diff --git a/.changeset/starlark-highlighting.md b/.changeset/starlark-highlighting.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..990198df1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/starlark-highlighting.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"hunkdiff": minor
+---
+
+Add syntax highlighting for Bazel/Starlark.
diff --git a/docs/extension-architecture.md b/docs/extension-architecture.md
index e386a2ff4..242d7115f 100644
--- a/docs/extension-architecture.md
+++ b/docs/extension-architecture.md
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ object and registry collection (`src/extensions/runExtension.ts`):
   before config resolution, so backends exist without making core import the
   extension host. `default/ui/index.ts` is deliberately not part of that list:
   it synchronously loads the bundled files pane through `runExtensionFactory`
-  only where the app resolves UI panes.
+  only where the app resolves UI panes. `default/languages/` ships file-language
+  selectors as plain data that `applyExtensionFileLanguages` prepends ahead of
+  user extensions, so apply stays off the diff-engine import graph.
 
 Git and the built-in file navigation use the public `registerVcsAdapter` and
 `registerPane` paths. The external [Hunk Lens](https://github.com/modem-dev/hunk-lens)
diff --git a/src/extensions/apply.test.ts b/src/extensions/apply.test.ts
index bff56e08e..eac422a71 100644
--- a/src/extensions/apply.test.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/apply.test.ts
@@ -170,6 +170,21 @@ describe("extension file languages", () => {
 
     applyExtensionFileLanguages(createEmptyExtensionLoadResult("/repo").registry);
     expect(fileLanguageForPath("nested/TemporaryHunkfile")).toBe("text");
+    // Bundled Starlark selectors survive a user-extension-only reload wipe.
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("pkg/BUILD")).toBe("python");
+  });
+
+  test("lets a user extension replace a bundled Starlark selector", async () => {
+    const { fileLanguageForPath } = await import("../core/changeset/fileLanguageLookup");
+    const { result } = createTestLoadResult();
+    result.registry.fileLanguages.push({
+      extensionId: "override",
+      matcher: { kind: "filename", value: "BUILD" },
+      language: "ruby",
+    });
+
+    expect(applyExtensionFileLanguages(result.registry)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("pkg/BUILD")).toBe("ruby");
   });
 
   test("keeps reserved extensions authoritative over broader selectors", async () => {
diff --git a/src/extensions/apply.ts b/src/extensions/apply.ts
index 05e79c3e7..c2ba64573 100644
--- a/src/extensions/apply.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/apply.ts
@@ -8,16 +8,18 @@ import type { Changeset } from "../core/changeset/model";
 import { detectVcs, extendVcsCatalog, getDefaultVcsAdapter } from "../core/vcs";
 import type { VcsAdapter, VcsCatalog } from "../core/vcs/types";
 import { sanitizeTerminalLine } from "../lib/terminalText";
-import type {
-  ExtensionContext,
-  ExtensionLoadResult,
-  ExtensionRegistry,
-  RegisteredCommand,
-  RegisteredFileView,
-  RegisteredKeyboardMode,
-  RegisteredLineHighlighter,
-  RegisteredPane,
+import {
+  createEmptyExtensionRegistry,
+  type ExtensionContext,
+  type ExtensionLoadResult,
+  type ExtensionRegistry,
+  type RegisteredCommand,
+  type RegisteredFileView,
+  type RegisteredKeyboardMode,
+  type RegisteredLineHighlighter,
+  type RegisteredPane,
 } from "./types";
+import { getBundledFileLanguages } from "./default/languages";
 
 /**
  * One registration Hunk refused to apply.
@@ -41,17 +43,20 @@ function describeError(error: unknown) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Register every extension-contributed file selector and language.
+ * Register every bundled and user-extension file selector and language.
  *
- * Selectors are applied once per load pass. Within one selector category the last registration
- * wins, matching how a later config layer overrides an earlier one; Hunk's own `.mts`/`.cts`
- * extension mappings are never overridden.
+ * Bundled selectors load first so `--no-extensions` still gets shipped defaults; user
+ * registrations follow and win ties within a selector category. Hunk's reserved `.mts`/`.cts`
+ * extension mappings remain non-overridable.
  */
 export function applyExtensionFileLanguages(registry: ExtensionRegistry): ExtensionApplyIssue[] {
   const issues: ExtensionApplyIssue[] = [];
   const registrations: FileLanguageRegistration[] = [];
 
