Need an editor: TextMate or BBEdit?

OK, so I'm looking to finally buy one of these two. I can get them at the educational discount (college student), which would drop me $49 for BBEdit and $59 for TextMate. I don't know the details on upgrades, etc. for each program.

Anyway, I'll be using the app for:

• HTML and CSS
• JavaScript
• PHP
• Python, maybe Ruby

I'm a fairly serious web designer, and really don't get much value out of the WYSIWYG way of doing things except for changing text and locating an element on a given page. I have used BBEdit for some time, but only as a text editor, and never anything more. So basically, my options are open to learn the habits, wrinkles, muscle memories, and quirks of either program.

So, I don't entirely mean to make this another editor war, I just want to know which one I'll get the most out of. I feel like this is a big decision because chances are that I will be using the editor I choose, assuming the project's health, for quite a while.

At the moment, 95% of my coding is HTML and CSS, and the rest is JavaScript and PHP. But I have a strong interest in Python, and have dabbled in Ruby, so programming ability is important for the program.

Any advice?

Actually, playing with both a bit more made me realize that TM is a much more robust editor. I've gone with that, and purchased the license. I'm already loving how it works with projects!

I'd have gone with Smultron, I wouldn't pay money for an editor.

knightlie said:

I'd have gone with Smultron, I wouldn't pay money for an editor.

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I guess everyone has their opinions, but for me $40 (what I was actually charged for the edu. version of TextMate) is a tiny price to pay for something that raises my productivity. I hand-code websites for a living (actually turning Illustrator files into HTML often) so it's important for me.

What's the deal with Smultron? Also, ever used Vi? I do like the d- commands for quickly deleting code...especially 'dd' and 'dw'. I find myself accidentally typing those in Pico sometimes!

Go for Textmate, or even Coda.

tmallen said:

I guess everyone has their opinions, but for me $40 (what I was actually charged for the edu. version of TextMate) is a tiny price to pay for something that raises my productivity. I hand-code websites for a living (actually turning Illustrator files into HTML often) so it's important for me.

What's the deal with Smultron? Also, ever used Vi? I do like the d- commands for quickly deleting code...especially 'dd' and 'dw'. I find myself accidentally typing those in Pico sometimes!

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VI should have been consigned to history years ago IMO, but then I supposed Command-prompters would have no editor. As for "the deal with Smultron," I find it perfect for editing all sorts of files - HTML, PHP and Java. The reason I wouldn't pay for an editor - and certainly not $40, given OSX itself is what, $90? - is that you can get a perfectly good one for free.

I don't know how recent or accurate this review of BBEdit is, but I found it interesting: http://rixstep.com/4/2/bbe,00.shtml

i used SubEthaEdit before and it was nice until i had to start paying for it. i have also used TextWrangler. There are several programs listed on www.opensourcemac.org. it is currently down right now, but i am sure that it will be back up soon. As for the ones you mentioned, I have heard good reviews of BBEdit and nothing of TextMate.