Notepad++ is a free text editor primarily used for programming, but it can be used as a replacement for Windows Notepad as well. It has a rich palette of features and can be used as a professional alternative to many commercial programming code editors.
Among its vast palette of features is syntax highlighting, which can be customized for different keywords and programming languages. Each language supports auto-completion, and there are dozens of popular programming languages supported out of the box.
Juggling multiple files and remote edits
Another useful feature is the tabbed interface, where you can have multiple documents opened for editing at the same time. A powerful find and replace tool allows you to search through all opened documents - or all documents inside a folder and its subfolders - and replace words in all matching documents at once.
Files on a remote server can be edited locally via an FTP plugin. Files are transferred to a local folder and are automatically transferred back to the server when you make changes to them and save them.Expanding capabilities with plugins
What sets this editor apart is the built-in Plugins Admin. You can easily browse, install, and update hundreds of third-party plugins that add everything from code formatting and spell checkers to advanced compiling tools. You can also record and play back macros to automate repetitive text-editing tasks.Interface and usability
The interface is minimalistic with a feature-rich toolbar and menus, and it now fully supports a native dark mode to reduce eye strain during long coding sessions. The code area has line numbering and can be maximized to the whole screen by pressing the F11 key. It also has zoom-in and zoom-out options.
Notepad++ has been translated into over 90 popular world languages and remains a powerful code editor for any programming task to this day.
