So let’s set a scene many of us probably have acted, you are working on a new app and you need to do something you have already done hundreds of times before.
But you can’t remember how you did it. So you go and dig through all of your previous apps for that snippet of code you need, but you can’t find it anywhere.
It could be on that site or is it the other one?
So a half an hour of searching later and you finally find what you’re looking for but that was 30 minutes and you could have used that time for something else more productive if you just have a code snippet manager in your arsenal. Before we go through the post and post the 5 code snippet manager app.
Let’s talk about What Is A Code Snippet Manager?
Code snippet managers are the solution to re-usable code. This tool lets you save a library of commonly used snippets of code. These snippets either can be stored in the cloud or locally on your machine. The code manager keeps them organised and ready to use.
There are code managers that show proper syntax highlighting and support for multiple languages, while others also let you group snippets, link them together and share them.
So whichever option you choose for you, a code snippet manager should save you time, enable proper re-using of code and make sure you never lose an important bit of code again. So let’s start with the 6 code snippet managers.
1. Gisto
Gisto is a simplistic, free and easy to use code snippet manager that lets you store your snippets and edit them when you want.
You can connect to GitHub and store the data there. You can download it on your desktop. In case you are looking for portability, then you can also access their fully -featured web client.
It’s available for Linux, Mac and Windows.
Key features of Gisto include:
- Access to open-source Monaco editor
- Offers syntax highlighting
- Autocomplete
- Search quickie
- Offers tags for easy management
2. Cacher
Cacher is a snippet manager that lets you and your team be more productive by writing code faster. It’s supported on major platforms including macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Like other tools, you can also manage snippets here which lets you do machine setup instructions, write great documentation, and teach coding techniques.
You also get access to colour coded labels which lets you organise your work in a better way. Other Cacher feature is that it also supports popular IDEs and editors when it comes to inserting snippets. So you won’t need to leave your coding environment to use Cacher.
3. massCode
massCode offers a more standard open-source code snippets manager for programmers and developers. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. With MassCode, you can create multi-level folder snippets giving you access to better organisation.
So to ensure that you can access them anytime, you can add tags to your snippet. under the hood of massCode there’s Monaco – it’s a popular open-source editor which is also used by VS Code.
Here, you get access to IntelliSense. Overall, you can be productive with massCode.
Key features of massCode include:
- Markdown support
- Tray assistant
- Search
- Autosave
- Database
- Sync
4. Boost Note
Boost Note is a lightspeed, powerful and collaborative workspace for teams. It can be used as your own note-taking app. While keeping and managing your code snippet in a library.
It comes with a versatile markdown editor where you can put diagrams using PlantUML, Mermaid, and Charts.js.
They also let you customize your workflow programmatically. This is a unique feature that works with 2,000 3rd party app tool integrations. You can also collaborate with your team using a shared workspace.
5. Quiver
Quiver is the programmer’s notebook that is available for macOS. The Quiver notebook is aimed at programmers who mix both code, text, LaTeX and also do code editing using a single editor. There is a growing need for snippet managers that can also be used as note-taking solutions.
Quiver only offers a paid option and you can get it for a $9.99 one-time payment. It’s constantly updated so that you get access to new features.
Key features of Quiver include:
- Markdown support
- Code editor
- Mix LaTeX, Markdown, and Code
- Links, Files, and Images
- Instant Full-text search
- Live preview
6. Dash
Dash is here for you if you are searching for an API Documentation Browser that goes along with a code snippet manager. It gives you access to the 200+ API documentation sets on your Mac offline. You also get access to 100+ cheat sheets.
So, you are free to generate your own docsets. If you need a docset and it is not included, you can request it from developers as well. You can also use third-party documentation sources to generate new documentation sets when needed.
Apart from that, you also get amazing integration plugins. However, Dash is more costly compared to other offerings at $29.99.
Key features of Dash include:
- 200+ offline docsets
- Supports fuzzy instant search
- Store code snippets
- You can reuse snippets whenever needed
- Comes with syntax highlighting
- Supports own document set creation