Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GNU Emacs VS OpenSilver

Compare GNU Emacs VS OpenSilver and see what are their differences

GNU Emacs logo GNU Emacs

GNU Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor—and more.

OpenSilver logo OpenSilver

Open-source re-implementation of Silverlight on modern browsers using WebAssembly.
  • GNU Emacs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-19
  • OpenSilver Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-18

GNU Emacs features and specs

  • Highly Extensible
    GNU Emacs is highly customizable, allowing users to configure nearly every aspect using Emacs Lisp. This makes it remarkably adaptable for various workflows.
  • Rich Plugin Ecosystem
    There is a wide array of plugins available for Emacs, extending its functionality for programming, text editing, project management, and more.
  • Versatile
    Aside from text editing, Emacs can function as an email client, web browser, terminal emulator, and more, making it a powerful multi-purpose tool.
  • Free and Open Source
    GNU Emacs is free to use and modify, with source code available under the GNU General Public License, encouraging collaborative improvement and transparency.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Emacs runs on many different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and various Unix-like systems, ensuring a wide reach and consistent experience across platforms.

Possible disadvantages of GNU Emacs

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its vast array of features and unique keybindings, new users often find Emacs difficult to learn initially.
  • Performance
    Emacs can be slower compared to more lightweight text editors, especially when heavily customized or handling large files.
  • Keyboard-Centric Interface
    Emacs relies heavily on keyboard shortcuts, which can be overwhelming and complex, leading to potential finger strain from extensive use.
  • Complex Configuration
    While its customizability is a strength, configuring Emacs to fit personal needs can be time-consuming and complex, requiring knowledge of Emacs Lisp.

OpenSilver features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    OpenSilver enables developers to create applications that run on multiple platforms, including web browsers, by leveraging WebAssembly, which enhances the reach and accessibility of applications originally written in Silverlight.
  • Silverlight Code Reusability
    Since OpenSilver supports C# and XAML, much of the existing Silverlight code can be reused, minimizing migration efforts and reducing time and costs associated with redevelopment.
  • WebAssembly Based Performance
    By utilizing WebAssembly, OpenSilver applications can achieve near-native performance, leading to efficient and responsive user experiences in web applications.
  • Open Source Flexibility
    As an open-source project, OpenSilver offers developers the ability to contribute to and modify the platform, fostering a community-driven environment and encouraging innovation.
  • Integration with Modern Web Technologies
    OpenSilver allows integration with modern web technologies and frameworks, enabling developers to enhance applications with contemporary features and functionalities.

Possible disadvantages of OpenSilver

  • Incomplete Feature Support
    Not all of Silverlight's features are fully supported in OpenSilver, which might necessitate additional workarounds or re-implementations for complex applications.
  • Learning Curve for Migration
    Developers familiar with Silverlight may need to learn new patterns and practices related to web development and WebAssembly when transitioning to OpenSilver.
  • Browser Compatibility
    While WebAssembly aims to be universally compatible, some differences in performance and behavior might occur across various browsers, potentially requiring additional testing and optimization.
  • Community and Support Maturity
    As a relatively new and open-source project, OpenSilver might have a less mature support ecosystem compared to more established platforms, impacting the availability of resources and community support.
  • Dependency on WebAssembly
    OpenSilver's reliance on WebAssembly means that any limitations or ongoing development challenges associated with WebAssembly could directly impact the capabilities and performance of OpenSilver applications.

Analysis of GNU Emacs

Overall verdict

  • GNU Emacs is widely considered to be a powerful and versatile text editor, especially among programmers and developers.

Why this product is good

  • Highly Customizable: Emacs can be extensively customized with Emacs Lisp, enabling users to tailor the editor to fit their specific workflow.
  • Rich Ecosystem: There is a large variety of plug-ins and extensions available, which can transform it into much more than just a text editor.
  • Built-in Tools: Emacs includes numerous built-in tools such as a debugger, calendar, email client, and file manager, making it a comprehensive development environment.
  • Cross-Platform: Emacs runs on multiple platforms, which makes it accessible to a broad audience.

Recommended for

  • Programmers and developers who appreciate a customizable and extensible tool.
  • Users who want to integrate various development tools into a single environment.
  • Individuals comfortable with learning Emacs Lisp to create and understand custom scripts and configurations.
  • People interested in a text editor that has a strong and supportive community.

