The Sublime Text plugins people install most add web shortcuts, side bar tools, bracket highlighting, linting, time tracking and themes. Package Control counts unique installs and shows when each package last changed, and some of the biggest haven't changed in years. Eleven packages follow in no particular order.
Sublime Text keeps its core small, so most people add packages for the jobs they do every day: expanding HTML shorthand, managing files from the side bar, matching brackets or linting code as they type. The eleven here are among the most installed in Package Control, with Package Control itself left out.
Every count comes from Package Control (Sublime Text's package index), as of Oct 2026: unique installs, the last modified date and the authors on each package page. Package Control doesn't show ratings, so there aren't any here, and the packages are listed alphabetically, in no particular order. If you're weighing up your wider setup, my guide to developer productivity tools that work covers more than the editor.
Sublime Text packages at a glance
Type and Good for come from each package's own description in Package Control, as of Oct 2026. Package pages don't name a free plan, so the last column reads Not stated for every row.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoFileName | Autocomplete plugin | Filename autocomplete | Not stated |
| BracketHighlighter | Highlighter | Matching brackets and tags | Not stated |
| ColorPicker | Colour picker | Picking colours in the editor | Not stated |
| Emmet | Web developer toolkit | Quicker HTML and CSS writing | Not stated |
| Material Theme | Editor theme | A Material look for Sublime Text 3 | Not stated |
| Pretty JSON | Formatter and linter | Prettify, minify and validate JSON | Not stated |
| Sass | Syntax package | SCSS syntax for Sublime Text | Not stated |
| SideBarEnhancements | Side bar tools | File and folder commands in the side bar | Not stated |
| SublimeCodeIntel | Code intelligence | Autocomplete and code intelligence | Not stated |
| SublimeLinter | Linting framework | Code linting as you type | Not stated |
| WakaTime | Time tracking plugin | Automatic coding time tracking | Not stated |
Eleven Sublime Text packages, A to Z
AutoFileName
Best for: Typing file paths faster, as it autocompletes filenames for you, though its last modified date is the oldest on this list.
BracketHighlighter
Best for: Seeing which brackets and tags belong together in long files, from a highlighter last modified on September 17, 2026.
ColorPicker
Best for: Picking colours inside the editor while you style a page, from a multi-platform colour picker plugin by Weslly H.
Emmet
Best for: Web developers who write a lot of HTML and CSS, from the toolkit with the biggest install count on this list.
Material Theme
Best for: A Material look for the whole editor, from a theme made for Sublime Text 3 by Mattia Astorino.
Pretty JSON
Best for: Anyone who works with JSON daily and wants to prettify, minify, query and validate it without leaving Sublime Text 3 or 4.
Sass
Best for: Writing SCSS stylesheets with syntax support built for them, from a package published by the SublimeText account itself.
SideBarEnhancements
Best for: Managing files and folders straight from the side bar, with the extra side bar tools its description promises.
SublimeCodeIntel
Best for: Code intelligence and smart autocomplete, if you're happy to rely on a package last modified on November 7, 2017.
SublimeLinter
Best for: Flagging code problems as you type, from the linting framework you add language linters on top of.
WakaTime
Best for: Tracking how long you spend coding, with metrics built from your activity, from a plugin that names Sublime Text 2 and 3.
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What decided which packages made the list
Only what Package Control shows: unique installs, the last modified date and the authors. Nothing was scored or put through a test, and no package was left out for being old. That last point matters, as you'll see below.
Millions of installs, no changes in years
Install counts in Package Control keep adding up long after a package stops changing. AutoFileName shows 1,630,063 installs with a last modified date of January 13, 2014, and SublimeCodeIntel shows 1,857,879 installs with November 7, 2017, as of Oct 2026.
Compare that with SublimeLinter, which shows 2,336,374 installs and was modified on October 2, 2026, or Emmet, which leads the list with 6,144,488. A big install count tells you a package was popular at some point. The last modified date tells you whether anyone's still working on it.
Matching a Sublime package to the job
- You write a lot of HTML and CSS: pick an abbreviation toolkit for web developers.
- You manage files from the side bar: pick a side bar package that adds file and folder commands.
- You want errors flagged as you type: pick a linting framework, then add the linter for your language.
- You want to know where your coding hours go: pick a time tracking package.
- You handle JSON every day: pick a JSON package that prettifies, minifies and validates it.
- You want a fresh look: pick a theme package, and check when it was last modified.
Before you install an older Sublime package
- Check the last modified date on its Package Control page. On this list it runs from January 13, 2014 to October 2, 2026, as of Oct 2026.
- Read which Sublime Text versions the description names. Some here name versions 2 and 3, others 3 and 4.
- Install one package at a time, so you know which one changed things if something goes wrong.
- Look for a newer package that does the same job if an old one stops behaving after an editor update.
If AI help is the next thing you're adding to your editor, my roundup of AI coding assistants compares the options.
Do you make Sublime Text packages? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Plain advice on Sublime Text plugins
Add packages for the things you do every day and leave the rest. Install counts show you what other people found useful, but the last modified date is the number to check before you rely on a package for work. An old package can still do its job, just don't expect fixes if something breaks after an editor update.
Keep your list short, too. Every package you add is one more thing to check when Sublime Text updates, and you'll find it easier to spot a problem when there are only a few in play.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What are Sublime Text plugins?
They're packages that add features to Sublime Text, such as web shortcuts, linting, themes or file tools. Most people install them through Package Control.
Are Sublime Text plugins and packages the same thing?
Near enough. Package Control calls them packages, while most people search for plugins. A package can hold a plugin, a theme, a syntax or a mix of these.
How do I know if a Sublime package is still maintained?
Check the last modified date on its Package Control page. Several packages on this list with very high install counts haven't been modified in years.
Does Package Control show ratings?
No. It shows unique installs, the last modified date and the authors, so this list has no ratings.
