Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 27, 2026

Visual editor

A visual editor is computer software for editing text files using a textual or graphical user interface that normally renders the content (text) in accordance with embedded markup code, e.g., HTML, Wikitext, rather than displaying the raw text. Edits made to the page appear in real time, correctly formatted, and are often referred to as WYSIWYG. It is common for the software to permit switching to source-code editor mode so that the original source code can be viewed or modified.

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May 27, 2026
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Screenshot of a visual editor with a pop-up window for changing a link embedded in the text.
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A visual editor is computer software for editing text files using a textual or graphical user interface that normally renders the content (text) in accordance with embedded markup code, e.g., HTML, Wikitext, rather than displaying the raw text. Edits made to the page appear in real time, correctly formatted, and are often referred to as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). It is common for the software to permit switching to source-code editor mode so that the original source code can be viewed or modified.123

By definition, all visual editors require a refreshable display device. However, some editorsa using such devices, e.g., BRIEF, ISPF, gVim, KEDIT, THE, XEDIT, are not visual editors.

See also

See also

Notes

Notes

  1. even GUI editors
References

References

  1. "Definition of visual editor". PCMAG. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  2. Silvestrini, Stefano (2007). Xoops - To Create Dynamic Web Sites Simply. Stefano Silvestrini. ISBN 978-0-9762432-3-6.
  3. Smith, Bud E. (2009-03-11). Creating Web Pages For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-44002-5.