CotEditor
The Plain-Text Editor for macOS
CotEditor is a free, lightweight plain-text editor built specifically for macOS. It solves the need for a fast, native text editor that launches quickly and integrates seamlessly with the operating system, avoiding the complexity of larger code editors or configuration files.
Its main capabilities include syntax highlighting for over 60 languages such as HTML, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Markdown, with support for custom syntax definitions. The editor offers powerful find and replace using the ICU regular expression engine, an outline menu for navigating documents, a split editor for viewing multiple sections simultaneously, and a character inspector for Unicode data. It also features auto-backup, incompatible character detection, and scripting support in languages like Python, Ruby, Perl, PHP, UNIX shell, AppleScript, and JavaScript. CotEditor is CJK language friendly, with accurate encoding estimation and vertical text mode.
CotEditor is designed for macOS users who need a plain-text editor for writing, coding, or scripting. It is free and open-source, with no mention of paid plans, trials, or seat-based pricing.
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