EditorConfig

EditorConfig is a project and file format designed to help maintain consistent coding styles across different editors and IDEs. By placing a small configuration file named .editorconfig in the root of a project, developers can specify formatting and editing preferences that compatible editors apply automatically when files are opened or saved. The initiative behind EditorConfig aims to provide a common baseline for cross-project consistency.

The configuration file uses an INI-like syntax. It consists of sections defined by file glob patterns in square brackets, with key-value pairs beneath them. A typical file may start with root = true to stop searching parent directories, followed by a section such as [*] for all files and more specific sections like [*.py] for particular languages. Common keys include indent_style (space or tab), indent_size (number), tab_width (number), end_of_line (lf, crlf, or cr), charset (utf-8, latin1, etc.), insert_final_http_newline (true or false), and trim_trailing_whitespace (true or false). Editor support varies, and editors may implement additional keys beyond the standard set.

A typical .editorconfig example:

root = true

[*]

charset = utf-8

end_of_line = lf

insert_final_newline = true

trim_trailing_whitespace = true

[*.py]

indent_style = space

indent_size = 4

EditorConfig relies on editor support to enforce these settings. It is editor-agnostic and not a linter or formatter; it does not reflow code on its own. The project is maintained by the EditorConfig Initiative and is widely adopted across languages. It is supported by many editors and IDEs, often through built-in features or plugins, and is described on editorconfig.org.