Rider for Mac

Starting a .NET project: a short workflow

1. Open Rider and choose a template: console app, ASP.NET, or a Unity game project. The solution structure appears in the explorer, ready for editing.
2. Write C# code in the editor: code completion suggests types and methods as you type, drawing on ReSharper's analysis engine. Errors and warnings appear in the margin.
3. Run unit tests with TUnit: the Test Runner window lists tests, and dotCover now measures coverage line by line. Failed assertions show a diff between expected and actual values.
4. Build and run: the Run button compiles the project and launches it. For Unity projects, Rider attaches to the Unity Editor, so breakpoints and logs appear in the same window.

The 2026.2.2 update, released on 16 September, addresses a freeze that some users encountered on macOS. Beyond the fix, the AI Agent Setup widget now sits in the bottom-right status bar, and agent hooks provide more targeted feedback after code changes. Rider continues to handle JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, and Sass alongside .NET languages, which makes it a practical choice for full-stack work on a single platform. Build 262.10968.170 is the one available as of early October.

Comparing Rider, Visual Studio for Mac, and VS Code

Visual Studio for Mac was the obvious .NET alternative on macOS for years, but Microsoft retired it in 2024. If you still have it installed, Rider feels sharper and more responsive: the ReSharper engine catches problems earlier, and the refactoring tools are more ambitious. Where VS for Mac leaned heavily on solution-level dialogs, Rider keeps most actions in the editor itself — renaming, extracting interfaces, or moving types happens without leaving the keyboard.

Comparing Rider to VS Code turns on depth versus breadth. VS Code with the C# extension is lightweight and starts faster. For quick edits or a single-file script, it is hard to beat. Rider, however, opens a full .NET IDE: a decompiler that shows framework source on demand, database tools that connect to SQL Server or PostgreSQL, and built-in profiling. If your day involves large solutions, Unity debugging, or refactoring across dozens of projects, the difference is noticeable. Both editors handle TypeScript and Sass; Rider simply bundles more .NET-specific intelligence without hunting for extensions.

First days with Rider: practical starting points

• Set the keymap early. If you come from ReSharper in Visual Studio, pick the ReSharper keymap in Preferences | Keymap. If you prefer macOS conventions, try the macOS setting — it remaps common actions closer to Xcode habits.
• Pin the AI Agent Setup widget. The widget in the bottom-right status bar, new in 2026.2.2, suggests agent hooks after code changes. In the first days, glance at its feedback after refactoring a method or adding a class; it often catches edge cases you would otherwise debug later.
• Let dotCover run during TUnit sessions. Open a test project, run all tests with coverage enabled, then scan the coloured gutter marks. Green lines are covered, red are not. It is a fast way to find untested paths in code you inherited.
• Use the decompiler as a learning tool. Command-click any .NET framework type and Rider shows readable C# source. It turns a vague method call into something concrete, especially useful when documentation is thin.

The macOS freeze fix alone makes this build worth installing if you saw hangs in previous versions. Once it is running, a few deliberate configuration choices in the first days — keymap, coverage, the decompiler habit — shape how much the IDE does for you before you even ask.

The 2026.2.2 release, dated 16 September 2026, brings a handful of targeted improvements alongside a stability fix. A macOS freeze that affected earlier builds is now resolved.

• An AI Agent Setup widget appears in the bottom-right status bar.
• Agent hooks return more specific feedback after code modifications.
• dotCover integration measures code coverage for unit tests written with TUnit.

• macOS 11 or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon processor