Free code editors are essential tools for developers to write, edit, and manage code efficiently. They offer features like syntax highlighting, code completion, and customization options to enhance productivity and streamline the development process. Here are some popular free code editors used by developers:

1. Visual Studio Code (VS Code): Visual Studio Code, developed by Microsoft, is a lightweight yet powerful code editor known for its rich feature set, extensibility, and cross-platform support. It offers built-in support for various programming languages, extensive customization options, and a vibrant ecosystem of extensions for additional functionality.
2. Atom: Atom is an open-source code editor developed by GitHub, designed to be hackable and customizable. It features a sleek and modern interface, built-in package manager for installing plugins and themes, and powerful editing capabilities like multiple panes and find and replace across files.
3. Sublime Text: Sublime Text is a fast and feature-rich code editor known for its speed, responsiveness, and extensive plugin ecosystem. It offers a distraction-free interface, powerful search and navigation features, and advanced editing capabilities like multiple selections and split editing.
4. Brackets: Brackets is an open-source code editor developed by Adobe, specifically designed for web development with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It offers live preview functionality, inline editing, and preprocessor support, making it ideal for front-end developers working on web projects.
5. Notepad++: Notepad++ is a lightweight and fast code editor for Windows, offering a simple and intuitive interface with essential editing features. It supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, customizable themes, and a wide range of plugins for extending functionality.
6. Visual Studio Community: Visual Studio Community is a free, fully-featured IDE (Integrated Development Environment) from Microsoft, offering powerful tools for web, mobile, and desktop development. It includes features like code debugging, version control integration, and support for multiple programming languages.
7. GNU Emacs: GNU Emacs is a highly extensible and customizable text editor with built-in support for programming languages and scripting capabilities. It offers a wide range of features, including syntax highlighting, code navigation, and integration with external tools and packages.
8. Vim: Vim is a highly configurable and efficient text editor, known for its modal editing capabilities and keyboard-driven interface. It offers extensive customization options, support for numerous programming languages, and a vast ecosystem of plugins for extending functionality.
9. Eclipse: Eclipse is a free and open-source IDE popular for Java development, but it also supports other programming languages like C/C++, Python, and PHP through plugins. It offers features like code debugging, refactoring, and version control integration, making it suitable for various development tasks.
10. GNU Nano: GNU Nano is a simple and user-friendly text editor for Unix-based systems, offering basic editing features and keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation and manipulation of text files. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and suitable for quick editing tasks on the command line.

These free code editors cater to different preferences, workflows, and programming languages, providing developers with the tools they need to write and manage code effectively without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, choosing the right code editor can significantly impact your productivity and coding experience.