Alternatives to Syntax Highlight
Other tools in this directory that do similar work, with a verified install command for each. Syntax Highlight itself: install Syntax Highlight.
Retroactive
Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Golden Gate, macOS Tahoe, macOS Sequoia, macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and mac
QuickLook Video
Finder Thumbnails, Quick Look previews, Get Info metadata and previews for most types of audio and video files
dep-tree
Tool for helping developers keep their code bases clean and decoupled. It allows visualising a code base complexity using a 3d force-directed graph of
zsh-syntax-highlighting
Fish shell like syntax highlighting for Zsh
scc
Sloc, Cloc and Code: scc is a very fast accurate code counter with complexity calculations and COCOMO estimates written in pure Go
credo
A static code analysis tool for the Elixir language with a focus on code consistency and teaching
Razer macOS
Color effects manager for Razer devices for macOS. Supports High Sierra (10.13) to Monterey (12.0). Made by the community, based on openrazer
lizard-analyzer
A simple code complexity analyser without caring about the C/C++ header files or Java imports, supports most of the popular languages
ProvisionQL
Quick Look plugin for mobile apps and provisioning profiles
hcxtools
A small set of tools to convert packets from capture files to hash files for use with Hashcat or John the Ripper
folderify
:file_folder: Generate pixel-perfect macOS folder icons in the native style. (Now with support for macOS 26 Tahoe!)
php-code-sniffer
PHP_CodeSniffer tokenizes PHP files and detects violations of a defined set of coding standards
logrotate
The logrotate utility is designed to simplify the administration of log files on a system which generates a lot of log files
LocalizationEditor
Simple macOS editor app to help you manage iOS and macOS app localizations by allowing you to edit all the translations side by side
bartycrouch
Localization/I18n: Incrementally update/translate your Strings files from .swift, .h, .m(m), .storyboard or .xib files
git
Git Source Code Mirror - This is a publish-only repository but pull requests can be turned into patches to the mailing list via GitGitGadget (https://
MarkText
📝A simple and elegant markdown editor, available for Linux, macOS and Windows
prettier
Prettier is an opinionated code formatter
ruff
An extremely fast Python linter and code formatter, written in Rust
black
The uncompromising Python code formatter
trivy
Find vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets, SBOM in containers, Kubernetes, code repositories, clouds and more
VSCodium
binary releases of VS Code without MS branding/telemetry/licensing
eslint
Find and fix problems in your JavaScript code
cloc
cloc counts blank lines, comment lines, and physical lines of source code in many programming languages
How we picked these
We match on what the tool does and how it installs, then order by how widely each project is used. We're not saying these are better or worse than Syntax Highlight — that depends on what you're building. We're saying they're the projects people reach for in the same situations, and each one has an install command we checked against its documentation.
Syntax Highlight is developed by its own authors and this page is an independent reference; we are not affiliated with or sponsored by any project listed, and nothing here is a paid placement.