One of Microsoft’s oldest products is Notepad++. It’s an open-source, free text editor that has been well-known and used since its release in 2003. While there are undoubtedly more powerful platforms available for programmers and web developers, Notepad++ is still popular and still used. It’s lightweight and powerful in its own right with the ability to do a variety of tasks beyond coding that include notetaking, troubleshooting, scripting, and more.
The editor is considered a staple program for most programmers and web developers no matter their skill level, but it’s often used by students, writers and anyone who is looking to create or edit text files. According to top IT Support London based companies, Notepad++ has a variety of benefits which include:
- It is free and open-source software.
- It is lightweight and fast.
- It supports syntax highlighting that can be used for a variety of programming languages.
- It has a tabbed interface for working with multiple files at once.
- It has a built-in debugger.
- It has a built-in FTP client.
- It has a large community of users and developers who provide support and plugins.
With these features, Notepad++ is made to be a versatile platform. It’s not a one-purpose programme which makes it great for anyone who needs a powerful and versatile text editor.
Coding and programming
One of the most popular uses for Notepad++ is for coding and programming because it supports syntax highlighting for a variety of programming languages. It also has other features such as code completion and macro recording. You can also use Notepad++ to debug your code using the built-in debugger.
Web development
Notepad++ is also a good choice for web development because it supports syntax highlighting for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The platform allows users to upload files to a web server using the built-in FTP client.
Scripting
Notepad++ can also be used for scripting because it supports syntax highlighting for popular scripting languages such as Python, Perl, and Bash. Notepad++ can also be used to execute your scripts using the built-in run script feature.
Troubleshooting
Many people still use Notepad++ for troubleshooting as well according to businesses who provide professional consulting and IT Support in London. For example, you can use it to view the source code of a web page to identify the cause of a problem. It also has the ability to search and replace text in multiple files at once, which can be very helpful for debugging code.
Notetaking
If you don’t want to pay for a subscription to an app like OneNote then Notepad++ is a great alternative for notetaking. This is because it allows you to create and organize your notes in a variety of ways. Notes can be sorted by creating tabs and can separate notes by topic. It also has the added benefit of built-in formatting tools to make your notes more readable. Users especially like that they can export their notes to different formats, such as HTML, PDF, and TXT.
Markdown editing
Markdown editing might not be the most popular form of editing these days but for those that do like using Notepad++. It’s a good choice for Markdown editing because it supports syntax highlighting for Markdown and a built-in Markdown preview. You can also use Notepad++ to export your Markdown documents to different formats, such as HTML and PDF.
If you’re just getting started with Notepad++, a business who provides Office 365 Consulting London Solutions as an example would recommend these few tips:
- Use syntax highlighting to make your code and other text more readable.
- Use tabs to organize your notes and code into different sections.
- Use macros to automate repetitive tasks.
- Use regular expression search and replace to find and replace text quickly and easily.
- Use the built-in debugger to debug your code.
- Use the built-in FTP client to upload files to a web server.
- Use the built-in Markdown preview to see how your Markdown documents will look when rendered.
Notepad++ might be a bit basic but it’s still widely used for a reason. Notepad++ is a powerful and versatile text editor that can be used for many different tasks. If you’re looking for a free and open-source text editor, Notepad++ is a great option to consider.
To get started with Notepad++, simply download and install it from the Notepad++ website. Once it is installed, you can launch it and start creating or editing text files.