# TextMate Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 General-purpose text editor Category: Developer Tools · Free · Replaces Sublime Text ($99) · [Official website](https://macromates.com/) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask textmate` ## Quick take TextMate 2 is still free, still open source, and still installs on modern Macs in August 2026, but it is a maintenance project rather than a front-line IDE. Keep it if you already depend on bundles and `mate`. Otherwise start with VS Code, Zed, Sublime, BBEdit, or Neovim for extensions, AI workflows, and active release trains. Not abandoned, just no longer the default answer. Best for: Long-time TextMate bundle users, Developers wanting a free native lightweight editor, Nostalgic Mac web/Ruby workflows ## What is TextMate? TextMate is a macOS text editor created by Allan Odgaard. It made its name on bundles, scoped language grammars, and the `mate` CLI that Ruby and web developers lived in during the late 2000s. It is free and open source today (GitHub textmate/textmate), with downloads still offered from macromates.com for macOS 10.12+. As of August 2026 TextMate is alive but slow: the 2.0 line is still current, the mailing list and GitHub repo still exist, and people run it on Apple Silicon Macs, yet release pace and mindshare sit far behind Visual Studio Code, Zed, Neovim, Sublime Text, and BBEdit. Nobody should treat TextMate as the default Mac IDE in 2026. It is a lightweight native editor for people who already like its bundle ecosystem, column editing, and low chrome. It is not discontinued and not acquired. Choosing it is a deliberate niche pick, not a consensus onboarding path for new developers. There is no subscription and no AI usage meter. For AI-assisted coding, people usually pair terminal agents or VS Code/Cursor rather than waiting for TextMate to ship model integrations. ## Features - **Bundle System.** Bundles are modular packages that add language-specific behavior. Each bundle contains syntax definitions (TextMate grammars that power highlighting in many other editors), snippets with tab-triggered expansion, macros for repetitive tasks, and shell commands for external tool integration. The default installation includes bundles for Ruby, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, LaTeX, Markdown, and dozens more. Users can install additional community bundles or create custom ones through the Bundle Editor. This system is so influential that the TextMate grammar format (.tmLanguage) became the de facto standard for syntax highlighting across the editor ecosystem. - **Multiple Carets.** Multiple carets edit several places at once. Hold Command and click to place multiple insertion points, or use keyboard shortcuts to select matching words, lines, or scopes. Once multiple carets are active, every keystroke, typing, deleting, pasting, applies to all positions simultaneously. Handy for renaming variables across lines, prefixing list items, or any repeated structural edit. Combined with column selection (Alt-drag), TextMate provides precise multi-point editing capabilities that rival dedicated code editors. - **Snippets and Tab Triggers.** Snippets are intelligent text templates that expand when you type a trigger word and press Tab. For example, typing 'for' then Tab in a Python file expands into a complete for-loop structure with placeholders for the iterator, range, and body. Snippets support dynamic variables (like selected text, current date, or clipboard contents), tab stops for sequential navigation, and shell script interpolation for complex transformations. Once a trigger is muscle memory, common boilerplate is a few keystrokes instead of a full rewrite. - **Recordable Macros.** The macro recorder captures repetitive editing sequences. Press Command+F8 to start recording, perform a sequence of edits (searches, replacements, cursor movements, selections), then press Command+F8 again to stop. The macro can be replayed immediately with Command+F5, saved for later use, or bound to a keyboard shortcut. For data cleaning, log file analysis, or any repetitive text transformation, macros provide automation without requiring scripting knowledge. Scratch macros cover one-off cleanups; saved macros stick around for daily work. - **Open Quickly and File Search.** Open Quickly (Command+T) fuzzy-matches filenames as you type. Unlike heavy indexing systems, TextMate's file search uses the filesystem directly, making it instant even on large codebases. The file browser sidebar provides a project overview with customizable file filtering, while the Find in Project feature (Command+Shift+F) searches across all files with regex support, showing results in a navigable list with context lines. You can even filter search results by file type or glob patterns to narrow results precisely. - **Version Control Integration.** TextMate provides built-in support for Git, Subversion, and other version control systems. The file browser shows version status with color-coded badges (modified, added, conflicted). The gutter displays change markers showing added, modified, and deleted lines. Press Command+Shift+G to view a diff of current file changes, or use the commit window to stage files, write commit messages, and push changes, all without leaving the editor. While not as visually elaborate as dedicated git GUIs, the integration is fast and unobtrusive, perfect for developers who prefer command-line git but want visual diffs. - **Shell Command Integration.** TextMate includes the 'mate' command-line tool that integrates with Terminal. Use 'mate filename' to open files, 'mate .' to open entire directories as projects, or pipe command output directly into TextMate for inspection (e.g., 'ls -la | mate'). The rmate variant supports editing files on remote servers over SSH. Shell commands within bundles can execute external scripts in any language (Ruby, Python, Bash), process selected text through Unix filters, or display HTML output in a dedicated window. That Unix wiring is why many people open TextMate from the shell rather than from the Dock. ## How to Install TextMate on Mac TextMate is available as a free download from the official website or via Homebrew. It requires macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later, making it compatible with macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and beyond. 1. **Install via Homebrew.