Emac Text Editor For Mac

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Best Video Software for the Mac How To Run MacOS High Sierra or Another OS on Your Mac Best Graphic Design Software the Mac Stay Safe with Best. GNU Emacs text editor. Free Publisher: David. Simple code editor for Fortran? Discussion in 'Mac Programming' started by Spanky Deluxe, Apr 23, 2008. TextWrangler, my favourite all-purpose, free text editor, supports Fortran colour coding, I think. Should use vim. Or emacs if you prefer. Syntax highlighting, line numbering, powerful edit functionality, and free to boot. Emac is the text editor you could access if you have an operating system with command line interface (CLI). That means it’s a text editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, and it is free. That means it’s a text editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, and it is free.

Active3 months ago

I searched for this and found Maudite's question about text editors but they were all for Windows.

As you have no doubt guessed, I am trying to find out if there are any text/code editors for the Mac besides what I know of. I'll edit my post to include editors listed.

Free

  1. Aquamacs and closer to the original EMacs
  2. TextMate2 - GPL

Free Text Editor For Mac Os X

Commercial

Articles related to the subject

Thank you everybody that has added suggestions.


closed as not constructive by Bo Persson, Flexo♦, casperOneApr 2 '12 at 19:34

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39 Answers

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I haven't used it myself, but another free one that I've heard good thing about is Smultron.

In my own research on this, I found this interesting article:Faceoff: Which Is The Best Mac Text Editor Ever?


I thought TextMate was everyone's favourite. I haven't met a programmer using a Mac who is not using TextMate.


  • Emacs
  • Vim

But I use TextMate, and can say that it is, without a doubt, worth every penny I paid for it.


Sublime text is awesome (http://www.sublimetext.com/2). Excellent search features, very fast and lightweight. Very decent code completion.

I also use RubyMine and WebStorm a lot (http://www.jetbrains.com/). They are excellent but not all purpose like TextMate.



I've tried Komodo out a bit, and I really like it so far. Aptana, an Eclipse variant, is also rather useful for a wide variety of things. There's always good ole' VI, too!


If you ever plan on making a serious effort at learning Emacs, immediately forget about Aquamacs. It tries to twist and bend Emacs into something it's not (a super-native OS X app). That might sound well and all, but once you realize that it completely breaks nearly every standard keybinding and behavior of Emacs, you begin to wonder why you aren't just using TextEdit or TextMate.

Carbon Emacs is a good Emacs application for OS X. It is as close as you'll get to GNU Emacs without compiling for yourself. It fits in well enough with the operating system, but at the same time, is the wonderful Emacs we all know and love. Currently it requires Leopard with the latest release, but most people have upgraded by now anyway. You can fetch it here.

Alternatively, if you want to use Vim on OS X, I've heard good things about MacVim.

Beyond those, there are the obvious TextEdit, TextMate, etc line of editors. They work for some people, but most 'advanced' users I know (myself included) hate touching them with anything shorter than a 15ft pole.


Emac Text Editor For Mac

CotEditor is a Cocoa-based open source text editor. It is popular in Japan.


Best open source one is Smultron in my opinion, but it doesn't a torch to TextMate.


There's a new kid on the block - PHPStorm. I used it for a whole year. Its not free but offers an individual license of 49$ for a year, free for Open Source Developers.

  • Speedy for an IDE - Its based on Java so looks somewhat like Eclipse/Netbeans but smokes them to dust in terms of speed (not as fast as Coda/Textmate as this is an IDE).
  • Keyboard shortcuts galore - I seldom touched the mouse while developing using PHPStorm (that's what I didn't like about Coda)
  • Subversion support built-in - Didn't need to touch Versions or any other SVN client on Mac
  • Supports snippets, templates - zen-coding is supported as well
  • Supports projects, though in separate windows
  • File search, code search
  • code completion, supports PHPDoc code completion too

  • BBEdit makes all other editors look like Notepad.

It handles gigantic files with ease; most text editors (TextMate especially) slow down to a dead crawl or just crash when presented with a large file.

The regexp and multiple-file Find dialogs beat anything else for usability.

The clippings system works like magic, and has selection, indentation, placeholder, and insertion point tags, it's not just dumb text.

BBEdit is heavily AppleScriptable. Everything can be scripted.

In 9.0, BBEdit has code completion, projects, and a ton of other improvements.

I primarily use it for HTML, CSS, JS, and Python, where it's extremely strong. Some more obscure languages are not as well-supported in it, but for most purposes it's fantastic.

The only devs I know who like TextMate are Ruby fans. I really do not get the appeal, it's marginally better than TextWrangler (BBEdit's free little brother), but if you're spending money, you may as well buy the better tool for a few dollars more.

  • jEdit does have the virtue of being cross-platform. It's not nearly as good as BBEdit, but it's a competent programmer's editor. If you're ever faced with a Windows or Linux system, it's handy to have one tool you know that works.

