If you often use Notepad, you will almost certainly be interested in something that will overcome all known issues of Windows' default Notepad. We use this specific application on daily basis as it can open almost any file with any content. Whether we are saving notes, or editing web pages in HTML, Notepad is often with us. What if you could replace it with something better?
If the Notebook can create and edit various types of files, and even perform some programming tasks, then you may want to think about more interesting alternatives and feature- rich, which still will be light, but it will offer some more features. Now, there are a bevy of powerful Notepad replacements that are just as fast, but also bring a rich collection of features. If you want to see something else, the following three alternatives should be of great interest to you.
1. Xint
Xint is an advanced alternative to Windows Notepad that comes with a lot of additional features, while being lightweight on system resources.
Another thing that is of great convenience, is the fact that it is extremely fast and easy to work with, and all of its functions are accessible via hotkeys or the drop-down menu in the toolbar. Thanks to this, the minimalist interface resembles the look of the classic notebook. Xint also provides other useful functions, such as the ability to number the lines, display the status of the document (saved or not saved), and allows you to enter the current date in the text. Plus, you can preview the store, check the number of characters and a list of "recently opened documents". We also have direct access to an array of characters, which allows you to add rare characters in the text.
Those who care about the look will be appeased with the options related to visual preferences. We can change the color of text (normal and highlighted), as well as background and color of individual elements. Probably the coolest feature for programmers is the snippet function which allows to create snippets of code, which then can be quickly selected and pasted into projects.
2. Subpad
Subpad is a lightweight xint clone, except that it is slightly truncated when compared to its predecessor. The application’s interface is simple, similar to Xint - in a similar way we can access all of its features.
One of the biggest advantage is that the file is distributed in a simple zip, so there is no need to uninstall, just unpack it and it will run. We can save it on the stick or in the cloud in order to have it always at hand. Similar to Xint, Subpad also provides options for counting characters, changing colors and toggling off/on URL highlighting. There is a column selection mode, undo button, and a list of ‘recently opened documents’.
Subpad is a great compromise between the classic notebook and xint. If you feel too limited with the first one, and you are weighed down with the second, we suggest giving Subpad a try and taking advantage of all its capabilities.
3. Notepad++
Notepad + + is one of the most popular alternatives for writing text. In fact, it is a tuned version of traditional notebook, with plenty of features. It is primarily designed for web developers who use it for programming or making any changes in HTML. It recognizes several programming languages, including C / C + +, Java, XML, HTML and PHP.
By color coding text, we can easily work with the code. Of course, we can edit it themselves, or use ready-made color schemes. The program features a tabbed interface, making it easy to work with multiple files at the same time. Another great thing about Notpead++ is that we can add our documents to Favorites, so we can access them quickly.