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7 Tweaks to Supercharge Gedit as a Code Editor

Gedit might look like a basic text editor, but under the hood, it can be transformed into a surprisingly capable code editor—lightweight, fast, and tailored to your workflow. If you’re on GNOME or just prefer a clean interface, here are seven tweaks that will take Gedit from plain to powerful.

1. Enable the Essential Plugins

Start by heading to Edit > Preferences > Plugins. Some built-in plugins are absolute must-haves:

• Bracket Completion: Auto-closes brackets and quotes.
• Draw Spaces: Shows tabs and whitespace, useful for Python and YAML.
• Highlight Current Line: Makes code easier to follow.
• Snippets: Add custom code templates for repetitive structures.

Turn them on, and you’ll already feel the boost in usability.

2. Install Extra Plugins (gedit-plugins package)

Your distro’s package manager likely offers an extended plugin set:

sudo apt install gedit-plugins

This adds powerful options like:

• Code Comment: Toggle comment blocks with a shortcut.
• Join/Split Lines: Format text faster.
• Multi Edit: Edit multiple lines simultaneously (think Sublime Text-style).

3. Use a Syntax-Friendly Theme

The default theme is fine, but your eyes deserve better. Install a syntax theme like Solarized, Monokai, or Dracula:

1. Download the .xml color scheme file.
2. Place it in ~/.local/share/gedit/styles/.
3. Select it under Preferences > Font & Colors.

Better contrast = faster scanning.

4. Custom Keybindings

Speed up your workflow by assigning custom shortcuts. Gedit doesn’t offer a GUI for this, but you can use .config/gedit/accels to remap keys. For example:

; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/GeditWindowActions/Save" "<Primary>s")

Remove the semicolon and modify the key combo to what works for you.

5. Turn Off Unneeded UI Bloat

Strip away distractions:

• Disable the status bar and side panel if you don’t need them.
• Set tabs to auto-hide.
• Use Zen mode plugin (if installed) for distraction-free editing.

The goal: keep it clean and minimal.

6. Add External Tools

Under Tools > Manage External Tools, you can create scripts to compile code, run linters, or deploy apps. Example for running Python:

#!/bin/bash
python3 "$GEDIT_CURRENT_DOCUMENT_PATH"

Bind it to a shortcut and you’ve got an instant run button.

7. Set Gedit as Default for Code Files

Right-click your .py, .html, or .js files, choose Properties > Open With, and set Gedit as default. This way, double-clicks go straight to your tuned-up editor.

Final Thoughts

Gedit won’t replace VS Code or JetBrains for heavy-duty work, but with these tweaks, it becomes a nimble, efficient tool for lightweight coding and quick edits. It’s fast, distraction-free, and gets the job done—especially if you’re living in the Linux terminal most of the day.

Have a favorite Gedit trick? Drop it in the comments.