  • Vim is fine if you have to work over ssh and the remote system or your computer can't do X11. I used to love Vim for the ease of editing large files and doing repeated commands. But these days, it's a no-vote for me, with the annoyance of the non-standard search & replace (using (foo) groups instead of (foo), etc.), painfully bad multi-document handling, lack of a project/disk browser view, lack of AppleScript, and bizarre mouse handling in the GVim version.


jEdit runs on OS X, being Java-based. It's somewhat similar to TextMate, I think.

Editra looks interesting, but I've not tried it myself.


TextMate not for 'advanced programmers'. That does not make sense, TextMate contains everything an 'advanced programmer' would want. It allows them to define a bundle that allows them to quickly set up the way they want their source code formatted, or one that follows the project guidelines, quick easy access to create entire structures and classes based on typing part of a construct and hitting tab.

TextMate is my tool of choice, it is fast, lightweight and yet contains all of the features I would want in a tool to program with. While it is not tightly integrated in Xcode, that is not a problem for me as I don't write software for Mac OS X. I write software for FreeBSD.


Definitely BBEdit. I code, and BBEdit is what I use to code.


You might consider one of the classics - they're both free, extensible and have large user bases that extend beyond the Mac:

  • Aquamacs - emacs for OS X (emacs in a shell window is also an option)
  • Mac Vim - VI with a Mac-specific GUI (vim in a shell window is also an option)

I prefer an old-school editing setup. I use command-line vim embedded in a GNU Screen 'window' inside of iTerm.

This may not integrate well with XCode, but I think it works great for developing and using command-line programs. If you spend any significant time working in a terminal, GNU Screen is worth the 30 minutes it takes to master the basic terminal multiplexing concepts.


Coda's great for PHP/ASP/HTML style development. Great interface, multiple-file search and replace with regexp support, slick FTP/SFTP/etc integration for browsing and editing remote files, SVN integration, etc.

It now supports plugins and the plugin editor can import TextMate bundles, so there's a bright future there. There aren't a lot of must-have plugins yet because the plugin support was newly introduced with version 1.6 a few months back. It's a popular app, though, so I expect more in the future.

The 'killer features' for me are:* Seamless editing of remote files* Code navigator (symbol browser; pane that lists functions etc)

Most people aren't really into using symbol browsers but as I have to maintain a lot of unfamiliar code I find them invaluable.

I'm not sure that Coda has the 'raw power' of TextMate though. I plan on getting familiar with TextMate next.


I make use of Komodo IDE. It supports a huge number of languages, and is customisable but is a bit expensive (my company bought me a copy). A really good alternative is the free version called Komodo Edit. Loads really quickly and has a decent feature list and I find myself turning to it rather than the full IDE for a lot of jobs.



I actually prefer EditRocket over TextMate. I use it on both my Mac and Ubuntu machines. It is nice to use the same editor on multiple operating systems.


Textmate is state of the Art editor, but if someone is thinking about developing on several platforms without awkward memory eaters monsters like jedit, eclipse, netbeans etc take a look at geany (geany.org). It is free. The only problem the editor has not esthetic look and feel on Mac OS X :)


Fraise is a nice free option. It has some rough edges, but you can't beat the price. I believe it's a fork or successor of Smultron.




I use Eclipse as my primary editor (for Python) but I always keep SubEthaEdit handy as my supplemental text editor (free trial, 30 euros to license). It's not super-complicated but it does what I need.


Another vote for Smultron. I used it when doing some XQuery programming and being able to define a keyword files for syntax color highlighting was great.


I have installed both Smultron and Textwrangler, but find myself using Smultron most of the time.


I would love to use a different editor than XCode for coding, but I feel, that no other editor integrates tightly enough with it to be really worthwhile.
However, given some time, TextMate might eventually get to that point. At the moment though, it primarily lacks debugging features and refactoring.

For everything that does not need XCode, I love TextMate. If I had another Mac-user in my workgroup I would probably consider SubEthaEdit for its collaboration features. If it is Emacs you want, I would recommend Aquamacs (more Mac-like) or Carbon Emacs (more GNU-Emacs-like)


I've been using BBEdit for years. It's rock-solid, fast, and integrates into my Xcode workflow decently well. (I'm not sure anything integrates into Xcode as well as the built-in editor, but who has time to wait for the built-in editor?)

For small team projects which don't use a source control system, or for single user editing on multiple machines, SubEthaEdit comes highly recommended.


Eclipse and Netbeans have text editors among a whole lot of other stuff. I don't think you would want to wait 10 seconds for your text editor to become ready :/...If you are going to spend some serious time coding then spend some time and learn to use vim (emacs too but, I recommend vim)


Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged macoseditor or ask your own question.

We have evaluated over 20 free HTML editors for Macintosh against over 40 different criteria relevant to professional web designers and developers. The following applications are the best free HTML editors for Macintosh, both WYSIWYG and text editors, rated from best to worst. Each editor listed will have a score, percentage, and a link to more information.

Best Value: Komodo Edit

What We Like

  • Lots of add-ons available.

  • Built-in FTP client.

  • Auto-complete and syntax checking features.

What We Don't Like

  • Slow to load.