-  for (const { extensionId, matcher, language } of registry.fileLanguages) {
+  for (const { extensionId, matcher, language } of [
+    ...getBundledFileLanguages(),
+    ...registry.fileLanguages,
+  ]) {
     if (matcher.kind === "extension" && BUILT_IN_FILE_LANGUAGE_EXTENSIONS.has(matcher.value)) {
       issues.push({
         extensionId,
@@ -354,8 +359,12 @@ export function applyExtensionRegistrations(
   baseCatalog: VcsCatalog,
 ): AppliedExtensionRegistrations {
   if (!result) {
-    replaceExtensionFileLanguages([]);
-    return { vcsAdapters: [], vcsCatalog: baseCatalog, issues: [] };
+    // Still apply bundled file languages when user extensions are absent or disabled.
+    return {
+      vcsAdapters: [],
+      vcsCatalog: baseCatalog,
+      issues: applyExtensionFileLanguages(createEmptyExtensionRegistry()),
+    };
   }
 
   const languageIssues = applyExtensionFileLanguages(result.registry);
diff --git a/src/extensions/default/languages/index.test.ts b/src/extensions/default/languages/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ec028f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/extensions/default/languages/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID } from "../../extensionIds";
+import { getBundledFileLanguages } from ".";
+
+describe("bundled file languages", () => {
+  test("exposes Starlark selectors under the vendor extension id", () => {
+    const languages = getBundledFileLanguages();
+    expect(languages.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(languages.every((entry) => entry.extensionId === HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID)).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/extensions/default/languages/index.ts b/src/extensions/default/languages/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..89a0d9671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/extensions/default/languages/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID } from "../../extensionIds";
+import type { RegisteredFileLanguage } from "../../types";
+import { STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS } from "./starlark";
+
+/**
+ * Bundled file-language selectors.
+ *
+ * `applyExtensionFileLanguages` prepends these ahead of user extensions so shipped
+ * defaults stay active under `--no-extensions` and remain replaceable by a later
+ * registration. This module stays free of `runExtension` so the startup graph can
+ * reach apply without loading the diff engine.
+ */
+
+/** Return the shipped file-language selectors for the apply path. */
+export function getBundledFileLanguages(): readonly RegisteredFileLanguage[] {
+  return STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS.map((entry) => ({
+    extensionId: HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID,
+    matcher: entry.matcher,
+    language: entry.language,
+  }));
+}
diff --git a/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.test.ts b/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52524702c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { applyExtensionFileLanguages } from "../../apply";
+import { HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID } from "../../extensionIds";
+import { runExtensionFactory } from "../../runExtension";
+import { createEmptyExtensionRegistry, type ExtensionLoadIssue } from "../../types";
+import { getBundledFileLanguages } from ".";
+import registerStarlarkFileLanguages, { STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS } from "./starlark";
+
+describe("bundled Starlark file languages", () => {
+  test("lists the Linguist Starlark selectors", () => {
+    const matchers = getBundledFileLanguages().map((entry) => entry.matcher);
+
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "extension", value: "bzl" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "extension", value: "star" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "extension", value: "bazel" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "extension", value: "bzlmod" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "extension", value: "sky" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "filename", value: "BUILD" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "filename", value: "WORKSPACE" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "filename", value: "BUCK" });
+    expect(matchers).toContainEqual({ kind: "filename", value: "Tiltfile" });
+    expect(getBundledFileLanguages().every((entry) => entry.language === "python")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("registers the same selectors through the public factory API", () => {
+    const registry = createEmptyExtensionRegistry();
+    const issues: ExtensionLoadIssue[] = [];
+    runExtensionFactory({
+      metadata: {
+        id: HUNK_VENDOR_EXTENSION_ID,
