How to Install and Setup BBEdit on Mac

Edited 15 hours ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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BBEdit is a powerful text editor for macOS, created by Bare Bones Software. It is popular among developers and coders due to its robust features such as syntax coloring, code folding, and project management. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through each step of installing and setting up BBEdit on your Mac. This guide aims to be exhaustive, ensuring you have everything you need to start using BBEdit effectively.

Prerequisites

Before you install BBEdit, make sure your Mac meets the following system requirements:

• Operating system: macOS 10.14.2 or later
• Disk space: about 100 MB of free space
• Administrator privileges: You'll need administrator rights to install apps on macOS.

Step 1: Download BBEdit

To begin the installation process, you must first download the BBEdit application. Follow these steps:

1. Open your favorite web browser on your Mac.
2. Visit the official BBEdit website at https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/.
3. On the BBEdit homepage, click the "Download" button. This will redirect you to the download page.
4. On the download page, select the "Download BBEdit" option to download the latest version of BBEdit.
5. The installer file will begin downloading. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet speed.

Step 2: Install BBEdit

Once the download is complete, you can install BBEdit by following these steps:

1. Find the downloaded file in your "Downloads" folder. The file name may be something like "BBEdit_xxx.dmg," where "xxx" corresponds to the version number.
2. Double-click the ".dmg" file to open it. This will mount the BBEdit installer volume.
3. In the window that appears, you will see the BBEdit application icon. Simply drag this icon onto the "Applications" folder shortcut. This action will copy BBEdit to your Applications directory.
4. Wait for the copying process to complete. Once done, you can eject the installer volume by clicking the eject icon next to its name in the Finder sidebar.

Step 3: Initial startup and configuration

Now that BBEdit is installed, it's time to launch and configure it:

1. Navigate to your "Applications" folder using Finder.
2. Search for BBEdit, then double-click its icon to launch the program. When you first open BBEdit, you'll see a warning message indicating that the application was downloaded from the Internet. Confirm that you want to open it.
3. After accepting the message, BBEdit will open. On first run the screen allows you to test the application for free, purchase a license, or continue using it in the free "BBEdit Lite" mode. Choose the option that best suits your use.
4. If you choose to test or purchase, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Step 4: Setting up BBEdit for your needs

BBEdit offers a variety of features that you can customize to suit your specific needs. Here's how you can get started setting it up:

1. Interface customization

You can adjust the appearance of BBEdit to your liking.

• Go to BBEdit > Preferences.
• Explore the options under "Appearance" and "Text Colors." Here, you can switch between themes, adjust the color of your text editor, and format the display to your liking.

2. Set your default language

If you often work with a specific programming language, set it as your default:

• Open a new document. Go to File > New > Text Document.
• Select your language from the language dropdown on the toolbar, such as HTML, CSS, Python, etc.
• BBEdit will remember your last used language setting for future documents.

3. Configure your text editor defaults

Set your default editor preferences:

• Go to BBEdit > Preferences > Editing.
• Modify settings for indentation, spaces vs. tabs, line breaks, and more. Think about how you usually code and adjust these to match your workflow.

4. Install projects

BBEdit allows effective code organization through projects:

• Start by creating a new project: File > New > Project.
• To add files to your project, drag them from the Finder to the BBEdit project window.
• Customize the operation of the project to change the build script, default directory, etc. by clicking the "Setup" button in the project window.

5. Configure additional behaviors

Finally, configure additional features to maximize productivity:

• Set up scripting support: BBEdit supports AppleScript and Unix scripting to automate tasks.
• Customize keyboard shortcuts via Window > Palettes > Commands.
• Enable the autosave and backup features for data protection under BBEdit > Preferences > Text Files.

Step 5: Using BBEdit effectively

Now that your setup is personalized, you can start using some of BBEdit's features as follows:

1. Syntax highlighting and code folding

BBEdit provides syntax highlighting for many languages, making code easier to read and errors to quickly spot:

• Open the file in the language you want. BBEdit will automatically highlight the syntax based on the language setting.
• Use Edit > Fold to hide parts of your code, and focus only on the parts you're working on.

2. Find and replace with Grep

Advanced search and replace allows powerful text manipulation:

• To search within a project or files using regular expressions (Grep), use Search > Find > Multi-file Search.
• Use the "Grep" pattern to perform complex searches - this is essential for large code bases where you are refactoring.

3. Integration with version control

BBEdit can easily integrate with version control systems like Git:

• Use Shell worksheets to execute command-line instructions directly within BBEdit.
• BBEdit is also compatible with external Git GUIs and supports diffing of files directly in the editor.

Step 6: Keeping BBEdit updated

BBEdit receives regular updates that fix bugs, improve performance, and add new features:

• BBEdit will automatically prompt you to update whenever a new version becomes available.
• You can also check for updates manually by selecting BBEdit > Check for Updates from the menu.
• Make sure you are connected to the Internet to download and install these updates.

Step 7: Getting help and learning more

Beyond the basics, BBEdit has vast community resources and documentation available to learn more:

• Access the built-in help under Help > BBEdit Help. This includes full documentation on each feature.
• Visit online forums and community groups for tips, tricks and custom scripts from fellow BBEdit users.
• Follow the official BBEdit blog for updated news, tips, and guidance.

Conclusion

BBEdit is a flexible, powerful editor that caters to both novice and experienced users. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be able to install, configure, and customize BBEdit to your needs, allowing you to focus on productivity and creativity in your coding efforts. As you become more familiar with BBEdit, you'll discover many nuances and advanced features that can improve your workflow even more.

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