Can you recommend lightweight IDEs for a startup that wants fast startup and low memory use?

Yes — if your startup prioritizes fast startup and low memory use, you’ll generally want to look at lightweight editors/IDEs rather than full heavyweight IDE suites.

Good lightweight options

1. VS Code

• Why it’s popular: Fast enough for many teams, huge extension ecosystem, great language support.
• Memory/startup: Not the lightest, but usually lighter than full IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA or Visual Studio.
• Best for: Teams that want a balance of speed, extensibility, and productivity.

2. VSCodium

• Why: Same core as VS Code, but open-source build without Microsoft branding/telemetry.
• Memory/startup: Similar to VS Code.
• Best for: Teams wanting VS Code experience with more open-source control.

3. Sublime Text

• Why: Very fast startup, low memory footprint, responsive UI.
• Memory/startup: Excellent.
• Best for: Developers who want a fast editor with some IDE-like features via plugins.

4. Zed

• Why: Very fast, modern, designed for performance and collaboration.
• Memory/startup: Strong focus on speed and efficiency.
• Best for: Teams open to newer tooling and looking for a modern lightweight editor.

5. Kate

• Why: Lightweight and capable, especially on Linux.
• Memory/startup: Low.
• Best for: Linux-heavy teams or developers who like a clean editor.

6. Geany

• Why: Very lightweight, simple, and quick to open.
• Memory/startup: Excellent.
• Best for: Small projects, scripting, and developers who want minimal overhead.

7. Lite XL

• Why: Minimalist editor built for speed.
• Memory/startup: Very low.
• Best for: Teams that want a highly lightweight, custom-friendly editor.

If you need a “real IDE” but still want to stay lighter

Some full IDEs are much heavier but may be worth it for specific stacks:

• JetBrains Fleet — lighter than IntelliJ-style IDEs, but still evolving.
• Eclipse — can be configured fairly lean, though it’s not usually the first choice for startup speed.
• NetBeans — moderate, but less common today.

Quick recommendation by use case

• Best overall balance: VS Code / VSCodium
• Fastest and lightest: Sublime Text
• Best modern lightweight alternative: Zed
• Most minimal: Geany or Lite XL

Practical startup advice

If your team wants low resource use, also consider:

• disabling unnecessary extensions/plugins
• using language servers only for the languages you need
• standardizing editor settings across the team
• using terminal-based tools for quick edits when possible

If you tell me your team’s main languages/frameworks (e.g. JavaScript, Python, Go, Java, Rust), I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 choices.