** Run 'brew install --cask textmate' in Terminal. This installs TextMate 2.0 and sets up the 'mate' command-line tool automatically. 2. **Set Up Shell Integration.** Add 'export EDITOR="mate -w"' to your ~/.zshrc to set TextMate as your default editor for git commits and other command-line operations. 3. **Install Additional Bundles.** Open TextMate > Bundles > Bundle Editor to browse available bundles. Install any language-specific bundles you need that aren't included by default. ## Pros - Completely free with no feature restrictions or paid tiers - Native macOS performance, starts instantly, minimal memory usage - Bundle system provides excellent language support for over 100 languages - TextMate grammar format became the industry standard for syntax highlighting - Multiple carets and a mature snippet system for fast edits - Excellent command-line integration with mate and rmate tools - Stable and reliable, rarely crashes or loses work - Clean, distraction-free interface that stays out of your way - Strong LaTeX and Markdown support for academic writing - Open-source maintenance continues when macOS compatibility requires it ## Cons - No built-in LSP (Language Server Protocol) support for modern IDE features - No integrated terminal or git GUI compared to VS Code - Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code or Sublime Text - No built-in AI coding assistance or Copilot integration - UI design feels dated compared to modern editors - Limited debugging capabilities compared to full IDEs - Some bundles for newer languages may be less maintained than older ones - Learning curve for bundle customization and snippet creation ## Closer look: TextMate's legacy and what still ships TextMate's lasting ideas, scoped language grammars, snippet tab stops, and bundle commands, shaped a generation of editors that followed. In 2026 those ideas show up more often in other tools' ecosystems than in TextMate's own release velocity. Honest evaluation separates historical importance from current recommendation strength: a free native editor for fans of the old workflow, not the default onboarding editor for Mac developers who expect AI pair programming and remote containers. ## FAQ ### Is TextMate free? Yes. TextMate 2 is free and open source. Download from macromates.com or build from GitHub. ### Is TextMate discontinued? No formal discontinuation announcement exists, but development is comparatively quiet versus VS Code/Zed. It still runs on modern macOS for many users; set expectations for slower updates. ### Does TextMate support Apple Silicon and macOS Tahoe? Users continue to run TextMate 2 on Apple Silicon Macs. For Tahoe 26.x, verify on your machine, TextMate targets modern macOS broadly (10.12+ stated), but it is not a weekly-updated commercial suite. ### How does TextMate compare with VS Code in 2026? VS Code wins extensions, AI coding integrations, and remote workflows. TextMate wins simplicity and classic Mac editor feel for smaller projects without Electron weight. ### Can I open files in TextMate from Terminal? Yes via the `mate` command-line helper historically bundled with TextMate, subject to PATH setup. ### Is TextMate still being maintained in 2026? Yes, TextMate remains actively maintained. While development is slower than commercial alternatives, Allan Odgaard and community contributors continue to update the codebase for macOS compatibility. TextMate 2.0.23 is the current stable version as of 2026, with updates addressing macOS Sonoma and Sequoia compatibility. The open-source nature ensures the editor will remain viable even if original development slows. ### Can TextMate replace VS Code? TextMate can replace VS Code for users who prioritize speed and simplicity over IDE features. However, TextMate lacks built-in LSP support, integrated terminal, and extensive debugging capabilities. Many developers use both: TextMate for quick edits and small projects, VS Code for larger projects requiring IDE features. TextMate excels as a fast, reliable editor for config files, scripts, and focused coding sessions. ### Does TextMate support modern languages like Rust or Go? TextMate supports modern languages through its bundle system. While the core distribution focuses on established languages, community bundles provide support for Rust, Go, Swift, TypeScript, and others. The TextMate grammar format is widely supported, so new languages often have third-party bundle support available. However, you may need to manually install these bundles compared to VS Code's automatic marketplace. ### Is TextMate compatible with macOS Sequoia and Apple Silicon? Yes, TextMate 2.0 is fully compatible with macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The 2.0 codebase was updated to support modern macOS features and architectures. TextMate 1.x is not compatible with recent macOS versions as it relies on deprecated system components. ### Can I use TextMate for web development? Absolutely. TextMate excels at web development with excellent bundles for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, PHP, Ruby, and Python. Features like the HTML bundle's tag completion, CSS bundle's property hints, and the ability to preview Markdown and HTML files make it suitable for web projects. However, you may want to supplement it with a terminal for running build tools and a browser for debugging. ## Sources - [TextMate official site](https://macromates.com/) - [textmate/textmate on GitHub](https://github.com/textmate/textmate) - [TextMate GitHub releases](https://github.com/textmate/textmate/releases) - [TextMate mailing list](https://lists.macromates.com/hyperkitty/list/textmate@lists.macromates.com/) - [BBEdit still relevant 2026 (context)](https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/08/07/still-simple-still-powerful-bbedit-is-a-mac-app-legend) - [TextMate GitHub org](https://github.com/textmate) ## Related - [Cursor](https://bundl.run/apps/cursor) - [Claude Code](https://bundl.run/apps/claude-code) - [ChatGPT](https://bundl.run/apps/chatgpt) - [Claude](https://bundl.run/apps/claude) - [Codex](https://bundl.run/apps/codex) - [Windsurf](https://bundl.run/apps/windsurf) - [TextMate vs Sublime Text](https://bundl.run/compare/textmate-vs-sublime) - [Free alternative to Sublime Text](https://bundl.run/https:/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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