KWrite vs Lapce
KWrite
apps.kde.org
Lapce
lap.devSide by side
| Figure | KWrite | Lapce |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Text Editors | 8.4 (#20) | 8.8 (#8) |
| Extension support | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| License | The page lists KWrite under the LGPL-2.1+ license. | The project is released under the permissive Apache License 2.0. |
| Maker | KDE e.V. is a registered nonprofit in Germany representing the KDE Community in legal and financial matters. | The About page says Lapdev is maintained by the Lapce team and describes Lapce and Floem as open source projects. |
| Multi-cursor editing | Yes | Yes |
| Product | KWrite is a text editor by KDE based on Kate’s editor component. | Lapce is an open source code editor written in Rust. |
| Supported platforms | Linux,Windows,macOS | Windows,Linux,macOS |
| Syntax highlighting | KWrite supports syntax highlighting according to file type. | Tree-sitter provides syntax highlighting, with Rust, JSON and TOML grammars included and other grammars loaded externally. |
Plans
In their own words
KWrite
KWrite is a free text editor from KDE, built on Kate’s editor component. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. The editor highlights syntax according to file type and includes word completion, automatic indentation, plugin support, and Vi input mode. Multi-cursor editing, column editing, and extension support are listed. Linux users can install it through Discover or another AppStream store, a distribution package manager, or Flathub. Nightly installers include a Linux AppImage and Windows and macOS builds for ARM and Intel. The project lists KWrite under the LGPL-2.1+ license. The latest listed release is version 26.08.2, dated 2026-10-08. Nightly builds come from the latest development branch and are intended for testing. KDE provides a handbook, forum, and #kate channel on Libera.Chat, plus bug-reporting and source links. Its privacy policy generally limits transfers from end-user devices to explicit user actions, though distributors may modify the software.
Lapce
Lapce is an open-source code editor written in Rust, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It uses a native graphical interface with GPU acceleration through Floem. For code intelligence, it combines Tree-sitter syntax highlighting with Language Server Protocol support for completion, diagnostics, and code actions. Developers can connect to a remote machine to work in an environment matching a production server, and the included terminal opens at the workspace path. The editor has built-in Vim-like modal editing and supports multiple cursors. Plugins can be written in any programming language that compiles to WASI, and the editor supports extensions. Downloads include Linux tar.gz builds for x86 and ARM, Windows system installer and portable x86 builds, and a universal macOS DMG. The product page displays version 0.4.2. Its documentation covers setup, settings, keybindings, modal editing, remote development, themes, terminal use, multiple cursors, syntax highlighting, and plugin development. The About page says Lapdev is maintained by the Lapce team and describes Lapce and Floem as open-source projects.