Sublime Text 4.0 — macOS

Sublime Text 4 supports syntax highlighting for over 20 languages, including C, CSS, HTML, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and SQL. That covers most of what an office or freelance developer works with day to day.

View up to four files at once

Split the workspace into one to four panes so you can compare code side by side or keep a reference file open while you edit. The minimap on the right side of the window gives a quick overview of the whole file, and you can click anywhere on it to jump to that section.

Keep reusable code close

Snippets store blocks of code you use regularly. Type a short trigger and the snippet expands into the full block. Macros can record and replay the last action, saving time on repetitive edits.

Extend without restarting

The built-in package manager lets you browse, install, update, or disable packages while the app is running. No restart needed. Auto-save and syntax checking while you type keep the work moving.

Works alongside Terminal with its build system

Sublime Text 4 works well alongside the standard macOS tools most of us already use. The build system, for instance, lets you run scripts or compile code without switching to Terminal. Set up a build configuration once, and you can trigger it from within the editor. This keeps your workflow inside one window instead of bouncing between apps.

The application integrates with the macOS file system naturally. You can drag files from Finder directly into a pane, and the project management system remembers open folders across sessions. On a Mac with multiple desktops, I leave Sublime Text on one desktop and a browser on another, switching with a three-finger swipe. No conflicts, no lag when resuming.

For writers who use Markdown or LaTeX, Sublime Text pairs well with tools like Pandoc or a local Markdown renderer. You write in the editor, run a build command, and the output appears in a viewer. The split-pane view makes it easy to keep a reference file or a style sheet open on one side while you compose on the other.

Updating nginx configs across multiple servers

Say you manage a handful of web servers and need to update an nginx configuration that lives in the same spot on each machine. Here is how Sublime Text handles that from start to finish.

1. Open the file from one server using a mounted drive or an SFTP plugin. Sublime Text highlights the nginx syntax automatically because it recognizes the .conf extension.
2. Make the changes you need. Use multiple cursors to edit several identical lines at once — hold Command and click each line, then type the correction once. Column selection works too if the values are aligned.
3. Copy the entire file content with Command-A, Command-C. Open a new pane with Command-Shift-N and paste the file into the blank pane. Now you have a template ready for the next server.
4. Connect to the second server, open the same configuration file, and paste the revised content over it. The minimap helps you spot any sections that differ from the template.
5. Run the build system to test the configuration syntax before you save. Sublime Text shows errors inline if something is off. Fix those, save, and move to the next machine.

The whole process takes a few minutes. No terminal juggling, no risk of forgetting a semicolon.

A typical afternoon session: editing a stylesheet with a colleague's feedback

It is Tuesday afternoon, and a designer sent over a list of CSS changes for the company site. I open Sublime Text, and the project I was working on this morning reappears — three files in a sidebar: main.css, a JavaScript file, and a markdown notes file.

I double-click main.css. The syntax coloring highlights selectors in blue, properties in purple, and values in green. I scroll to the section the designer mentioned. To keep the notes visible, I split the pane vertically and open the markdown file on the right side.

The designer wants the button hover color changed in several places. Instead of hunting for each one, I use search-as-you-type. The results appear instantly, and I cycle through them with the down arrow. Where the same hex value repeats, I hold Command and click each occurrence, then type the new color once. All instances update at the same time.

Halfway through, a colleague messages to say the build is failing. I switch to the JavaScript file without closing the CSS. The syntax checker underlines the missing semicolon immediately. I add it, save, and run the build command. The build system reports success. I switch back to the CSS pane and finish the color changes.

Before closing, I save a snippet for the new color value so I can reuse it next time. The package manager automatically checks for updates to my installed packages in the background. I close Sublime Text, and it remembers exactly which files I had open and where my cursor was.

• Fixed the vintage M command not working.
• Fixed a compatibility issue with macOS 10.13 and 10.14.

• macOS 10.13 or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon processor (Universal 2 binary)