Notepad++

Pros

I have so much to say about it, but I'll try to be short. I use it every single day, to read simple text files, edit CSV when other tools hide some problems, edit source codes of many different languages, view HEX (hexadecimal) representation of some binary files, paste text to use later, edit texts without formatting, convert base64 strings, check UTF-8 files and even play tetris. Yes you have a lot of plugins to do whatever you need!

Cons

Sometimes when you do a search and replace operation in a very large file (100MB or larger), apart of the very long processing time, you may end up with a broken file. And even if you undo the operation with CTRL+Z, the file will not return to its original state, you must close without save to preserve the file. But that is not a problem you should consider because it is not so common to edit such a big file. You can also do the operation in blocks, it works then.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Notepad++

Pros

The product is easy to use. Just with a couple of clicks you have a solution that can help you in the day by day activities: you can take easily quick notes (potentially without saving, the file will stay there), you can use the tool to open files with specific formats like XML and JSON leveraging additional plugins for formatting in the right way the file. Last but not least, Notepad++ is really fast when opening a file, it is immediate, you do not need to wait.

Cons

It is difficult to find a real limit to the product. As functionalities, it is done more than what promises to do. Obviously, you can't compare the product with other solutions specialized to do specific things, for example, if you need to work with C# code frequently, you may prefer a dedicated and specialized environment. If you need to write a document including for example charts and images, you should use something else.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Notepad++

Pros

I am absolutely passionate about Notepad++. It is a text processing tool that has saved my life many times. Its feature of opening multiple documents at the same time is very convenient for my programming projects, and I especially appreciate the syntax highlighting that allows me to easily distinguish different code elements. Line numbering is also a plus because it allows me to track my errors more easily. Additionally, I love the speed and lightweight nature of the application, which means that I can use it without any problems on my older laptop.

Cons

I must admit that the biggest downside of Notepad++ is that it is not available on Mac, which is a bit disappointing for users of this operating system. In addition, some advanced features can be a bit difficult to use for beginners, which can make learning Notepad++ a bit more challenging.

Pros

The tab editing in Notepad++ is very convenient and allows me to work on multiple files at the same time.

Cons

the lack of syntax checking a feature that I really miss on this application.

Pros

Free and open-source, Multiple programming language support, Notepad++ supports over 80 programming languages, making it a versatile choice for developers and other tech-savvy users. User-friendly interface, Notepad++ has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, even for users who are new to text editors. Highly customizable.

Cons

Limited collaboration features, No integrated development environment (IDE) features, No mobile version, imited cloud storage integration, Notepad++ does not have built-in integration with cloud storage services, which can make it difficult for users who need to access their files from multiple devices.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Notepad++