Syntax Highlight
A Quick Look extension for macOS 10.15+ that previews source code files with syntax highlighting using the Highlight engine.
What is Syntax Highlight?
Syntax Highlight is a macOS Quick Look extension that provides syntax-highlighted previews of source code files directly in Finder. It solves the problem of needing to open an IDE or text editor just to glance at a file's contents, offering instant, color-coded previews for hundreds of programming languages and file formats.
macOS developers and power users who frequently work with source code files and want a quick, visually rich preview without leaving Finder.
Developers choose Syntax Highlight for its extensive language support, deep macOS integration, and high degree of customization—including theme editing, VCS highlighting, and Language Server Protocol support—all within a native, performant Quick Look extension.
Overview
Quick Look extension for highlight source code files on macOS 10.15 and later.
Use Cases
Best For
- Quickly previewing source code files in Finder without opening an editor
- Customizing syntax highlighting themes and rendering options for code previews
- Viewing Git or Mercurial diff highlights directly in file previews
- Previewing obscure or custom file formats with syntax highlighting
- Batch converting source files to highlighted HTML or RTF via CLI
- Integrating Language Server hover info and semantic tokens into Quick Look previews
Not Ideal For
- Cross-platform development teams needing consistent file previews across Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Organizations with strict security policies requiring signed and notarized applications
- Users who primarily preview markdown files and want formatted output instead of highlighted source code
- Projects relying heavily on file types reserved by macOS, such as .ts or .html on older versions
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports hundreds of programming languages and file formats via the Highlight engine, including specialized ones like .dockerfile, .tf, and .astro, as listed in the README.
Offers RTF or HTML rendering engines, customizable color schemes, fonts, word wrap, line numbers, and VCS highlighting for Git/Mercurial diffs, all configurable in the settings.
Supports external Language Servers for hover info and semantic tokens, and can preview files without extensions by analyzing MIME types or displaying hex dumps.
Includes a CLI tool for batch conversion of source files to highlighted HTML or RTF output, with options to override rendering settings from the app.
Cons
The precompiled release is not notarized or signed, requiring manual steps like right-click opening or terminal commands to bypass macOS security warnings, as noted in the installation section.
Certain file types (e.g., .ts, .dart, .json on Ventura) are reserved by macOS and cannot be handled, limiting support for common formats depending on the OS version.
Configuring Language Servers, custom preprocessors, or plain file rules requires advanced knowledge and manual setup, which may deter casual users.
Exclusively for macOS 10.15 and later, with no cross-platform support, making it unsuitable for developers using Windows or Linux systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
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