Default Editor Switcher

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A lightweight macOS menu bar app for developers living in the Vibe Coding era, with a handful of AI editors always within reach.

One click switches groups of files like .py, .tsx, .html, .css, .java, and .md to a different default editor, without the tedious Finder ritual of changing them one file type at a time.

Why This Exists

Vibe Coding changed what a developer desktop looks like. Cursor for one stream of work, Windsurf for another, Zed for a lighter loop, VS Code for the familiar setup, JetBrains for a language-specific pass. Once different kinds of tasks are running in parallel, keeping several editors open stops feeling excessive and starts feeling normal.

And the reason to switch keeps changing too. One task fits a different editor better, another is already running somewhere else, or a token budget simply ran dry and forces you to move. Default Editor Switcher is built for that rhythm: a native, one-click way to move multiple file types together, so files opened from Finder or a Git client land in the editor you actually want, without hijacking the workspace already open for something else. When you shift from one project to another and your editor preference changes with it, you can switch the file-opening defaults once instead of cleaning up Open With choices type by type.

It is loosely inspired by default-browser-switcher, but aimed at editors instead of browsers.

What You Can Do

• Shows your current global text default editor directly from the menu bar.
• Lets you refresh the available editor list by rediscovering both the built-in recommended editors and the apps macOS says can handle those file types.
• One click switches the built-in global text scope to another editor.
• Gives you a dedicated settings window for launch-at-login, recommended app ordering, and app language.

Troubleshooting

macOS says the app is damaged and can't be opened

Because macOS applies quarantine checks to apps downloaded outside the App Store, you may see this warning the first time you launch the app.

1. Command-line fix (recommended):

   sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/DefaultEditorSwitcher.app"

   If you moved or renamed the app, adjust the path accordingly.

2. Or open it from System Settings -> Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

Development

Build:

xcodebuild -scheme DefaultEditorSwitcher -project DefaultEditorSwitcher.xcodeproj -destination 'platform=macOS' build

Test:

xcodebuild test -scheme DefaultEditorSwitcher -project DefaultEditorSwitcher.xcodeproj -destination 'platform=macOS'

License

MIT