Notepad++ is a free and open-source code editor created as a more advanced replacement for the standard Notepad. It supports numerous programming languages and runs efficiently on Microsoft Windows. The editor also allows users to define their own custom syntax highlighting and code folding rules, offering flexibility for any coding style or language.
The software significantly improves coding productivity by providing color-printed source code, making code structure and syntax easier to read and understand. Its multi-document editing system lets users handle multiple files simultaneously or edit one file in two synchronized split views for side-by-side comparison or parallel work.
Notepad++ features a fully customizable interface with complete drag-and-drop functionality. This makes it simple to organize tabs, rearrange panels, or open files directly by dragging them into the workspace. These features help streamline the coding workflow and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks.
The project is built on the robust Scintilla editing component, written in C++ with the Win32 API and STL. This ensures a combination of high performance, efficiency, and low memory usage. Released under the GPL License, Notepad++ remains a lightweight yet powerful editor that continues to evolve through community contributions and open development.
The supported programming languages: ASP, Ada, ASCII artwork, Assembly, AutoIt, BAT, C, C#, C++, Caml, CSS, Doxygen, FORTRAN, HTML, Haskell, Java, javascript, KiXtart, Lisp, Lua, makefile, Matlab, Objective-C, Pascal, Perl, PHP, PostScript, Python, Ruby, Scheme, Unix Shell Script, Smalltalk, SQL, Tcl, TeX, Verilog, VHDL, VB/VBScript, XML.
Notepad++ Features
- Syntax Highlighting and Syntax Folding
- WYSIWYG
- User-Defined Syntax Highlighting
- Auto-completion
- Multi-Document
- Multi-View
- Regular Expression Search/Replace is supported
- Full Drag ‘N’ Drop supported
- Dynamic Place of Views
- File Status Auto-detection
- Zoom in and zoom out
- Multi-language environment supported
- Bookmark
- Brace and Indent guideline Highlighting
- Macro recording and playback
What’s New in Notepad++ version 8.9 (2026-02-16) :
- Eliminated the Notepad++ self-signed certificate and now rely exclusively on a certificate issued by GlobalSign.
- Added automatic logging of security errors during the update process to “%LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad++\log\securityError.log”.
- Fix jarring color regression in dark mode (introduced in v8.8.9).
- Fix “/noUpdater” installer option not working if the updater was previously installed.
- Corrected a regression affecting undo functionality in column mode from v8.8.9.
- Fix issue where an empty file opened without encoding under a UTF-8 system codepage.
- Add a makefile function list parser.
- Improve performance & add missing file ext. from langs.model.xml to langs.xml.
- Improve the “Open containing folder in Explorer” command to avoid creating an Explorer process.
- Updated refresh scrolling to respect operating system configuration changes.
Official Homepage – https://notepad-plus-plus.org
Compatible Operating Systems: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11 (32-bit and 64-bit).
