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Code editors: star history compared

Most starred

195k

microsoft/vscode

VS Code is the biggest open-source editor project ever measured by stars, but the more interesting lines are underneath it: Neovim decisively outgrowing the Vim it forked from, Helix proving a modal editor can be born modern, and Zed converting years of anticipation into one of the sharpest launch spikes in the category's history.

Ranked by current GitHub stars · growth = stars gained in the trailing 90 days · data updated Nov 2026

Code editors — star history
195k STARS12 YR 9 MOmicrosoft/vscode195kneovim/neovim104kzed-industries/zed95khelix-editor/helix47kvim/vim41k

microsoft/vscode: 195,368 stars on November 14, 2026. neovim/neovim: 103,623 stars on November 14, 2026. zed-industries/zed: 94,972 stars on November 13, 2026. helix-editor/helix: 46,888 stars on November 13, 2026. vim/vim: 41,318 stars on November 13, 2026.

Star history for microsoft/vscode
DateStars
September 11, 20151
January 4, 20168098
February 23, 20169337
April 14, 201610996
June 3, 201612898
July 23, 201614138
September 12, 201615267
November 1, 201616748
December 21, 201618349
February 10, 201720001
April 11, 201722862
May 31, 201725186
July 21, 201727255
September 9, 201729436
October 29, 201732681
December 19, 201736229
February 7, 201839014
March 29, 201841949
May 19, 201845122
July 8, 201849036
August 27, 201852203
October 17, 201855956
December 6, 201858910
January 25, 201961581
March 17, 201964950
May 6, 201968190
June 25, 201971695
August 15, 201974200
October 4, 201976721
November 23, 201979816
January 23, 202083008
March 13, 202085177
May 2, 202087813
June 22, 202090734
August 11, 202093474
September 30, 202096042
November 20, 202098526
January 9, 2021100982
February 28, 2021103653
April 20, 2021106617
June 9, 2021108795
July 30, 2021111211
September 18, 2021113465
November 7, 2021115663
December 28, 2021117805
February 16, 2022119990
April 7, 2022122177
May 28, 2022124571
July 17, 2022126758
September 5, 2022128853
November 5, 2022131443
December 25, 2022133431
February 13, 2023135409
April 5, 2023137589
May 25, 2023139746
July 14, 2023141629
September 3, 2023144065
October 23, 2023145897
December 12, 2023147755
February 1, 2024149530
March 22, 2024151500
May 11, 2024153204
July 1, 2024154863
August 20, 2024156604
October 9, 2024158443
November 29, 2024160248
January 18, 2025161958
March 9, 2025164230
April 29, 2025166582
June 18, 2025169821
August 17, 2025172285
October 7, 2025174104
November 26, 2025176015
January 15, 2026177928
March 7, 2026179905
April 26, 2026182320
June 15, 2026184682
August 5, 2026187158
September 24, 2026191956
November 14, 2026195368
Star history for neovim/neovim
DateStars
February 21, 20141107
April 20, 20145928
June 17, 20146988
August 14, 20147592
October 12, 20148363
December 9, 20149105
February 5, 20159796
April 4, 201510572
June 2, 201511306
July 30, 201512060
October 8, 201512853
December 5, 201513834
February 1, 201614468
March 31, 201615259
May 28, 201616039
July 25, 201616580
September 21, 201617197
November 19, 201617741
January 16, 201718323
March 15, 201718966
May 12, 201719761
July 10, 201720287
September 6, 201720906
November 3, 201721568
December 31, 201722303
February 28, 201822919
April 27, 201823619
June 24, 201824364
August 21, 201824975
October 19, 201825606
December 28, 201826312
February 24, 201926950
April 23, 201927796
June 20, 201928545
August 18, 201929304
October 15, 201930235
December 12, 201931021
February 8, 202031747
April 7, 202032592
June 4, 202033544
August 1, 202034380
September 28, 202035266
November 26, 202036296
January 23, 202137484
March 22, 202138623
May 19, 202140034
July 17, 202141706
September 13, 202143071
November 10, 202144390
January 7, 202245894
March 18, 202247635
May 16, 202249464
July 13, 202251475
September 9, 202253322
November 6, 202255117
January 4, 202356796
March 3, 202358767
April 30, 202361085
June 27, 202362831
August 25, 202364742
October 22, 202366497
December 19, 202368273
February 15, 202470394
April 14, 202472859
June 11, 202475765
August 8, 202477581
October 5, 202479385
December 3, 202481085
January 30, 202583092
March 29, 202585395
June 7, 202587849
August 4, 202589548
October 2, 202591276
November 29, 202592934
January 26, 202694488
March 25, 202696180
May 23, 202698820
July 20, 2026100494
September 16, 2026101969
November 14, 2026103623
Star history for zed-industries/zed
DateStars
September 22, 20211
February 2, 202416794
February 15, 202420131
February 28, 202424178
March 12, 202425986
March 25, 202426886
April 7, 202427567
April 20, 202429342
May 2, 202430230
May 15, 202431495
May 31, 202432454
June 13, 202433237
June 26, 202435886
July 8, 202436654
