Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Sublime Text VS Rectangle

Compare Sublime Text VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

Sublime Text logo Sublime Text

Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.
  • Sublime Text Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-17
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20

Sublime Text features and specs

  • Speed
    Sublime Text is known for its fast performance, even with very large files and heavy duty workloads, providing a smooth coding experience.
  • Customizability
    It offers extensive customization options via JSON settings files, allowing users to tailor the editor to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Package Control
    The Package Control feature allows for easy installation, management, and discovery of plugins and themes, greatly enhancing functionality.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, it enables a consistent working environment across different operating systems.
  • Multiple Selections
    Allows for simultaneous editing by making multiple text selections, which is a powerful feature for rapidly making large-scale changes.
  • Distraction-Free Mode
    Offers a distraction-free mode that lets you focus on code by providing a full-screen, minimal interface.
  • Command Palette
    Provides a command palette that gives quick access to various functionalities, making performing complex actions easier.

Possible disadvantages of Sublime Text

  • Cost
    While a free evaluation version is available, continued use requires purchasing a license, which may be a barrier for hobbyists or cash-strapped developers.
  • Limited IDE Features
    It lacks some of the advanced features found in full-fledged Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), such as robust debugging tools and integrated version control.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The high degree of customizability can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring a significant time investment to master.
  • Plugin Dependencies
    While the extensive plugin ecosystem is an advantage, it can also lead to dependencies on third-party plugins which may not always be reliable or maintained.
  • No Real-Time Collaboration
    Unlike some modern editors, Sublime Text lacks built-in support for real-time collaboration between multiple users.
  • Occasional Plugin Conflicts
    Plugins can occasionally conflict with each other, causing unexpected behavior or performance issues.
  • Less Active Community
    Compared to some other popular editors like VSCode, the Sublime Text community is relatively smaller and less active.

Rectangle features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Rectangle offers an intuitive user interface that makes window management straightforward and user-friendly.
  • Customizable Shortcuts
    Users can easily configure keyboard shortcuts to better suit their workflow, making window management faster and more efficient.
  • Free
    Rectangle is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a financial investment.
  • Frequent Updates
    The app receives regular updates, introducing new features and ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions.
  • Lightweight
    Rectangle is a lightweight application that doesn't consume many system resources, ensuring smooth performance even on older Macs.

Possible disadvantages of Rectangle

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Rectangle lacks some of the more advanced features found in paid window management applications, such as multiple monitor support and more complex window arrangements.
  • MacOS Only
    Rectangle is only available for macOS, so users of other operating systems are unable to take advantage of its features.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users report occasional bugs or unpredictable behavior, which might require troubleshooting or waiting for a future update.
  • Learning Curve for Shortcuts
    While customizable shortcuts are a benefit, there is an initial learning curve for users to memorize and effectively use these shortcuts.
  • Basic Aesthetic
    The app's design and aesthetic are quite basic, lacking the polish and visual appeal found in some other similar tools.

Analysis of Rectangle

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Rectangle is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive customization options, and the fact that it is free and open-source. It provides essential functionality without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for both casual users and power users who need efficient window management.

Why this product is good

  • Rectangle is a popular window management tool for macOS, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to efficiently organize and resize application windows using customizable keyboard shortcuts or by dragging windows into pre-defined areas of the screen. This can enhance productivity by minimizing the time spent arranging windows and improving multitasking capabilities.

Recommended for

    Rectangle is recommended for macOS users looking for a straightforward, lightweight solution to manage application windows. It is particularly beneficial for those who frequently work with multiple applications at once, including developers, designers, and anyone who values a tidy and organized desktop environment.

