LiteEdit for MAC
Free, open-source native code editor for Mac under 1 MB, with syntax highlighting, tabs, Quick Open and multi-cursor editing. Not signed by Apple.
LiteEdit Overview
LiteEdit is a native Mac code editor under 1 MB, built with Swift and AppKit, for opening, reading and quickly editing code alongside your main IDE. It has syntax highlighting for more than 20 languages, tabs, a sidebar file tree, Find & Replace with regex and a Quick Open command for switching files. When you relaunch it, it brings back your folder, files, cursor positions and window state.
LiteEdit is free and open source under the MIT license and is made by arietan. Version 1.1.6 adds Reveal in Finder to the sidebar. It needs macOS 13 or later. The app is not signed with an Apple Developer certificate, so macOS may say it is damaged: the developer's fix is to run xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/LiteEdit.app, or to install with Homebrew, which handles this. LiteEdit does not try to replace a full editor: it has no extensions, LSP, integrated terminal or Git interface.
Key Features
LiteEdit is the small editor to keep beside a big one.
- Very small: the app is under 1 MB, with no Electron.
- Syntax highlighting: more than 20 languages, including Swift, Python, Rust and Go.
- Tabs: tabbed editing with Cmd+W to close.
- File explorer: a sidebar folder tree.
- Find & Replace: regex support and a match count.
- Quick Open: Cmd+P for fast file switching.
- Multi-cursor: Cmd+Shift+L selects all occurrences.
- Session persistence: reopens your folder, files and cursor positions.
What’s New in Version 1.1.6
LiteEdit 1.1.6 improves the sidebar.
- Reveal in Finder: right-click any file or folder in the sidebar
LiteEdit FAQ
Is LiteEdit free?
Yes. LiteEdit is free and open source under the MIT license.
Which macOS version does LiteEdit need?
LiteEdit needs macOS 13 or later.
How big is LiteEdit?
The app is under 1 MB, and the 1.1.6 DMG is 635 KB.
Why does macOS say LiteEdit is damaged?
The app is not signed with an Apple Developer certificate. The developer calls the message a false positive. Run xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/LiteEdit.app to clear the quarantine flag, or install with Homebrew.
Can I install LiteEdit with Homebrew?
Yes. Run brew install arietan/lite-edit/lite-edit. This uses the developer's own tap, and it removes the quarantine flag during install.
Which languages does LiteEdit highlight?
More than 20, including Swift, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Rust, Go, C, C++, Java, HTML, CSS, JSON, YAML and SQL.
Does LiteEdit have extensions or a terminal?
No. It has no extensions, LSP, integrated terminal or Git interface. The developer suggests a full editor if you need those.
Does LiteEdit support multiple cursors?
Yes. Cmd+Shift+L selects all occurrences for editing them together.
Does LiteEdit remember my open files?
Yes. It reopens your folder, files, cursor positions and window state when you relaunch it.
Where does the LiteEdit download on liteedit.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official LiteEdit releases on GitHub at https://github.com/arietan/lite-edit/releases/latest. liteedit.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.