July 21, 202438900
August 3, 202439841
August 16, 202440598
August 29, 202442447
September 11, 202443406
September 24, 202444086
October 6, 202444645
October 19, 202445270
November 1, 202445967
November 14, 202446765
November 27, 202447521
December 10, 202448122
December 23, 202448609
January 5, 202549420
January 17, 202550031
January 30, 202550617
February 15, 202551375
February 28, 202551991
March 12, 202552531
March 25, 202553313
April 7, 202553898
April 20, 202554507
May 3, 202555250
May 16, 202557163
May 29, 202557990
June 11, 202558632
June 23, 202559242
July 6, 202559677
July 19, 202560215
August 1, 202560815
August 14, 202561444
August 27, 202562203
September 9, 202563072
September 22, 202563919
October 4, 202564478
October 17, 202565531
November 2, 202566877
November 15, 202567735
November 27, 202568490
December 10, 202569218
December 23, 202570010
January 5, 202670705
January 18, 202671672
January 31, 202672570
February 13, 202673482
February 26, 202674297
March 10, 202675159
March 23, 202676132
April 5, 202677014
April 18, 202677901
May 1, 202679782
May 14, 202681454
May 27, 202682661
June 8, 202683613
June 21, 202684586
July 4, 202685423
July 20, 202686339
August 2, 202687060
August 14, 202687849
August 27, 202688662
September 9, 202689446
September 22, 202690229
October 5, 202690948
October 18, 202691638
October 31, 202692317
November 13, 202694972
Star history for helix-editor/helix
DateStars
May 4, 20211
June 22, 20212543
July 18, 20212737
August 15, 20212985
September 9, 20213227
October 4, 20213316
October 29, 20213439
November 23, 20213876
December 18, 20214449
January 12, 20224692
February 12, 20225121
March 9, 20225361
April 3, 20226183
April 28, 20227740
May 22, 20228123
June 16, 20229090
July 11, 20229614
August 5, 202210051
August 30, 202210488
September 24, 202211737
October 19, 202213867
November 13, 202214903
December 8, 202215616
January 2, 202316253
January 27, 202317115
February 21, 202317746
March 18, 202318473
April 11, 202319565
May 6, 202320161
May 31, 202320850
June 30, 202321705
July 25, 202322136
August 19, 202322648
September 13, 202323125
October 8, 202323567
November 2, 202324312
November 27, 202324919
December 22, 202325378
January 16, 202425851
February 10, 202426526
March 5, 202427100
March 30, 202427604
April 24, 202428504
May 19, 202428878
June 13, 202429389
July 8, 202429789
August 2, 202430529
August 27, 202430977
September 21, 202431537
October 16, 202432012
November 15, 202432470
December 10, 202432884
January 4, 202533416
January 28, 202534192
February 22, 202534800
March 19, 202535306
April 13, 202535740
May 8, 202536151
June 2, 202536707
June 27, 202537099
July 22, 202537848
August 16, 202538368
September 10, 202538857
October 5, 202539204
October 30, 202539905
November 24, 202540590
December 18, 202541065
January 12, 202641566
February 6, 202642031
March 3, 202642431
April 2, 202643090
April 27, 202643547
May 22, 202643960
June 16, 202644434
July 11, 202644924
August 5, 202645405
August 30, 202645791
September 24, 202646152
October 19, 202646544
November 13, 202646888
Star history for vim/vim
DateStars
August 18, 2015142
October 8, 20151748
November 28, 20152120
January 20, 20162487
March 11, 20162881
May 2, 20163976
June 23, 20164304
August 13, 20164630
October 4, 20166312
November 24, 20166733
January 25, 20177197
March 18, 20177574
May 8, 20177950
June 29, 20178314
August 19, 20178681
October 9, 20179088
November 30, 20179661
January 20, 201810131
March 13, 201810638
May 3, 201811161
June 23, 201811713
August 14, 201812256
October 4, 201812779
November 24, 201813227
January 15, 201913752
March 7, 201914301
April 28, 201914895
June 18, 201915503
August 8, 201915986
September 29, 201916423
November 29, 201916911
January 20, 202017471
March 11, 202017895
May 2, 202018406
June 22, 202018930
August 12, 202019392
October 3, 202019889
November 23, 202020392
January 13, 202120852
March 6, 202121402
April 26, 202121886
June 17, 202122412
August 7, 202122822
September 27, 202123206
November 18, 202123634
January 8, 202224205
February 28, 202224765
April 21, 202225293
June 11, 202225718
August 2, 202226575
October 2, 202227057
November 23, 202227481
January 13, 202327897
March 5, 202328311
April 26, 202328725
June 16, 202329154
August 7, 202330217
September 27, 202331557
November 17, 202332109
January 8, 202432614
February 28, 202433146
April 19, 202433662
June 10, 202434163
July 31, 202434594
September 21, 202435057
November 11, 202435572
January 1, 202536047
February 22, 202536539
April 14, 202537022
June 4, 202537447
August 5, 202537879
September 25, 202538250
November 16, 202538646
January 7, 202639022
February 28, 202639428
April 20, 202639845
June 10, 202640171
August 2, 202640463
September 22, 202640797
November 13, 202641318