  • Feels cluttered.

  • Difficult to install color schemes.

Simple Text Editor For Mac

Komodo Edit is hands down the best free XML editor available. It includes a lot of great features for HTML and CSS development. Plus, if that isn't enough, you can get extensions for it to add on languages or other helpful features (like special characters).

Komodo Edit is not the best HTML editor out there, but it is great for the price, especially if you build in XML. I use Komodo Edit every day for my work in XML, and I use it a lot for basic HTML editing as well. This is one editor I'd be lost without.

There are two versions of Komodo: Komodo Edit and Komodo IDE.

Best for JavaScript Developers: Aptana Studio

What We Like

  • Integrated debugger.

  • Build-in Code Assist feature for tags.

  • Built-in terminal emulator.

What We Don't Like

  • No longer in development.

  • Minimal support for PHP.

  • Some dependencies.

Aptana Studio offers an interesting take on website development. Instead of focusing on HTML, Aptana focuses on the JavaScript and other elements that allow you to create rich internet applications.

One thing I really like is the outline view that makes it really easy to visualize the document object model (DOM). This makes for easier CSS and JavaScript development.

If you are a developer creating web applications, Aptana Studio is a good choice.

A Full Featured Java IDE: NetBeans

What We Like

  • Version 9.0 released by Apache after acquisition.

  • Supports the Jigsaw Module system.

  • Supports Java Shell, new in JDK 9.

What We Don't Like

  • Needs high-memory computer to run quickly.

  • Not many plug-ins.

  • Auto-completion is buggy.

NetBeans IDE is a Java IDE that can help you build robust web applications. Like most IDEs, it has a steep learning curve because they don’t often work in the same way that web editors do. But once you get used to it you’ll be hooked.

One nice feature is the version control included in the IDE which is really useful for people working in large development environments. If you write Java and web pages this is a great tool.

Best for LAMP Developers: Bluefish

What We Like

  • Auto-completion and auto-tag closing.

  • Powerful search and replace.

  • Quick to start and load files.

What We Don't Like

  • Not for novice programmers.

  • User interface looks intimidating.

  • Too many tabs and toolbars.

Bluefish is a full-featured web editor for Linux. There are also native executables for Windows and Macintosh. There is code-sensitive spell check, autocomplete of many different languages (HTML, PHP, CSS, etc.), snippets, project management, and auto-save.

It is primarily a code editor, not specifically a web editor. This means that it has a lot of flexibility for web developers writing in more than just HTML, but if you’re a designer by nature you might not like it as much.

A Powerful Multi-Language IDE: Eclipse

What We Like

  • Robust debugging and profiling profile.

  • Code-completion feature.

  • Fast deployment and implementation.

What We Don't Like

  • Slow when working with large files.

  • Not recommended for large businesses.

  • Steep learning curve for novice programmers.

Eclipse is a complex, Open Source development environment that is perfect for people who do a lot of coding on a variety of platforms and with different languages.

Eclipse is structured as plug-ins, so if you need to edit something just find the appropriate plug-in and go.

If you are creating complex web applications, Eclipse has a lot of features to help make your application easier to build. There are Java, JavaScript, and PHP plugins, as well as a plugin for mobile developers.

A Swiss Army Knife IDE from Mozilla: SeaMonkey

What We Like

Emacs Mac Key

  • Tabs for WISIWYG editing, HTML tags, HTML code, and browser views.

  • Suitable for building simple, basic websites.

What We Don't Like

  • Composer element no longer being maintained.

  • Generates HTML 4.01 Transitional code.

SeaMonkey is the Mozilla project all-in-one internet application suite. It includes a web browser, email and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and Composer, the web page editor.

One of the nice things about using SeaMonkey is that the browser is built-in, so testing is a breeze. Plus it's a free WYSIWYG editor with an embedded FTP client to publish your web pages.

A Basic HTML Writer: Amaya

What We Like

  • Useful for up to HTML 4.01.

  • Supports SVG and MathML.

What We Don't Like

  • Last updated in 2012.

  • No longer in development.

Amaya is the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) web editor and web browser. It validates the HTML as you build your page and displays your Web documents in a tree structure, which is useful for learning to understand the DOM.

Amaya has a lot of features that most web designers won’t ever use, but if you want to be certain that your pages follow the W3C standards, this is a great editor to use.

Straightforward and Stable: BBEdit 12

What We Like

  • Supports HTML5.

  • Opens large files.

  • Great customer support.

  • Rock-solid software.

What We Don't Like

  • Advanced features require paid version after 30-day free trial.

  • Must search menus for features and options.

Text Editor For Mac Os X

BBEdit is a paid program that has a set of free capabilities (the same capabilities that the now-defunct TextWranger had. While Bare Bones Software, the makers of BBEdit do offer a paid version, you may find the free version does everything you need. You can review a feature comparison here.

Emacs Text Editor For Windows

Note

If you're using TextWrangler, it is not compatible with macOS 10.13 (High Sierra). However, the free (and paid) version of BBEdit is.