Originally published at: https://tidbits.com/watchlist/bbedit-15-5/
Bare Bones Software has released BBEdit 15.5, a notable mid-cycle update to the venerable text editor. The new version introduces “workspaces,” which are saved arrangements of open documents and windows that make it easy to switch between carefully customized setups for different projects or clients. You must manually create and save workspaces (including changes) using the BBEdit > Save Workspace command; switch between workspaces using the BBEdit > Workspaces submenu.
The update also adds a Strip Diacriticals text transformation, support for the standard macOS window commands accessible when clicking and holding the green zoom button, folding (collapsing of the outline) for Markdown headings and blockquotes, display of CSV files and other columnar data as tables in the Preview in BBEdit window, simple display of PDF files, and support for FTPS (FTP over TLS), a file transfer protocol used by some hosting providers. Among the many small bug fixes are a collection of improvements that significantly improve performance, particularly in Multi-File Search and Text Factory execution. The minimum system requirements have increased to require macOS 12 Monterey or later, with macOS 12.7.6 recommended.
BBEdit 15.5 also now officially supports Apple Intelligence’s Writing Tools, albeit with the basic interface that doesn’t highlight suggested changes. (The interactive Writing Tools experience is only available to apps relying on Apple’s text-handling routines.) Happily, the extensive accessibility work that went into BBEdit 15 ensures that Grammarly works well inside BBEdit (see “Why Grammarly Beats Apple’s Writing Tools for Serious Writers,” 30 January 2025).
BBEdit 15.5 remains a free update for all BBEdit 15 users, with discounted upgrades for those using BBEdit 13 or 14. For individuals using older versions or those new to the app, a 30-day free evaluation provides access to BBEdit’s complete feature set. After that, the app reverts to Free Mode, which provides a basic set of features. ($59.99 new, free update, 28.3 MB, release notes, macOS 12+)
