Windows Notepad is a very popular text editor from Microsoft and it has been a preloaded software on most Windows OS. Looking back on the time of Vista, Windows 7 and so on. Windows Notepad can be found on these OS, even OS like Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows 11 all have Notepad. With Notepad, you can edit texts and create texts. It is mostly used for writing programming languages back in the day. While Windows Notepad may be a nice text editor, however, it does lack some advanced features. But since there are other alternatives to consider, you only need to pick one and move past Windows Notepad. If you’re looking for the best Windows Notepad alternatives, we’ve got you covered here at NaijaKnowHow.
List of The Best Windows Notepad Alternatives for PC
If you want to learn programming from websites that teaches programming or websites like Udemy. You’ll observe that most instructors would speak about Windows Notepad being a great text editor to master coding. At the same time, you’d get recommendations to use better text editors. From the list below, you’ll discover similar text editors like Windows Notepad.
1. Notepad++
Over the years Notepad++ has been one of the best text editors after Windows Notepad. This text editor is specially designed for developers and programmers. Notepad++ offers a wide range of advanced features that takes text editing experience to a different level. One of its best features is syntax highlighting, which colourizes different elements of the code to improve readability and understanding. Notepad++ also supports code folding, allowing users to collapse or expand sections of code for better organization and navigation. While Notepad++ is good for experts, beginners can also use Notepad++ and it also suggests auto-completion of codes. What makes Notepad++ quite different from Windows Notepad is that it can write most high-level programming languages. Even if you want to write cloud programming languages like JavaScript, Python and so on. You’ll find that very easy to do with Notepad++. In terms of performance, Notepad++ is fast, lightweight, and consumes minimal system resources. That’s something similar to Windows Notepad but when it comes to advancements, Windows Notepad lacks behind. Lastly, when using Notepad++, users can also download and install extensions to streamline workflow. If you’re looking for one of the best Windows Notepad alternatives, Notepad++ is a great option.
2. Sublime Text
During my earlier days learning the scope of programming, one of the text editors I tried out was Sublime Text. It represents a better way to write codes and edit texts. All of the features it offers are missing on Windows Notepad, it brings a sleek interface and awesome features. One of its key advantages over Windows Notepad is its extensive plugin database. Sublime Text supports a wide range of plugins that extend its functionality, from code linters to project management tools and so on. When comparing speed and performance with the likes of Windows Notepad. Sublime Text is also very fast and it makes code editing very easy. You can use Submile Text to write and edit most programming languages except for those needed a dedicated IDE. Its powerful syntax highlighting, code folding, and auto-completion features contribute to a smooth and efficient coding experience. Downloading Sublime Text comes with no cost, it is a text editor you’ll enjoy using. It is a highly reputable alternative to Windows Notepad.
3. Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code in abbreviation is VS Code and it is a popular text editor that is far more advanced than most text editors. VS Code offers different types of tools and features that have made it a superior alternative to Windows Notepad. VS Code supports a wide range of programming languages. Unlike Windows Notepad which has limited capabilities for most programming languages, VS Code is quite different. An amazing feature you’ll get from Visual Studio Code is the emmet auto-completion. You can also have your codes formatted and well arranged with Visual Studio Code. Furthermore, Visual Studio Code also gives an excellent performance mode. Despite being a text editor that uses different extensions and plugins. This code editor is known for its speed and efficiency. Over the years VS Code has been a great choice for developers and programmers. With VS Code, you can edit codes better, it is an amazing alternative to Windows Notepad. Lastly, Visual Studio Code also allows integrations. You can use it alongside control systems like Git and so on.
4. Atom
Atom is one of the best Windows Notepad alternatives for PC users. It is an advanced text editor and it is open-source. Whether you’re a Windows, macOS or Linux user. you’ll find Atom very easy to use. Atom has gained popularity among developers for its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and strong community support. Atom offers a highly customizable and visually appealing interface, allowing users to personalize the editor to their liking. Just like Visual Studio Code, users are allowed to use different sets of themes on Atom. There are different layout configurations users can explore. If you want something with a better interface than Windows Notepad, Atom is a great replacement. Another reason why Atom is a better alternative to Windows Notepad is that it has different packages. These packages cover a wide range of capabilities, including code formatting, linting, version control integration, and project management tools. With the package manager integrated into Atom, users can easily discover, install, and update packages to enhance their coding workflow. If you’re hoping to share your codes with people, Atom offers real-time collaboration. You can edit or write different programming languages with Atom, it is much easier to use and also better than Windows Notepad.
5. Brackets
Working with scripting languages like CSS and JavaScript is one reason why Brackets is very popular. It is a free text editor that works better than Windows Notepad. Just like Windows Notepad, Brackets is also a lightweight text editor and it is perfect for web development. One of the differences between Brackets and some text editors is that it has a preview feature that’ll let you see the changes you make to your codes. Brackets offer powerful visual tools like inline editors and preprocessor support, making it easier to work with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Brackets is free and also a very good editor for starters, it also comes with some advanced features. In addition to the features offered by Brackets, it has a large number of extensions. This is a similar feature found in most code editors. You can enhance your code previews and formatting with extensions provided by Brackets. Brackets has a user-friendly interface that simplifies code navigation and management. It supports quick editing shortcuts, multiple cursors, and a powerful search and replaces function, enabling users to work efficiently. If you’re looking for a better text editor to use on your PC, you can consider using Brackets.
6. Notepad2
Notepad2 is a lightweight and fast text editor that serves as a compelling alternative to Windows Notepad. It offers a range of features that enhance the editing experience while maintaining simplicity and ease of use. Notepad2 supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, making code more readable and easier to work with. This is an upgraded version of the Windows Notepad and it is not developed by Microsoft. Notepad2 offers all the missing features that are needed on Windows Notepad. One of the reasons why you’ll prefer Notepad2 is that you can customize the interface. You can change the editor’s appearance. There are different customization options available on Notepad2. You can use different colour schemes, fonts and toolbar configurations. Notepad2 is designed with speed and efficiency in mind. It shares a similar interface with Windows Notepad but in a different way. One of the best Windows Notepad alternatives is Notepad2 and you’ll love how it works. If you’re looking for a lightweight text editor like Windows Notepad, Notepad2 is a great option.
7. PSPad
Rounding up the list of the best Windows Notepad alternatives, PSPad is another awesome text editor to consider. It is an amazing text and code editor that comes with advanced features. Making it a better choice for those looking for an alternative to Windows Notepad. It supports syntax highlighting for different programming languages. You can collapse and expand code sections for better readability. While writing codes with PSPad, it also offers auto-completion of codes. Writing codes has never been easier with PSPad. It is an amazing code editor you’ll love to use ahead of Windows Notepad. One of the key features of PSPad is its comparison feature. This feature allows users to compare two files side by side. This makes it easy to spot differences between the two codes. It’s just like using Beyond Compare for file comparison. Another awesome feature of PSPad is its built-in FTP client. You’ll get to edit files directly from remote servers. This has reduced the stress of looking for FTP Client Software or an alternative to FileZilla.
Conclusion
Overall, these are the best Windows Notepad alternatives for PC. These are advanced text and code editors you can use ahead of Windows Notepad. If you want to write modern programming languages or edit texts in an advanced environment. With the above-listed text editors, you’ll have a better option to pick from.
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