Pluma
by Pluma
What Pluma is
Pluma is a free, open-source graphical text editor for creating and editing files in the MATE desktop environment. It works with Unicode UTF-8 text and offers syntax highlighting, automatic indentation, search and replace, file reverting, and printing with preview. A multiple-document interface keeps several files open for simultaneous editing, while regular-expression searching uses the PCRE library. Its configurable plugin system includes spell checking, file browsing, sorting, date and time insertion, tag lists, bracket completion, code commenting, an embedded terminal, word completion, and source-code browsing. Pluma integrates with Caja drag and drop, MATE help, the MATE Virtual File System, and MATE printing. It runs on Linux distributions including Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, and Arch Linux, and is released under GPL version 2. Build requirements include GTK+ 3.22 or later and GtkSourceView 4.0.2 or later.
Who it suits
Pluma suits Linux users who want a general-purpose graphical editor within the MATE desktop. Its plugins and source-editing features also fit users handling code or structured text.
What it does well
- Free and open source
- UTF-8 and syntax highlighting
- Multiple documents open together
- Configurable plugin system
- Regular-expression search
What to know first
- No current user documentation
- Linux-focused platform support
- Build requires GTK+ and GtkSourceView versions
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No pricing or usage limits stated | Free |
As mate-desktop.org lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Pluma provides a broad set of text-editing functions while fitting closely into MATE. Its extension options and regular-expression search add flexibility, but newcomers may need to rely on project channels because user documentation is currently unavailable.
Facts from Pluma's own pages
- Build requirements
- The project README lists GTK+ 3.22 or later and GtkSourceView 4.0.2 or later as requirements. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Desktop environment
- Pluma is the official text editor of the MATE desktop environment, which provides a traditional desktop experience for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- The MATE site lists Pluma among MATE applications and says MATE is available through official repositories for many Linux distributions. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Distribution availability
- MATE is available from the official repositories of listed Linux distributions including Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, and Arch Linux. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The MATE wiki says there is currently no user documentation for Pluma. · wiki.mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Documentation limit
- The Pluma wiki page says there is currently no user documentation for Pluma. · wiki.mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Editing features
- Pluma supports UTF-8 text, syntax highlighting, remote file editing, search and replace, printing with preview, and file revert. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Editor features
- Its core features include source-code syntax highlighting, auto indentation, and printing with print preview. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Extension support
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Founded
- 2011 · mate-desktop.org, 28 Sept 2026
- License
- Pluma is released under the GNU General Public License version 2. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- MATE integration
- Pluma integrates with Caja drag and drop, the MATE help system, MATE Virtual File System, and MATE print framework. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Multiple documents
- Its multiple document interface lets users edit more than one document at the same time. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Plugin examples
- Additional plugins include bracket completion, code commenting, an embedded terminal, word completion, and a source-code browser. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Plugins
- Pluma has a configurable plugin system, with packaged plugins including spell checker, file browser, sort, insert date/time, and tag list. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Project authorship
- The MATE site credits its contents to The MATE Team. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pluma is a graphical text editor for creating and editing text files. · wiki.mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Recent release notes
- The MATE 1.28 release notes say Pluma fixed some memory leaks and double activation of extensions. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Regular expressions
- Its find-and-replace feature supports regular expressions implemented using the PCRE library. · wiki.mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Search
- Find and replace supports regular expressions through the PCRE library. · wiki.mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs bug reports to its GitHub issue tracker and asks reporters to create an account. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Text encoding
- Pluma supports international text using Unicode UTF-8 encoding in edited files. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Unix-like systems
- The MATE site also lists FreeBSD, GhostBSD, OpenIndiana, and OS108 as options for users who prefer UNIX. · mate-desktop.org, 12 Oct 2026
Where Pluma stands on Freedom251
- Text Editors#62 of 82