Sublime Text videos

SUBLIME TEXT REVIEW | CODE EDITOR TOOL

More videos:

  • Review - Visual Studio Code vs Sublime Text - Laravel Dev POV

Rectangle videos

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

  • Review - Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline Review #1
  • Review - Marvin Malton 160 Rectangle Flying Hour Watch Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Sublime Text and Rectangle)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Sublime Text and Rectangle

Sublime Text Reviews

Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
Sublime Text is widely regarded as one of the best text editors for coding. Its speed, flexibility, and ease of use make it a favorite among developers. With a simple and intuitive user interface, Sublime Text allows you to focus on your code without distractions. It supports a wide range of programming languages and offers features like split editing, multiple selections,...
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
As for the features, Sublime Text has an advantage in that it’s extremely lightweight (low resource usage), but still keeps around some of the more advanced features you would expect out of a top text editor. The primary benefit is that Sublime Text offers shortcuts and search tools for immediately finding certain functions and making changes to multiple lines at once....
Source: kinsta.com
Top 10 Free CSV Readers in 2023!
Sublime Text: A text editor that supports multiple file formats including CSV and has powerful features for viewing and editing large CSV files.
Source: www.retable.io
Top 10 Notepad++ Alternatives for Mac in 2022
Another Notepad++ Mac alternative, Sublime Text is a good choice if you’re going for code sophistication. The tool supports a lot o programming languages and mark-ups. In addition, you can even add in plugins in order to incorporate new functions. Sublime Text can actually be downloaded for free by Mac users. A purchased version is next up after you have finished the license.
Source: www.imymac.com
What's The Best C++ IDE? Our Top C++ IDEs & Editors In 2024
Sublime Text also offers a clean and uncluttered interface, which is great for focusing on your code without unnecessary distractions. This minimalist approach is combined with powerful editing features like syntax highlighting, customizable key bindings, code folding, and an advanced search functionality.
Source: hackr.io

Rectangle Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Rectangle shows that you don’t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and dropping. Just like Magnet, you can split your screen up into quarters, thirds, or halves.
Source: mackeeper.com
Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle – offer this functionality.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
However, it might take some time for you to get used to the shortcuts in the Rectangle app since there are many. Furthermore, you can also add some of your apps to exceptions if you want to keep them away from Rectangle's shortcuts.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be a lot more popular than Sublime Text. While we know about 462 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Sublime Text. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Sublime Text mentions (3)

  • Want better keybinding parity between micro and Sublime Text?
    I went through the key-bindings in Micro (which use different modifier keys) and added them to Sublime Text:. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Trying pop os episode 1
    Oh, and sublimetext.com too if you prefer something "cleaner". It is multi-platform too, like VSCodium. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Sublime Text 3 Setup
    Sublime Text Terminal Shortcuts and menu entries for opening a terminal at the current file, or the current root project folder in Sublime Text. - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago

Rectangle mentions (462)

  • Any tools for a customizable trading dashboard (charts, order flow, news, etc.)?
    Try rectangle if you’re on mac. It’s a window manager and you can config hot keys to move windows around. For example I keep my large monitor split in 3, with a window in each third. I know it’s not exactly what you asked, but prob the best you can achieve. If you want to try to roll your own web solution, you can try to create a page with multiple iframes. The catch is that sites control whether they can be... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • The Future Is Niri
    This is how I use my Mac desktop with Rectangle https://rectangleapp.com That and the apple touchpad to swipe three fingers left and right to switch desktops (and different machines as one desktop is remote desked into a windows box and another terminal+tmux session to a linux box). - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • iTerm2 Critical Security Fix
    Full-screen-but-not-native is useful enough that it's handy to have around for all windows in all programs. So the move there is to install Rectangle.app (https://rectangleapp.com/), the successor to Spectacle, and then choose your terminal independently. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: Resizer2 – i3/KDE window movement on Windows
    I use https://rectangleapp.com/ for KDE-like window management on my Macbooks. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Apple's macOS Sequoia lets you snap windows into position
    It's OK, but far from enough for a power user. After trying it out, I decided to go back to using the open source Rectangle: https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Sublime Text and Rectangle, you can also consider the following products

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

yabai - A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

Vim - Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).