as it is still being maintained, https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/AvaloniaEdit

leowest•7/17/25, 5:23 PM

Monaco is also maintained, afterall its what powers vscode

Text Editor Dev Framework suggestion

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