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Kate lets you keep multiple files open, switch among them with tabs, a document list, or Quick Open, and display documents side by side using split views. For recurring work, sessions can save a group of open files and window settings.

How Kate handles multiple documents

Kate is KDE’s programmer-oriented text editor with a multi-document interface. You can open several files in one window, then choose whether to move between them or keep multiple views visible. KDE’s Kate feature page describes the editor and its capabilities.

Tabs and the document list help you switch focus among open files. Quick Open is useful when the list is long: it searches document names and URLs. In the stable Kate handbook, the default shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+O; keyboard bindings can be changed, so the shortcut may differ in your installation. See KDE’s handbook section on configuring Kate.

Tabs are configurable, including whether they appear when only one document is open, whether to limit their number, and whether to enable tab scrolling. The handbook’s configuration documentation describes these options; labels and settings can vary by version.

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How to show files side by side in Kate

Use split views when you need to compare files or refer to one section while editing another. A horizontal split places a new view below the current one; a vertical split places it beside the current view. Kate initially shows the current document in the new view, after which you can select a different open document there.

  1. Open the document or documents you want to work with.
  2. Choose the split direction using the View menu, or use the stable handbook’s default shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+T for a horizontal split and Ctrl+Shift+L for a vertical split.
  3. Select the document you want in the new view using its tab, document list, or Quick Open.

These shortcuts are configurable and may differ in your version; consult the installed version’s menus or keyboard settings if a shortcut does not work. KDE’s Kate handbook page on views explains splits and document views.

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One document can appear in more than one view

A split does not create an independent copy of a file. Kate can show the same document in multiple views, and edits made in one are reflected in the others. This is useful for viewing different locations in a long file, but it does not let you maintain two separate versions of that document in the same window.

Closing a view does not close its documents

Closing a split view removes that view, not the documents it displayed. Those documents remain available from the View menu and File List, according to the handbook’s view documentation.

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Tabs, splits, or sessions: which should you use?

Feature Best for What it does
Tabs, document list, and Quick Open Switching among many files while concentrating on one view Provides ways to select an open document; only the active view is visible unless you split the editor.
Split views Reading or editing multiple files or locations at once Shows multiple editor views together; the trade-off is reduced space for each view, and views of the same document share edits.
Sessions Returning to different groups of files and window arrangements Organizes open-file lists and window configuration across work sessions; it complements tabs and splits rather than replacing them.

How Kate sessions preserve a workspace

A Kate session can retain a list of open files and general window configuration. This is useful when you regularly work with separate sets of files or want to return to a particular workspace. KDE’s session documentation describes startup choices including opening a new session, restoring the last-used session, or selecting one manually. It also documents an option controlling whether the window layout is included.

To set this up, open Kate’s session or configuration options and choose the startup behavior and layout-saving preferences that suit your workflow. Menu names can differ across releases, so use the handbook for the version you have installed if the options are not where expected.

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Kate versus KWrite

Kate and KWrite are both KDE text editors, but they are intended for different workflows. Kate supports multiple open documents in its interface; KDE’s KWrite handbook describes KWrite as editing one file at a time per window. Choose Kate when you want to manage several documents in one editor window, including split views and sessions.

Availability

The Kate project lists Linux, Windows, and macOS on its official homepage. Installation methods and available packages depend on the platform and can change; consult the current download information or the package source for your operating system.

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