Notepad is one of the few tools that is been a part of Windows operating system and which have not been evolved since its initial release. Notepad is simple to use and lacks many features / enhancement. So it is always better to look for a replacement, which will overcome all known issues of Notepad.
Why Replacement?
Notepad has some disadvantages, which is known to everyone who uses it frequently. Here is a quick list of them.
- Doesn’t have support for multiple document interface
- Doesn’t display line number (this is harder part for programmer / debugger)
- Doesn’t support syntax highlighting
- Doesn’t support larger files
- It is after all Microsoft product 🙂
To overcome these and other disadvantages many programmers looked into developing better tools that will be as simple to use as Notepad, yet offer additional features and enhancements that were left out of the original Notepad.
Couple of weeks back I wrote about my favorite notepad alternative and I asked my readers about their favorite too. Thanks to the readers who have given their views about their notepad alternative.
Top 5 Notepad Replacement
Here is the top 5 list of notepad replacement. I bet you will love at least one 😉
Notepad++ is a free source code editor and an effective Notepad replacement. Notepad++ supports several programming languages. The features include syntax highlighting, code folding, auto-completion, multi-document, drag and drop, full regular search support etc., It also has include advanced macro recording and playback feature. Moreover Notepad++ has most of my readers vote and it is the well-know replacement for Notepad.
Programmer’s Notepad is free, open source, text editor with special enhancements for Programmers. Programmer’s Notepad is a project featured in Source Forge, which comes in as one of the best notepad replacement for programmers. The main features include book marking, code highlighting / folding, no limit to file size, tabbed document support, project management feature and much more. Programmer’s notepad is my favorite choice for Notepad replacement.
PSPad is freeware code editor and wonderful notepad replacement. PSPad offers main features like rich text formatting, mighty code editing features, project management, syntax highlighting, auto-correction, HEX editor, text difference, spell checker, macro recorder and many more. PSPad also has inbuilt FTP functionality which is a plus for Web developers and Bloggers. PSPad is more advanced of all editors mentioned here. If you are looking for full functional and feature rich editor then PSPad should be your choice.
Notepad2 is a lightweight, free and open source text editor. Notepad2 is a full functional Notepad like editor with syntax highlighting. It is also based on Scintilla source code editing component similar to Notepad++. The features also include drag and drop feature, regular expression search, syntax highlighting for most of the languages. Notepad2 is best suited for persons who need simplicity like Notepad and Code highlighting feature for fun programming.
MetaPad is a small, fast and completely free text editor. It was designed to completely replace Notepad since it includes all of Notepad’s features and few extra features. The features include tool bar functionality, WYSIWYG printing, auto indenting etc., It is also been said it consumes less amount of memory than Notepad. So even if you like to stick with the simplicity of Notepad; you can very well try MetaPad.
I have complied the list with the help of my readers feedback and my thanks everyone.
Are you able to spot your Notepad replacement?
Great compilation, good to see you made a post on user feedback
stumbled 🙂
Ram – This is kind of user-generated content 🙂 All the true credits goes to readers! I bow to them. Thanks for the stumble.
I don’t like to use notepad. I used to type everything in that first. As a result I started to type everything after full stop without space. Our friend Shankar Ganesh rightly pointed it out and now Im pretty careful while typing. Thanks for the other five alternatives. Stumbled.
Thanks for the heads-up on this post Benetict.. I was looking for a notebook replacement for my list of Top 25 microsoft substitutes!
Ramkarthik – I believe for you PSPad will suit you the most. PSPad comes in with Spell check. BTW, Thanks for stopping by and come back.!
ilker – hope you will find a good alternative for your choice 🙂 let us know once you have your alternative.!
Great post!
I’m a Notepad 2 user.
Notepad++ is my editor of choice. I use it mainly for editing text quickly, but I do edit code with it from time to time. If I had one gripe about it though, it would be that it doesn’t save a text file by default — you have to enter the extension all the time. 🙁 But that’s something I’ve learned to overlook.
Kyle Eslick – Thank you. Also try out PSPad you may like it.
Mark – Whoa… one more Notepad++ fan to the list:-) That’s totally other way around in Notepad it always saves in .TXT. I too faced the same problem when i was using EditPlus but it had option to overcome it not in Notepad++ though. It is time to buzz Notepad++ developers about it.
It’s my first time here. Your blog looks good. 🙂
NotePad ++ sounds good. I might just replace NotePad with NotePad ++.. after all, it’s just two characters difference… I’m sure I’ll get used to it. 😀
Great Post. Will try em all out. Thanks for telling us about these wonderful tools.
Stumbled.
Grace – Warm welcome here! hope to see you around! You will not just get used with it.. you will love it 😉
Shankar Ganesh – Nice to know you’re gonna try it. Let us know which one was your favorite. BTW, Thanks for the stumble!
TextPad is as good as notepad++ but simpler to use (imho). I used textPad for years, tried notepad++ for a few months then went back to TextPad.
textpad dot com
benedict herold- Thanks! I’m going to be back. 😉
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Nice List. 😀
Gonna try MetaPad.
Beestie – May be I can agree with you on the usage part. But TextPad is not FREE to be listed here 🙂
Grace – I’m pleased to hear that.
