Bluefish is a fast and lightweight code editor designed for programmers and web developers who need a powerful yet efficient tool for writing code. It supports a wide range of programming and markup languages, including HTML, CSS, PHP, Python, JavaScript, and more. With its intuitive interface and feature-rich environment, Bluefish is ideal for both beginners and advanced users looking for a robust alternative to heavy IDEs.
One of Bluefish’s key strengths is its speed and efficiency, even when handling large files. It includes advanced features such as syntax highlighting, auto-completion, code folding, and multi-threaded search and replace, making it a great choice for developers working on complex projects. Additionally, Bluefish is highly customizable, allowing users to tweak the editor’s behavior and appearance to suit their workflow.
Available on multiple platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, Bluefish is an open-source application actively maintained by a dedicated community. It is also available as a Flatpak package via Flathub, ensuring easy installation and updates across different Linux distributions. Whether you’re a web developer, software engineer, or scripting enthusiast, Bluefish provides a reliable and resource-friendly editing environment to enhance your productivity.
Main features of the BlueFish Editor
- Lightweight & Fast – Optimized for performance, even with large files.
- Multi-language Support – Handles HTML, CSS, PHP, Python, JavaScript, C, Java, and more.
- Syntax Highlighting – Advanced syntax highlighting for better code readability.
- Auto-completion – Helps speed up coding with intelligent suggestions.
- Code Folding – Easily collapse and expand sections of code.
- Multi-threaded Search & Replace – Efficiently search and replace across multiple files.
- Powerful Project Management – Organize and work on multiple projects seamlessly.
- Customizable Interface – Modify the layout, themes, and settings to match your workflow.
- External Program Integration – Run scripts, use compilers, and debug directly from the editor.
- Multi-platform Support – Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Open-source & Actively Maintained – Developed by a dedicated community.
The latest version available
The latest version available is BlueFish Editor 2.2.16, which comes with the following changes:
- New feature: Bookmarks can now be generated from external commands such as
ctags. - JavaScript Beautifier update: Removed the old built-in beautifier; now relies on
jsbeautifyfrom the system (if available). - Fixed word-wrap function to improve text handling.
- Compiler fix: Resolved a type issue causing FTBFS with GCC 14
- Dropped support for EL-7 and older Fedora releases.
How to Install Bluefish on Ubuntu and Other Linux Distributions via Flatpak
Flatpak is a universal package management system that allows applications to run in an isolated environment, ensuring better security and compatibility across different Linux distributions.
Bluefish is available on Flathub, a repository that hosts numerous software packages. To install it via Flatpak, follow these steps:
Step 1: Install Flatpak and Enable Flathub
If Flatpak is not already installed on your system, install it using the following commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoStep 2: Install Bluefish using Flatpak
Once Flatpak is installed, install Bluefish from Flathub by running:
flatpak install nl.openoffice.bluefishStep 3: Launch Bluefish
After installation, you can launch Bluefish with the following command:
flatpak run nl.openoffice.bluefishAlternatively, you can find it in the Applications Menu.
(Optional) Remove Bluefish
If you wish to remove Bluefish, use:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data nl.openoffice.bluefishThis will completely remove the application and its associated data.
Conclusion
Bluefish is a powerful and lightweight code editor tailored for web developers and programmers who need a fast, efficient, and feature-rich environment. With support for multiple programming languages, syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and project management tools, it provides a solid alternative to heavy IDEs while maintaining a user-friendly experience. Its continuous improvements, such as enhanced bookmark functionality and compatibility fixes, make it a reliable choice for coding professionals.
By offering easy installation via Flatpak, Bluefish ensures accessibility across various Linux distributions, allowing users to install and update the software with minimal effort. Whether you’re developing websites, writing scripts, or managing large codebases, Bluefish delivers the flexibility and performance needed for a productive workflow.
For those looking for a free, open-source, and actively maintained editor, Bluefish remains a top contender. Its commitment to stability and new feature development makes it a great tool for both beginners and experienced developers alike.
