IDE

Mate includes a built-in IDE for editing code without leaving the app. It is not a replacement for VS Code or JetBrains — it is a lightweight, always-available editor that is especially useful when you are working remotely from your phone or tablet.

Opening the IDE

1. Click + in the tab bar
2. Select IDE
3. Choose a folder to open

The IDE shows a file tree on the left and an editor pane on the right. Click any file to open it.

File tree

The file tree is git-aware. It uses git ls-files to list tracked files, which means it automatically respects your .gitignore and skips build artifacts, node_modules, and other ignored directories. For non-git projects, it falls back to a standard directory listing.

You can:

• Navigate folders by expanding/collapsing them
• Open files by clicking
• Search files by name using the search bar at the top of the tree

Editor

The editor supports syntax highlighting for 100+ languages through the re_editor package. Features include:

• Syntax highlighting with language auto-detection based on file extension
• Line numbers
• Find and replace
• Undo/redo
• Standard keyboard shortcuts for editing

Single-file editor

If you just need to edit one file without a full project tree, use the Editor tab type instead. It opens a single file in an editor with the same syntax highlighting and editing features.

Remote editing

The IDE works from paired remote devices. When you open an IDE tab on a remote session, you are browsing and editing files on the desktop. Changes are saved directly to the desktop's filesystem.

This is particularly useful for:

• Quick fixes from your phone while away from your desk
• Reviewing code that an AI agent just modified
• Editing configuration files on a remote machine

File browser

The file browser modal lets you navigate your filesystem to find files or folders. It supports:

• Breadcrumb navigation
• Quick search with fuzzy matching
• Git-aware file listing that filters out ignored files