Lovedeep Wadhwa – Thank you for stopping by. Metapad is a true simple Notepad alternative; no much hype like others 😉
Nice list. I didnt know about many of these. Will definitely try these.
I used to use developers notepad for almost two years and then purchased dreamweaver 8.0 but I am still using developers notepad. may be I am so used to of it and find the dreamweaver so complicated. I find DN quite easy to use. Did not realize there are many like notepad to try. Would like to read what are the essential features in each one in the list to make a better and well informed choice.
Thanks for your effort in educating many like me.
Nirmal – Sure Nirmal, Keep us informed on your final verdict.
devnic – Developers Notepad is not that matured I believe, but you can try Programmer’s Notepad in that place. You will love it. Sure I will write about those in upcoming post be sure you’re subscribed here 🙂 I have wrote about Programmer’s Notepad already in my previous post. BTW, you’re welcome and glad that you discovered many alternatives.
Wow another hot topic! Finally you took my advice..he he he!
and yay! my fav. editor is also in the list… 🙂 metapad!
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Good list!
I used to use editpad, but stopped a while back after it became a bit buggy on my machine. Really should use one of these – can’t always be bothered using dreamweaver for PHP/HTML
Mayanak – you’re my guru 🙂 Credit goes to you.. I heard about Metapad only from you 🙂
Grace – Thank you for the Monday love 🙂
Rhys – Even I used EditPad long time back; I would suggest you to look at Notepad++ and PSPad. BTW, welcome here. hope to see you around.
No problem. 🙂
Nice. I was using Notepad2 for sometime.
Grace – You’re generous 😛
Kuanhoong – You might want to try the top 3 in the list, they are more advanced. BTW, Nice to have you here.
@ Ben : we all are gurus of each other. We all learn new things each day from each other 🙂
I am an Notepad2 user. I think you have summed up the Notepad2 experience perfectly.
I like Notepad ++, and also Textpad, another easy to use text editor.
Mayank – Agreed on that 🙂
Pallab – It was my first though when I used Notepad2 🙂 Thanks for pointing that out.
Gili – Yes, Textpad is a good editor as well.. It didn’t make it in the list since it missed the word FREE 🙂
Very nice list. I use Editpad but I think I’ll try the others on your list too.
Nice list. These are really useful stuff. Seems like all “gurus” here 🙂
I love Notepad++ .
Brow Baran – Yep, EditPad is a good tool too. Sure, you should try them.
vaibhav – Thank you. You’re correct I got reader like you in here 🙂
Madhur Kapoor – NotePad ++ tops everyone’s choice.
Hey its a good one…. I never heard of all these notepads…
The only thing I miss about windows is notepad, ah, we had some good times together.
Mr.Byte – Make sure you try these. you will surely love one 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Han – Well, you might not miss that with other notepad alternative 😉 BTW, Hope to see you around again.
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Metapad was my favorite – along with another application that you did not mention – Crimson Editor.
Of course, this is all before I switched to Linux – now my favorite editor is Kwrite. 🙂
Nirmal – Thanks for the link back!
Binny V A – Not heard about Crimson Editor before, but when i checked their homepage it seems their development has stopped way back in 2004 🙁 I managed to try it though. It was much similar to Notepad++. Thanks for leting us know about Crimson Editor. The name sounds little attractive 🙂
I have not been much in Linux yet, but if was there my favorite would have been VI editor 🙂
I am a Notebook2 user, but this Notebook ++ sounds interesting. I think I will check it out.
When on Windows I use and enjoy Notepad++. Overall XEmacs is my favorite though.
I think we need more posts now 🙂 I think you forgot the queen 😀
Jennifer – Yes, you should also need to try PSPad also. BTW, Thanks for stopping here. Hope to see you again.
Jake – Emacs series are powerful editors. I’m much used with VIM in Linun. BTW, Thanks for stopping by! come back again.
Mayank – I’m in search my queen 🙂 lol… Stay tuned!!! More soon you will see celebration going on.. 🙂
I subscribed to your feed here. You are in a very tight little niche here with lots of competition. I am trying to get away from reading technical stuff all day too. I am loosing touch with the “real” world. LOL….
I did get the PSPad though. It looks nice. I like the highlighting of the rows. I didn’t read if it would work in Windows ME, but I am interested in putting it on my very old laptop. That is where I do most of my text documents. That is all that I do on it. LOL… It would be great to see some color on there though.
I didn’t get the Notebook++ to download. I am doing something wrong surely. It is strange though because I am pretty good at doing downloads and junk like that…non technical things.
The Notebook2 does not work on the old laptop.
Thanks for the great information.
Thanks Jennifer. No, you should not get away reading technical stuff; technology will help you smoothen your real life 🙂
I haven’t had much luck with Window ME, I hate that version of Windows a bit. I believe it should work well with ME fine as others.
Well, I’m not sure what would be wrong that prevents you from downloading Notepad++. Here is the direct download link from one of the us mirror. Try following the link, may be that can help.
Hope you will get a better replacement for your Notepad for the old laptop soon.
@benedict harold: I subscribed and I’m sure I’ll be back often. I saw you on a recent post roundup by the author of Life Rocks! 2.0.
Jake – That is wonderful and thank you. Well, yes Nirmal is really cool blogger.
I use programmers notepad when I’m on windows.. Its good..
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