How each series was read

  • microsoft/vscode

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • neovim/neovim

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • zed-industries/zed

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • helix-editor/helix

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • vim/vim

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

Ranking

5 repositories

Code editors ranked by current total GitHub stars
#RepositoryStars+90dFirst starHealth
1microsoft/vscode195,368~7.8k2015debt charts
2neovim/neovim103,623~2.5k2014debt charts
3zed-industries/zed95,005~7.1k2021debt charts
4helix-editor/helix46,890~1.3k2021debt charts
5vim/vim41,321~7922015debt charts

Repository health compared

Live analysis · unavailable data stays labelled

Popularity is only one axis. Compare technical scale, maintenance cadence, ownership resilience and change pressure against the same completed analysis that sits behind each report.

Reach

Popularity and real-world adoption

Signalmicrosoft/vscodeneovim/neovimzed-industries/zedhelix-editor/helixvim/vim
GitHub starsCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Best result in this row: 195,368103,62395,00546,89041,321
Stars gained · trailing 90dChange in the newest 90 days covered by each cached series.Best result in this row: +7,779+2,530+7,123+1,345+792
ForksCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Largest package audienceLargest resolved registry total; sources are shown explicitly.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Repository ageElapsed years since the GitHub creation timestamp.11 years13 years5.7 years6.5 years11 years

Codebase

Size and technical center of gravity

Signalmicrosoft/vscodeneovim/neovimzed-industries/zedhelix-editor/helixvim/vim
Dominant languageLargest share of analyzed code lines at current HEAD.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Code linesAnalyzed source lines at current HEAD, excluding blanks and comments.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Languages representedLanguages with non-zero files or line counts.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Maintenance

Commit volume and recent operating cadence

Signalmicrosoft/vscodeneovim/neovimzed-industries/zedhelix-editor/helixvim/vim
Repository commitsFull repository commit total reported by the analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Commits · trailing 90dCommit count in the newest 90 days covered by the repository analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Ownership

How broadly maintenance responsibility is distributed

Signalmicrosoft/vscodeneovim/neovimzed-industries/zedhelix-editor/helixvim/vim
Bus factorFewest analyzed contributors carrying at least half the commits.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Top contributor concentrationShare of attributed commits carried by the most active contributor.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Change signals

Debt markers and fix pressure in frequently changed files

Signalmicrosoft/vscodeneovim/neovimzed-industries/zedhelix-editor/helixvim/vim
Fix-labelled share · frequently changed filesFix-labelled commits divided by commits across the analyzed high-frequency file set.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Recent TODO/FIXME movementLatest cumulative marker count and its change over the trailing 90 days.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Head to head

open in the builder

Frequently asked

Which of these code editors has the most GitHub stars?

microsoft/vscode is the most-starred of the code editors gitdebt compares, with 195,368 GitHub stars as of Nov 2026. It earned its first star in 2015.

Which of these code editors is growing the fastest?

microsoft/vscode added the most stars over the last 90 days of its cached history — about 7,779 new stars. 90-day figures are approximate for older repos, whose history is downsampled.

How is this comparison computed?

The table ranks public repository metadata by current total stars. Each curve is that repository's stored star series — read from GitHub's own star history, or from an older stargazer-list or historical-data read until gitdebt reads it again — drawn on shared axes, with trailing 90-day growth estimated from it. The legend under the chart names each series' own source and coverage date. Repo-health charts come independently from each repository's commit history.

Related categories

all categories

Fastest-growing repos across all of gitdebt