Software Alternatives & Startups

GNU Emacs VS Shutter

Compare GNU Emacs VS Shutter and see what are their differences

GNU Emacs

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

GNU Emacs Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Shutter

Shutter is a feature-rich screenshot program.

Shutter Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Shutter might be a bit more popular than GNU Emacs. We know about 7 links to it since March 2021 and only 6 links to GNU Emacs.

social mentions
6 vs 7
Text Editors popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 203

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

GNU Emacs
Shutter
Website gnu.org shutter-project.org
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

GNU Emacs 5 features
Shutter 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Comprehensive Screenshot Options
    Shutter provides a wide variety of screenshot options including full screen, window, selection, and even web page capturing, making it versatile for different user needs.
  • Built-in Editor
    The built-in editor allows users to add annotations, shapes, and text to screenshots directly within Shutter, reducing the need for additional software.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Shutter features an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and utilize its functions efficiently.
  • Plugin Support
    Shutter supports various plugins to extend its functionality, such as uploading screenshots to image hosting sites or integrating with other software.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Shutter is available for multiple Linux distributions, making it accessible for a large number of Linux users.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited to Linux
    Shutter is only available for Linux platforms, which excludes users on Windows and macOS from using the software.
  • Outdated Dependencies
    Some users have reported issues with outdated dependencies, which can cause compatibility problems with newer Linux distributions.
  • Development Stagnation
    The development of Shutter has slowed down in recent years, leading to fewer updates and potentially lacking some modern features that users might expect.
  • Installation Complexity
    Installing Shutter on certain Linux distributions can be complex and may require the user to manually resolve dependencies or add third-party repositories.
  • Heavy Resource Usage
    Shutter can be resource-intensive compared to other lightweight screenshot tools, which might affect performance on older or less powerful systems.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

GNU Emacs
Shutter

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.

Overall verdict

  • Good

Why this product is good

  • Shutter is a feature-rich screenshot tool that provides a variety of options for capturing images, such as full screen, specific windows, or custom selections. It also includes an integrated editor for annotating screenshots, which can be handy for creating instructional content. Its user-friendly interface and ability to handle file uploads make it a practical choice for many users.

Recommended for

    Shutter is recommended for users who need a versatile screenshot tool with editing capabilities, especially those creating tutorials, guides, or any visual content that requires annotations. It's also suitable for those who prefer an open-source solution available on Linux platforms.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

GNU Emacs 1 video + Add
Shutter 3 videos + Add

Switching to GNU Emacs

Shutter - Modern Horror Season Review | GizmoCh

More videos

  • Review - Yoyofactory Shutter Review
  • Review - Shutter (2008) Movie Review

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
GNU Emacs
Shutter
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
IDE
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using GNU Emacs and Shutter. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

GNU Emacs no reviews yet
Shutter no reviews yet
  • 14 BEST LaTeX Editor for Mac & Windows in 2022
    www.guru99.com · Sep 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,...

  • The Top 7 Notepad++ Alternatives for You
    www.technize.com · Nov 2020

    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...

  • 10 Best Notepad++ Alternatives in 2020
    www.guru99.com · Nov 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.

View more

  • Top 13 Free Snagit Alternatives For 2021
    screenrec.com · Dec 2020

    Hey, Ubuntu /Linux users! Have we got an app for you! Shutter swings in to attempt to help you capture your computer screen. If you’re looking for a simple Linux screenshot tool , this could be it.

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

GNU Emacs 6 mentions
Shutter 7 mentions
  • 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 #... 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... 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

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  • What is the name of the default screenshot tool in PopOS?
    Hey I use "shutter" https://shutter-project.org/ which has a nice blur option. Source: over 3 years ago
  • ShareX alternative for Linux?
    I also used Flameshot and Shutter. Shutter was very feature rich, and I think it's the closest in terms of having the same workflow actions as ShareX -- I don't think it fully supports Wayland yet though and has a TON of dependencies.... Source: over 3 years ago
  • A app to take long/scrolling screenshots?
    Maybe look into Shutter but it can only screenshot scrolling webpages no any other windows. Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to GNU Emacs and Shutter

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