Bluefish
bluefish.openoffice.nl
What it is
Bluefish is a free, open-source desktop editor for programmers and web developers. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and supports more than 30 markup and programming languages. The editor is designed for websites, scripts, and programming code, with project support for working across multiple projects while restoring each project’s settings. Bluefish can load and save remote files through FTP, SFTP, HTTP, HTTPS, WebDAV, and CIFS via gvfs. Editing tools include regular-expression search and replace, snippets, unlimited undo and redo, crash recovery for modified documents, code folding, bracket and tag highlighting, autocompletion, and automatic tag closing for many languages. It can open more than 1,000 documents, with the features page reporting tests above 10,000 simultaneously. External programs and custom scripts can be integrated. The official Flatpak’s strict security blocks some system-tool and browser integrations.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Bluefish is a lightweight editor for programmers and web developers to write websites, scripts, and programming code.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Intended users
- The project describes Bluefish as targeted toward programmers and web developers.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Platforms
- The download page lists Linux packages and installers for Windows 64-bit and Mac OSX; it also provides a Linux Flatpak.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Free plan
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Support
- The volunteer-run project offers community and support mailing lists, directs bug reports to its bug tracker, and lists commercial support by contacting the project.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Founded
- 1998Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Built-in icon themes
- Version 2.4.2 includes built-in Breeze and Breeze-dark icon themes.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Code assistance
- Language support includes code folding, matching bracket and tag highlighting, autocompletion, and automatic tag closing for many languages.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Community model
- The project is run by volunteers and invites help with development, testing and translation.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Customization options
- Bluefish is highly customizable and includes customization tips.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Dark theme support
- Bluefish automatically adjusts text colors for dark desktop themes.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Editing tools
- Features include regular-expression search and replace, snippets, unlimited undo and redo, and crash recovery for modified documents.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Editor type
- desktopRead 20 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Emmet support
- Bluefish supports Zencoding/Emmet.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Extension support
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- External tools
- Users can integrate external programs such as make, lint, weblint, xmllint, tidy, and javac, or run custom programs and scripts.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- File capacity
- It easily loads 1000+ files.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- File handling
- Bluefish can open more than 1,000 documents, with the features page reporting tests above 10,000 documents simultaneously.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Language support
- Supports 30+ markup and programming languages.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Languages
- It supports more than 30 markup and programming languages.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Memory improvements
- Version 2.4.2 includes reduced memory usage when working with 100+ files simultaneously.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Open-source license
- Bluefish is an open source development project released under the GNU GPL licence.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Pricing page
- The pricing URL returns a 404 error, and no prices are stated.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Project history
- Bluefish has been helping users since 1997.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Project sponsorship
- The site thanks TYPO3 and Team in Medias for sponsoring Bluefish.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Project support
- Bluefish has project support.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Projects
- Project support lets users work across multiple projects and restores settings for each project automatically.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Remote development
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Remote files
- It supports remote files over FTP, SFTP, HTTP, HTTPS, WebDAV, and CIFS through gvfs.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Search and replace
- It has an advanced search and replace engine with Regex support.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Security limitation
- The official Flatpak's strict security blocks integration with system tools such as make, pylint, weblint, and the web browser; internal functionality works as expected.Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Server file access
- It can load and save files from servers.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Side-by-side editing
- The side-by-side feature is fully stable in version 2.4.1.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Startup speed
- It starts in milliseconds.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Supported platforms
- Linux, Mac OSX, Windows, FreeBSD and OpenBSD.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
- Target users
- Programmers and web developers.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
Plans and prices
Bluefish Free Open-source editor released under the GNU GPL; no paid plans listed Read 4 Oct 2026 · bluefish.openoffice.nl
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Free GNU GPL open-source project
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Handles more than 30 languages
- Remote files through several protocols
- Advanced regex search and replace
Limits
- Official Flatpak blocks some system-tool integrations
- No free trial is listed
- Pricing page returns a 404 error
Who it suits
Bluefish suits programmers and web developers who want a free desktop editor on Linux, macOS, or Windows. It is also suited to users working with many local or remote files and multiple projects.
Verdict
Bluefish provides a broad programming and web-editing toolset at no listed cost. Check the Flatpak integration limitation if your workflow depends on external system tools.
Where Specifiction places it
- Editor Software#2 of 328.8
- Text Editors#10 of 828.7
- Code editors#12 of 458.5
