Notepad++ Code Editor Comes to Mac After 20-Year Wait [Updated]

[Fuchal]

Notepad++ UI--

 

[applebro]

This is a huge W. Now just need to get MobaXterm on macos and I'll be happy

*edit* just used it for the first 10 minutes...this....this is note notepad++ LMAO

 

[Sputman99]

Oh My goodness I was thinking this yesterday - and about time too - it’s sooo odd how some simple things aren’t implemented - now we just need it for iOS

 

[VMukhtarov]

I wonder how many people here don’t use BBEdit. Why?

 

[CarAnalogy]

Is it better than BBEdit?

Almost certainly not. Especially this early on.

Good to have an alternative though.

 

[ELman]

I wonder if they version will have multiple security updates each month like the Windows version does.

 

[McNoise]

Cot Editor and Text Mate and Sublime Editor and even Emacs via brew.

I’ve also recently discovered CotEditor … a nice little editor! 😎

 

[Phaseangle]

Downloaded it and gave it a quick whirl. The GUI feels totally off on MacOS in my opinion. Even the settings for the app is in a Settings menu in the menu bar and not under the application menu next to the Apple menu as per usual.

I really like CotEditor which feels right at home to use in MacOS.

But maybe I'm in the minority who thinks about how apps looks and ”feels”, and I'm sure there are many good features unique to Notepad++ that are useful. 🙂

Yes I tried it on windows years ago and immediately thought, What a mess.

 

[pigeonguy]

That UI is atrocious.

 

[terrapinjess]

I usually go with SublimeText on Mac and I use Notepad++ at work. I’ll give the Mac version a try and see if I want to replace SublimeText.

 

[glen-the-grey]

Interesting...I never felt the need to go looking for Notepad++ on the Mac.

When I last had a Mac and did "useful" work on it my brother bought me a copy of TextMate and I always thought that knocked the socks off all the other editors I've used (previously I have also liked Emacs, Vim, Nano/Pico and gedit so you don't need to live entirely in one camp!). Forced to use Windows now so use Notepad++ there when I'm not in an IDE...but when I get a chance to return to MacOS I'll probably be using TextMate again...especially now it's free!

Anyone else use it?

(oh and any TextEdit users out there missing the good old days...give it a go in Window Maker on Debian!)

 

[BGPL]

So cool, a must have app. I must say I've gotten to used to using Smultron for so many years but now I have both!

 

[MacBH928]

what does it do that BBEDIT does not?

 

[star-affinity]

*edit* just used it for the first 10 minutes...this....this is note notepad++ LMAO

Could you elaborate?

Looks quite similar:

 

[bergert]

The only reason Notepad++ is so popular on Windows is that is is one of the few free Text editors which can handle UTF-8 and Linux/Mac line endings.

Another innovative "solution" from Microso$t to make everything incompatible: Windows encoding and Windows-line endings!

 

[trash eighty]

Interesting, its what i use on my work PC and is an excellent editor on there. I do like the one i use on my Mac though (CotEditor) which does a great job (as well). Maybe i will give Notepad++ a go though.

 

[Hogswarts]

No match for vi.

 

[sdf]

There are so many text editors out there. If I didn’t use it on Windows, for what reason should I try it on Mac?

This is not rhetorical or loaded. Someone (politely) convince me to try it! 😀

 

[MrGimper]

TBH VS Code is the daddy now IMO.

 

[antiprotest]

They really take the Apple philosophy to heart -- super late, slightly better, and the original two or three generations of users that wanted it have already adopted alternatives and moved on for years.

 

[ElectricPotato]

I'm surprised most people aren't using VSCode these days.

A recurring pattern:
1. Need a simple text editor with syntax highlighting.
2. Create a simple text editor with syntax highlighting. (sweet spot)
3. Bloat text editor into sprawling, complex IDE that updates constantly.
4. Go to 1.

 

[arkmannj]

Giving it a run through, and honestly for a first release and a first stab at it, I think it works very well.
One feature that Notepad++ has been able to implement easier than most text editors (not including IDEs) is column select. For example In VS Code on Mac it is an awkward button combo. Here it is a simple Opt+Shift+arrow.

This being a free Notepad++ port is a welcome addition tool my toolbox as a simple, fast text editor without the bloat.
For many folks coming from Windows to Mac, this will be a nice familiar find while they also explore other advanced options on Mac.

 

[loopy123]

There is no software engineer in the world who is not using AI with vibe coding. Or if they are not, they will be left behind. It’s absurd for someone to turn there nose up at code that was “vibe coded”.
Porting from win32 to macOS is a perfect use case for AI. Notepad++ is a QT app so the porting was pretty straightforward.
In any event for software development using VSCode is the only way to go now if you work cross platform. It’s powerful and the extensions are broad and pretty deep, plus AI coding is very integrated. Sadly BBEdit and notepad++ look pretty archaic compared to VSCode now. You still have to use Xcode on the Mac but it becomes a tool for building.

 

[glen-the-grey]

There is no software engineer in the world who is not using AI with vibe coding. Or if they are not, they will be left behind. It’s absurd for someone to turn there nose up at code that was “vibe coded”.
Porting from win32 to macOS is a perfect use case for AI. Notepad++ is a QT app so the porting was pretty straightforward.
In any event for software development using VSCode is the only way to go now if you work cross platform. It’s powerful and the extensions are broad and pretty deep, plus AI coding is very integrated. Sadly BBEdit and notepad++ look pretty archaic compared to VSCode now. You still have to use Xcode on the Mac but it becomes a tool for building.

I'm not using AI...

 

[adamjackson]

Good for switchers as I hear this come up a lot from people new to Macintosh but it's not going to replace BBEdit for me.