SyntaxPad

Fast, private code editor

Only for Mac

Free

Mac

The editor for the moments between a plain text field and a full IDE. 21 languages, tabs, split view, Markdown preview. No account, no network, nothing collected. SyntaxPad is a syntax-highlighting text editor for the work that falls between a plain text field and a full IDE: reading a config file, cleaning up a JSON blob, drafting a README, keeping a scratch buffer open all day. It opens instantly, keeps everything in tabs in one window, and never touches the network. SYNTAX HIGHLIGHTING FOR 21 LANGUAGES Swift, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, Kotlin, C, C++, C#, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, SQL, HTML, CSS, XML, YAML, JSON, Markdown and Shell. The language is detected from the file extension and can be changed per tab. BUILT FOR KEYBOARD WORK A command palette reaches every action without a menu. Go to line, toggle comment on a selection, duplicate a line, move lines up and down, jump between tabs, and format JSON — all on the shortcuts you already expect. FIND AND REPLACE THAT DOESN'T FREEZE Literal or regular-expression search, with replace and replace-all. Matching runs off the main thread, so a pathological pattern slows a search down instead of locking the window. MARKDOWN PREVIEW A live side-by-side preview that keeps its scroll position as you type. The preview runs no JavaScript and makes no network requests of any kind. SPLIT VIEW Show two tabs side by side in the same window. Commands act on whichever pane has focus. IT REMEMBERS WHERE YOU WERE Unsaved scratch tabs survive quitting the app. If a file changes underneath you, SyntaxPad notices and offers to reload; if it is deleted, the tab keeps your text so you can write it back. REAL TEXT-FILE HANDLING Character encodings are detected and can be overridden per file, including reopening a misdecoded file. Line endings convert between LF and CRLF. Trailing whitespace can be trimmed on save. Large files stay responsive by highlighting the region you are actually looking at. ALSO Line numbers, bracket matching, word wrap, adjustable font size, light and dark themes, snippets, printing, and Open Recent. PRIVACY SyntaxPad has no accounts, no analytics, no telemetry, no crash reporting and no advertising. It never sends your documents anywhere, and there is no server for it to send them to. Everything it saves stays on your Mac.

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The developer, NAVEED SHERIFF, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

  • Data Not Collected

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    Accessibility

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    Information

    Seller
    • NAVEED SHERIFF
    Size
    • 1.2 MB
    Category
    • Developer Tools
    Compatibility
    Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
    • Mac
      Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
    Languages
    • English
    Age Rating
    4+
    Copyright
    • © 2026 Naveed Sheriff
  • Developer Website
  • Privacy Policy

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