Emacs Review 2026

The original "everything machine" — a text editor, operating system, and lifestyle that's still evolving with LSP, tree-sitter, and modern distros.

Key Features

  • Emacs Lisp for unlimited customization — your editor is code.
  • Org-mode: notes, tasks, literate programming, agendas — legendary.
  • Built-in email client, IRC, games, and yes, even a therapist (M-x doctor).
  • Native LSP and tree-sitter support in recent versions.
  • Magical packages like Magit (best Git client ever) and Evil mode (Vim emulation).
  • Runs everywhere — from terminals to full GUI.

Pros

  • Org-mode alone is worth the price of admission (which is zero).
  • Extensibility is unmatched — Emacs can literally do anything.
  • Community packages keep it surprisingly modern.
  • Keyboard-driven workflow that's addictive once learned.

Cons

  • Ctrl vs Meta keybinding wars never end.
  • Startup time can be slow without optimization.
  • Default UI feels ancient (but Doom Emacs fixes that).

Emacs Configuration Examples

Emacs config lives in init.el (Emacs Lisp). Here's a simple starter progressing to a more useful setup with use-package.

Minimal init.el — Basic sensible defaults. 
;; ~/.emacs.d/init.el
(setq inhibit-startup-message t)     ; No splash screen
(scroll-bar-mode -1)                 ; Disable scrollbar
(tool-bar-mode -1)                   ; Disable toolbar
(tooltip-mode -1)                    ; Disable tooltips
(menu-bar-mode -1)                   ; Disable menu bar

(set-fringe-mode 10)                 ; Breathing room

(global-display-line-numbers-mode 1) ; Line numbers
(column-number-mode)                 ; Column in mode line

;; Better defaults
(setq-default tab-width 4
              indent-tabs-mode nil)

;; Keybindings
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'ibuffer)
With use-package — Modern package management and a few essentials. 
;; Add MELPA
(require 'package)
(add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/") t)
(package-initialize)

(unless (package-installed-p 'use-package)
  (package-refresh-contents)
  (package-install 'use-package))

(require 'use-package)
(setq use-package-always-ensure t)

;; Essentials
(use-package evil            ; Vim emulation
  :init (evil-mode 1))

(use-package doom-themes     ; Modern themes
  :config (load-theme 'doom-one t))

(use-package which-key       ; Shows key completions
  :config (which-key-mode))

(use-package magit)          ; Best Git client
Pro Tip: Jump straight to Doom Emacs or Spacemacs — they're full distros with sane defaults, Evil mode (Vim keys), and thousands of packages pre-configured. Perfect if you don't want to build from scratch.

Pricing

Emacs

100% Free — GNU project forever

Download Emacs

Alternatives

Neovim

Modal editing with Lua speed.

View Neovim Review

Visual Studio Code

GUI extensions without the Lisp.

View VS Code Review