JetBrains Rider 2026.3 EAP Opens with Rainbow Brackets, Data Breakpoints, and Game-Development Enhancements

Sep 8, 2026 · 2 min read

TechStaged-owned

Summary

The Rider 2026.3 Early Access Program is open and the first EAP build is available.
Rider 2026.3 adds rainbow brackets that color matching brackets by nesting level.
Rainbow brackets feature is turned off by default and can be enabled in settings.

The first Early Access build for Rider 2026.3 is now available. It includes rainbow brackets, an easier way to set data breakpoints, a new Game Development plugin category, and filters in code completion.

The build can be obtained from JetBrains’ website or through the Toolbox App.

RAINBOW BRACKETS FOR EASIER READABILITY

Rider now colors matching brackets by nesting level to improve readability in deeply nested code. This feature helps with one-liners where traditional indent guides may fall short. TechStaged has also covered GPT-5.6 debuts in Kiro, boosting price-performance for developers.

EASIER DATA BREAKPOINTS FOR DEBUGGING GAME DEVELOPMENT

For developers debugging Unreal Engine or a custom C++ engine, data breakpoints can be set more directly. Right-click a variable in the editor to create a data breakpoint, or add one from the Breakpoints tool window by specifying the variable name or memory address and region size. Data breakpoints support read and write access, conditions, logging, and other options, with input validation as you type.

A DEDICATED GAME DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY FOR PLUGINS

Rider 2026.3 groups bundled game development plugins—such as Unity Support, UnrealLink, and Godot—into a single Game Development category on the Plugins settings page, making them easier to discover. The JetBrains Marketplace also adds a matching Game Development tag to centralize community-built game-dev plugins.

CODE COMPLETION IMPROVEMENTS WITH FILTERING

The code completion popup now includes a filter bar with icons for kinds of suggestions (namespaces, classes, enums, events). Left-click to show only a kind, or right-click to hide it, helping you focus on relevant results. These filters originate from ReSharper.

TESTING AND COVERAGE ENHANCEMENTS WITH TUNIT

Rider’s dotCover integration now measures coverage for unit tests written with TUnit. To enable coverage, install the JetBrains.dotCover.Framework package in your project. To enable full Testing Platform support, go to Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Unit Testing | Testing Platform and check the Enable Test Platform support box. Note that TUnit coverage requires Microsoft.Testing.Platform version 2.3.0 or later.

WHAT’S NEXT AND RELATED EVENTS

JetBrains notes that GameDev Day will return on September 28 with talks for game developers, engines, tools, and production pipelines. The event will be available online, with watch parties planned in Belgrade and Limassol.

SOURCES

The JetBrains Blog: The Rider 2026.3 Early Access Program Is Open Published Sep 7, 2026 · Primary source