+        sourcePath: "hunk:bundled/languages/starlark",
+        origin: "bundled",
+      },
+      registry,
+      issues,
+      factory: registerStarlarkFileLanguages,
+    });
+
+    expect(issues).toEqual([]);
+    expect(registry.fileLanguages.map((entry) => entry.matcher)).toEqual(
+      STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS.map((entry) => entry.matcher),
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("highlights Bazel and Starlark paths as Python after apply", async () => {
+    const { fileLanguageForPath } = await import("../../../core/changeset/fileLanguageLookup");
+    expect(applyExtensionFileLanguages(createEmptyExtensionRegistry())).toEqual([]);
+
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("defs.bzl")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("tools/defs.bzl")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("rules.star")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("copy.bara.sky")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("BUILD.bazel")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("pkg/nested/MODULE.bazel")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("WORKSPACE.bzlmod")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("BUILD")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("pkg/BUILD")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("a/b/c/WORKSPACE")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("third_party/BUCK")).toBe("python");
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath("Tiltfile")).toBe("python");
+    // `.bazelrc` is a flag file rather than Starlark.
+    expect(fileLanguageForPath(".bazelrc")).toBe("text");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.ts b/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..641be49ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/extensions/default/languages/starlark.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import type { ExtensionFileLanguageMatcher, HunkExtensionAPI } from "hunkdiff/extension";
+
+/**
+ * Bazel/Starlark path → Python highlight selectors.
+ *
+ * Starlark has no grammar of its own. GitHub Linguist classifies it with
+ * `tm_scope: source.python`, so Python is the intended rendering rather than a
+ * stand-in. Extension and filename selectors follow Linguist's key list; the
+ * `bazel` and `bzlmod` extensions also cover `BUILD.bazel`, `MODULE.bazel`,
+ * `REPO.bazel`, `VENDOR.bazel`, and `WORKSPACE.bzlmod` without naming each one.
+ *
+ * Kept as plain data so apply can prepend these without loading the extension
+ * host or the diff engine. The factory below is the same public API a user
+ * extension would call.
+ */
+export const STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS: readonly {
+  matcher: ExtensionFileLanguageMatcher;
+  language: string;
+}[] = [
+  ...(["bzl", "star", "bazel", "bzlmod", "sky"] as const).map((value) => ({
+    matcher: { kind: "extension" as const, value },
+    language: "python",
+  })),
+  ...(["BUILD", "WORKSPACE", "BUCK", "Tiltfile"] as const).map((value) => ({
+    matcher: { kind: "filename" as const, value },
+    language: "python",
+  })),
+];
+
+/** Register the bundled Starlark selectors through the public extension API. */
+export default function registerStarlarkFileLanguages(hunk: HunkExtensionAPI): void {
+  for (const { matcher, language } of STARLARK_FILE_LANGUAGE_SELECTORS) {
+    hunk.registerFileLanguage(matcher, language);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/extensions/default/vcs/index.ts b/src/extensions/default/vcs/index.ts
index 7cdc221ce..01b8bca7c 100644
--- a/src/extensions/default/vcs/index.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/default/vcs/index.ts
@@ -35,11 +35,13 @@ import {
  * rather than a crash — even though these factories are Hunk's own and that
  * path should be unreachable.
  *
- * VCS backends are the only registration kind this tier uses today. The app
- * composition root reads `getBundledVcsAdapters` and builds the core catalog.
- * A bundled extension that registered a theme or a changeset transform would
- * also have to be threaded through `applyExtensionRegistrations`, which today
- * only sees the user-extension load result.
+ * File-language selectors live in `default/languages/` as plain registration
+ * data that `applyExtensionFileLanguages` prepends; that path must stay free of
+ * `runExtension` so startup does not pull the diff engine. The app composition
+ * root reads `getBundledVcsAdapters` and builds the core catalog. A bundled
+ * extension that registered a theme or a changeset transform would also have to
+ * be threaded through `applyExtensionRegistrations`, which today only sees the
+ * user-extension load result for those kinds.
  */
 
 interface BundledExtensionDefinition {