GNU Emacs videos

Switching to GNU Emacs

OpenSilver videos

No OpenSilver videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GNU Emacs and OpenSilver)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Online Services
0 0%
100% 100
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Product Presentation
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using GNU Emacs and OpenSilver. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GNU Emacs and OpenSilver

GNU Emacs Reviews

14 BEST LaTeX Editor for Mac & Windows in 2022
Emacs is a Unix based text editor tool which is used by programmers, engineers, students, and system administrators. It is one of the best LaTeX editor for Mac that allows you to add, modify, delete, insert, words, letters, lines, and other units of text.
Source: www.guru99.com
The Top 7 Notepad++ Alternatives for You
Emacs has been around in its various forms since 1976 and is another very worthy Notepad++ alternative. When I first started using Emacs I have to admit that I didn’t find it the easiest to use. But once I got used to it I realized just how powerful Emacs is for the programming community.
10 Best Notepad++ Alternatives in 2020
Emacs is a Unix based text editor tool which is used by programmers, engineers, students, and system administrators. It allows you to add, modify, delete, insert, words, letters, lines, and other units of text.
Source: www.guru99.com
7 open source alternatives to Dreamweaver
Vim or Emacs. Without participating in the holy war between these two traditional text editors, I can safely say that there are a number of enhancements for web editing available for both. So if you're already a terminal junkie, take your pick. Or, if those don't satisfy, try one of these Emacs/Vim alternatives.
Source: opensource.com
10 Best Sublime Text Alternatives in 2019
Emacs is a Unix based text editor tool which is used by programmers, engineers, students, and system administrators. It allows you to add, modify, delete, insert, words, letters, lines, and other units of text.
Source: www.guru99.com

OpenSilver Reviews

We have no reviews of OpenSilver yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenSilver should be more popular than GNU Emacs. It has been mentiond 13 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GNU Emacs mentions (6)

  • Emacs daemon as sytemd service in debian 12 (gnome)
    Cat .config/systemd/user/default.target.wants/emacs.service [Unit] Description=Emacs text editor Documentation=info:emacs man:emacs(1) https://gnu.org/software/emacs/ [Service] Type=notify ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/emacs --fg-daemon # Emacs will exit with status 15 after having received SIGTERM, which # is the default "KillSignal" value systemd uses to stop services. SuccessExitStatus=15 # The location of the... Source: about 3 years ago
  • Why does emacs exec path variable not just copy the users path variable?
    ## If your Emacs is installed in a non-standard location, you may need ## to copy this file to a standard directory, eg ~/.config/systemd/user/ . ## If you install this file by hand, change the "Exec" lines below ## to use absolute file names for the executables. [Unit] Description=Emacs text editor Documentation=info:emacs man:emacs(1)... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Hi DM's, what medium do you use to organise your campaign?
    For gathering notes, writing and organizing, Org-Roam which implies Org and Emacs. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • This Guy is getting out of control at this point.
    I was heading to gnu.org/software/emacs to prove my point and it said:. Source: almost 5 years ago
  • opam doesn't see emacs?
    <><> Version-specific details <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 🐫 Version 1 Repository default Homepage: "http://gnu.org/software/emacs" Bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/opam-repository/issues" Authors: "anil@recoil.org" Maintainer: "anil@recoil.org" License: "GPL-1.0-or-later" Flags: conf Synopsis Virtual package to install the Emacs editor Description This... Source: almost 5 years ago
View more

OpenSilver mentions (13)

  • Show HN: Browser-based .NET IDE with visual designer, NuGet packages, code share
    - XAML autocompletion, AI error fixing, split editor views The visual designer is the differentiator: 100+ drag-and-drop controls for building UIs. But the NuGet and sharing features work even if you ignore the designer entirely and just write C# code. XAML.io is currently in tech preview. It's built on OpenSilver (https://opensilver.net), a from-scratch reimplementation of the WPF API (subset) using modern .NET,... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • .NET MAUI Is Coming to Linux and the Browser, Powered by Avalonia
    Beside already mentioned, there is OpenSilver[1]. Supports Silvelight and WPF. Renders to DOM+WASM. They are also planning support for MAUI. [1] https://opensilver.net/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Revisiting WASM for F#
    I would also say that IF blazor worked on a browser plugin like silverlight did, today that's not the case it is built on the webassembly standard which and it is being adopted in the browsers which means once it gets on the web, it is unlikely to ever go out again. Even if Microsoft themselves leave Blazor today, it can still work, the burden of creating a fork and keeping blazor alive will certainly be big but... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Seeking Advice on Product Positioning for new .NET-based SDK/Framework
    Under the Hood: Technically, XR# integrates Three.js, A-Frame.js, and the Microsoft .NET to WASM compiler (like in Blazor). It’s built on our decade-long experience with OpenSilver, a contemporary Silverlight alternative. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • WASI: A New Kind of System Interface
    Nah, I appreciate the wonderfull work of those WebAssembly people that allowed me to have Java applets, Flash and Silverligh running again in the browser. https://leaningtech.com/cheerpj/ https://leaningtech.com/cheerpx-for-flash/ https://opensilver.net/ Thanks for making the revenge of plugins a reality. - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GNU Emacs and OpenSilver, you can also consider the following products

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Flash Player 2021 - Want to fix "This plugin is not supported" and "Adobe Flash Player is blocked" error messages? This extension will remove those messages and allow you to play Flash in any website with a single click.

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

SuperNova Player - SuperNova Player allows systems to play .SWF files in a standalone player launched from any browser.

Vim - Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

X (Twitter) - Connect with your friends and other fascinating people. Get in-the-moment updates on the things that interest you. And watch events unfold, in real time, from every angle.