TextMate Grammars vs Tree-sitter

Developers should learn TextMate Grammars when creating or customizing syntax highlighting for programming languages, markup languages, or configuration files in supported editors meets developers should learn and use tree-sitter when building or enhancing code editors, linters, or static analysis tools that require real-time parsing and syntax-aware operations. Here's our take.

TextMate Grammars

Nice Pick

Developers should learn TextMate Grammars when creating or customizing syntax highlighting for programming languages, markup languages, or configuration files in supported editors

Pros

• This is particularly useful for working with niche or custom languages, improving readability in codebases, or contributing to editor extensions
• Related to: visual-studio-code, sublime-text

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Tree-sitter

Developers should learn and use Tree-sitter when building or enhancing code editors, linters, or static analysis tools that require real-time parsing and syntax-aware operations

Pros

• It is particularly valuable for implementing features like syntax highlighting that update incrementally as code changes, improving performance in large files
• Related to: parsing, syntax-highlighting

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use TextMate Grammars if: You want this is particularly useful for working with niche or custom languages, improving readability in codebases, or contributing to editor extensions and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Tree-sitter if: You prioritize it is particularly valuable for implementing features like syntax highlighting that update incrementally as code changes, improving performance in large files over what TextMate Grammars offers.

The Bottom Line

TextMate Grammars wins

Developers should learn TextMate Grammars when creating or customizing syntax highlighting for programming languages, markup languages, or configuration files in supported editors