It might seem surprising that Notepad++ is by far the most popular and trusted source-code editor on the Windows operating system. The program’s features are quite limited at best and the overall look too simplistic compared to some runner-ups. What it does have going for it though is a free distribution on an open-source license, which lets anyone build plugins and extensions as they see fit.

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Turns out that’s exactly what more than 30 million developers who use Notepad++ on a regular basis are looking for. This simple text editor developed by Don Ho in 2003 has become the rockstar of the open-source movement in just a few short years. So naturally, if you’ve recently switched from Windows to macOS, you might be wondering how to download Notepad++ for Mac as well.

Notepad for mac is a great alternative to Microsoft Office when you need a text editor that will help you get the job done easily. The user interface on notepad for mac is extremely enjoyable and an overall quality text editor. You can get notepad for mac free and use it as a daily text editor. Nov 14, 2019 Notepad For Mac is a standout amongst the most prominent code editors for Windows. Its adaptable GUI, a linguistic structure featuring and punctuation collapsing, multi-report and multi-view, and large-scale perusing and playback highlights, make it a standout amongst the most flexible content managers for Windows.

May 01, 2012 Is there a mac equivalent for notepad? MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.3) Posted on May 1, 2012 5:26 PM. Is there a notepad equivalent for mac More Less.
Unfortunately there is no notepad for Mac OS or Any Operating Systems, except which only designed and developed for Microsoft Windows OS. Notepad is an excellent opensource text and source code editor for Windows OS.

Is There Notepad++ For Mac?

Unfortunately, the exact native Notepad++ Mac alternative doesn’t exist. And there are a few good reasons for it. Notepad++ is a non-commercial open-source project that was originally built by just one developer for the Windows operating system. That’s why it extensively leverages the Win32 API, and trying to port the software to macOS would require substantial investments in rewriting the whole codebase.

But worry not! There are ways you can still use Notepad++ Mac version with a few workarounds, by either running an emulator or a virtual machine. Additionally, you can always choose one of numerous outstanding Mac HTML editors that run natively and truly utilize all the possibilities of macOS.

Get a better version of Notepad++ for Mac

Setapp caters for your Notepad++, beautifully. Install a package with the best Mac apps and find a perfect alternative.

Run NotePad for Mac with an emulator

One of the possible ways to run an actual Notepad app in macOS is using an emulator program, which essentially creates a compatibility layer between Windows and Mac, and thus able to load virtually any Windows-based software within its interface right on your Mac.

Sounds complicated because, in fact, it is. But by using one of the emulator apps, such as Wine, you can quickly install and enjoy Notepad++ or any other Windows program you miss. Here’s how to do that:

Download the Wine package from its official website and unzip the archive
Open up Terminal and type winecfg to create a C drive where Notepad for Mac will live
Download Notepad++ from its GitHub repository and put it in the newly created C drive
Back in the Terminal, navigate to the C drive directory and install the .exe file by typing wine [file name]
To launch Notepad after the installation is complete, just type wine [file name] in the Terminal once more

Done! Now you can run the Notepad++ you’re so used to, with all of its features, right on your Mac. As good as it is, the solution is not ideal — mostly because you’re essentially running an app within an app, which introduces twice as many bugs to the whole stack. There is, however, another option of using Notepad++ for Mac, and that’s setting up a virtual machine to basically run Windows on your Mac altogether.

Use Notepad for Mac with a virtual machine

If using Notepad++ for Mac with minimum bugs and maximum stability is a priority, then installing a virtual machine might seem like an attractive option. A virtual machine would basically run a full-scale Windows environment within your Mac, letting you install and use any Windows-only software without limits.

Out of all available virtual machine offerings, VMware Fusion has a long-standing reputation of being both robust and (relatively) easy to use. Here’s how to get it to install Windows on your Mac:

Make sure you have an official ISO copy (and license keys) of the Windows version of your choice
Download and install VMware Fusion
When prompted, drag and drop the Windows ISO file onto the Installation Method window
Check the Use Easy Install option
Fill out your license credentials for Windows
Save your new virtual machine
Your Windows environment window should now be active!

After you set up your virtual machine, use it to download and run Notepad++ like you’ve used to. Overall, using VM software is a more stable solution than working through an emulator and it does accomplish what you’re after. But it would be fair to say that it does come with a few downsides as well:

Having to purchase and update both Windows and VMware Fusion
Dealing with less than ideal integration of Windows in Mac, which can seem frustrating if you’re used to perfect native speed and reliability

A better and simpler approach to the Notepad++ problem, that also lets you avoid emulators and virtual machines, would be finding a great Notepad++ Mac substitute, of which there are lots. A true Mac-first code editor would leverage everything you love about Notepad with native compatibility and even allow for some great new features.

What’s the best Notepad++ Mac alternative?

It goes without saying that using Mac with software that was specifically made for macOS is an unbeatable experience. And when it comes to source code editors for Mac, CodeRunner instantly stands out.

CodeRunner is a multi-language programming editor ready to take on any software engineering task you can through at it, from writing code in one of the supported 25 languages to swift debugging. Some good reasons to switch Notepad++ for CodeRunner include:

IDE-level code completion for most languages, which significantly speeds up the software development process
Instant breakpoints that make debugging, one of the most tedious steps in any development project, part of a single integrated workflow
Documentation support for all languages right from the app to minimize distractions and save time

CodeRunner is an intuitive, fast, and versatile general-purpose programming editor that could become the Notepad++ Mac alternative you were looking for. It’s suitable for beginners and professional developers alike.

However, if your development work is mostly focused on the web, then choosing a more specialized Mac HTML editor could serve you better.

What’s the best HTML editor for Mac?

Without a doubt, you could use CodeRunner for basically every kind of a development project. But if you mostly find yourself developing for the web, it’s worth looking into trying out a designated web editor, which is designed to address problems specific to web development.

Espresso does just that — helps you design, code, build, and publish websites with ease. Unlike CodeRunner, its feature set is more specific to and heavily influenced by the needs of the web:

Live browser preview and CSS styling, so you can update your web project in real time without republishing, reloading, or even saving
Built-in server infrastructure to allow for the flexibility of dynamic content on static websites
Custom templates for any web component you frequently reuse

Using a Mac HTML editor for web projects not only makes development faster and less buggy, it organizes the whole workflow in a way that significantly increases your productivity.

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