What it does
Sublime Text is a desktop text editor with project files, command-line access, build systems, and keyboard-driven editing. Its multiple-selection tools let a developer place several cursors or split a selection across lines, which is useful for repetitive edits in structured text. The current download page lists macOS, Windows, and Linux packages, including a portable Windows build.
A practical first use is a small refactor where the same identifier appears in several nearby lines. Select the occurrences with Quick Add Next or use Find All, then type once to update every selection. The official keyboard guide documents platform-specific shortcuts and how Undo Selection steps back through the selected locations. For a larger codebase, save a project file so the editor can remember its folders and workspace state.
Sublime Text can be downloaded and evaluated for free, but the vendor says a license must be purchased for continued use. The download page does not describe a time-limited trial; it says the evaluation has no enforced time limit. This is a proprietary desktop editor, not an open-source alternative.
Strengths
- Multiple selections and Quick Add Next support repeated edits without a separate refactoring plugin.
- Project files separate a project definition from user-specific workspace state.
- Official downloads cover macOS, Windows, and Linux, including a portable Windows package.
Watch out for
- A license is required for continued use after evaluation.
- The editing workflow is desktop software rather than a hosted browser IDE.
Best for
- Making repeated text or code edits across selected lines
- Editing local project folders with keyboard-driven navigation
Sources
- Download - Sublime Text (Oct 25, 2026)
- Multiple Selection with the Keyboard (Oct 25, 2026)
- Projects (Oct 25, 2026)