TextMate review
A focused macOS editor with deep editing, automation, bundle, and preview support.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
TextMate is a macOS text editor for structured text, programming, markup, and related workflows. Its audience includes programmers, academics, and scientists who want more than basic file editing. The feature set combines syntax-oriented editing with project search, version-control actions, snippets, macros, customizable commands, language bundles, and live HTML or Markdown previews. That makes it suitable for users who want one editor that can adapt to different languages and project types.
The standout area is workflow customization. Multiple carets support simultaneous edits, while column selection handles aligned or tabular changes. Snippets can include placeholders and transformations, and macros can be recorded and replayed for repeatable operations. Scope-based settings and key bindings allow behavior to vary by context, while installable and editable bundles extend support for languages and workflows. Custom commands can work with standard input, output, and environment variables, giving technically oriented users several ways to shape the editor around existing processes.
TextMate also fits projects that need integrated file and version-control work. Project-wide search includes match navigation and replacement previews, and version-control features cover file status, diffs, and partial commits. Live HTML and Markdown previews add a direct writing and markup workflow. The main constraint is platform: TextMate runs on macOS only, so it is not a fit for teams requiring a shared Windows or Linux editor. Choose it if you want customizable, bundle-based editing on a Mac; choose a cross-platform alternative if operating-system flexibility matters more than these macOS-focused workflows.
TextMate pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Multiple carets, column editing, and recordable macros
- Project search with navigation and replacement previews
- Editable bundles, scoped settings, and live previews
- Where it doesn't
- Runs only on macOS
- Its broad customization may require workflow configuration
- Paid license availability is not part of the current offering
TextMate fact sheet, pricing and score →
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