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Notepad++ VS Xfce

Compare Notepad++ VS Xfce and see what are their differences

Notepad++

A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Rating
5.0 · 2 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Alternatives Is it good?
Xfce

Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It aims to be fast and low on system resources, while still being visually appealing and user friendly.

Rating
0 reviews
Alternatives Is it good?
Eddyter
Build and integrate a WYSIWYG editor in minutes. Eddyter offers fast setup, developer-friendly APIs, and seamless content editing for modern web apps today. sponsored
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Notepad++ should be more popular than Xfce. It has been mentioned 176 times since March 2021.

social mentions
176 vs 19
Text Editors popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 90

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Notepad++
Xfce
Website notepad-plus-plus.org xfce.org
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in
IDEs And Text Editors Text Editors IDE Software Development Coding +2
Linux Operating Systems Desktop Environments Linux Distribution +1

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Notepad++ 6 features
Xfce 7 features
  • Free and Open Source
    Notepad++ is completely free to download and use, and its source code is open for anyone to review, modify, and contribute to.
  • Lightweight and Fast
    Notepad++ is lightweight, meaning it uses fewer system resources compared to more complex IDEs, allowing for quick loading times and responsiveness.
  • Syntax Highlighting
    Supports syntax highlighting for over 80 programming languages, making it easier to read and write code.
  • Plugin Support
    Offers a wide range of plugins to extend its functionality, including customization options, code analyzers, and more.
  • Tabbed Interface
    Allows multiple documents to be opened in the same window through a tabbed interface, which greatly improves productivity.
  • Regular Updates
    Frequently receives updates and patches, improving its features and fixing bugs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Lacks some of the advanced features and integrations of full-fledged IDEs, which might be necessary for professional software development.
  • Windows Only
    Natively available only on Windows, although it can be run on other systems using compatibility layers like Wine, which might affect performance.
  • Manual Plugin Management
    Managing plugins can be cumbersome, as users often need to download and install them manually.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Although generally stable, users sometimes encounter crashes or bugs, particularly when using many plugins.
  • Lightweight
    Xfce is known for its minimal resource usage, making it an excellent choice for older machines and systems with limited resources.
  • Fast Performance
    Due to its lightweight nature, Xfce provides fast and responsive performance, even on less powerful hardware.
  • Highly Customizable
    Xfce offers a high degree of customization, allowing users to tweak the desktop environment to fit their preferences.
  • Stable and Reliable
    Xfce has a reputation for being stable and reliable, reducing the likelihood of crashes and other issues.
  • Active Development
    The project benefits from an active community of developers and regular updates, which helps keep the desktop environment secure and up-to-date.
  • Good Balance
    Xfce strikes a good balance between functionality and simplicity, providing essential features without becoming bloatware.
  • Low Learning Curve
    Thanks to its intuitive interface, Xfce is relatively easy for new users to pick up and understand quickly.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Eye Candy
    Compared to more modern desktop environments like GNOME or KDE Plasma, Xfce may appear less visually appealing due to fewer graphical effects.
  • Less Out-of-the-box Functionality
    While customizable, Xfce might require additional configuration and setup to provide some of the advanced functionalities available in other desktop environments.
  • Limited Applications
    Xfce does not come with as many pre-installed applications as some other desktop environments, potentially requiring users to spend additional time installing needed software.
  • Less Innovation
    Being conservative in its design, Xfce tends to be slower in adopting cutting-edge features or trends compared to other, more dynamic environments.
  • Fragmented Ecosystem
    Some may find the ecosystem fragmented because different distributions may package Xfce differently, leading to inconsistencies across different Linux distributions.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Notepad++
Xfce

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Notepad++ is considered a good editor for both programmers and general users who need a reliable and feature-rich text editing tool.

Why this product is good

  • Notepad++ is a popular text and code editor due to its lightweight design, wide array of features, and support for numerous programming languages. It offers syntax highlighting, macro recording, customizable interfaces, and plugin support, making it highly versatile for various coding and text editing tasks. Its open-source nature allows for community-driven improvements, and it runs efficiently on Windows systems without consuming significant resources.

Recommended for

    Notepad++ is recommended for programmers, developers, and writers who need a robust text editor with advanced features. It's ideal for anyone using Windows who wants a free, efficient, and customizable editing solution capable of handling a wide range of file types and coding languages.

Overall verdict

  • Xfce is considered a good desktop environment, especially for those who prioritize speed and efficiency over the latest visual effects. It successfully delivers a stable and traditional user experience while being highly customizable and lightweight.

Why this product is good

  • Xfce is a widely praised desktop environment for its lightweight and resource-efficient nature, making it an excellent choice for older hardware or systems with limited resources. It provides a clean, customizable, and user-friendly interface that balances simplicity and functionality. The modular design of Xfce allows users to choose only the components they need, further optimizing performance. Additionally, Xfce is known for its stability and reliability, contributing to its reputation as a solid choice for both novice and advanced users.

Recommended for

  • Users with older or less powerful computers
  • Individuals who value system performance and speed
  • People who prefer a simple and straightforward interface
  • Linux users looking for a reliable and stable desktop environment
  • Those who want a highly customizable desktop experience without sacrificing performance

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Notepad++ 3 videos + Add
Xfce 3 videos + Add

Notepad++ Review

More videos

  • - Notepad++ Review
  • - Notepad++ Text Editor: Intro for Beginners

Fully functional? - Xfce 4.14 First Impressions

More videos

  • - Debian 10 XFCE Review
  • - Xfce Desktop Overview

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Notepad++
Xfce
100% 100%
Text Editors
0% 0%
0% 0%
Linux
100% 100%
100% 100%
IDE
0% 0%
0% 0%
Operating Systems
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Notepad++ and Xfce. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Notepad++ 5.0 · 2 reviews
Xfce no reviews yet
  • Simple and Fast
    SaaSHub review
    · Aug 2026

    Fast, lightweight, and incredibly useful. A great free editor that gets the job done without unnecessary complexity.

  • the best assistant at work
    SaaSHub review
    · Sep 2024

    I've been using it for a long time, I can say that it has become my main tool in my work. First, you need to get used to using it and look at all the functionality. Overall, it's useful for me!

  • Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
    convesio.com · Nov 2023

    Notepad++ provides a tabbed interface, allowing you to work on multiple files simultaneously. Its intuitive user interface makes it easy to navigate and edit your code efficiently. With features like syntax...

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Notepad++ 176 mentions
Xfce 19 mentions

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  • distro hopping
    Pick up your Desktop Environment based on your computer's specs, NOT on your visual preferences. (HINT: XFCE consumes way less system resources than GNOME and KDE). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Lightweight dev tools.
    It’s a bit of an interesting challenge and has forced me to re-examine some of my tool usage. I started by a minimal install of Debian “bookworm” with the XFCE Desktop Environment which chews through much fewer resources than the default... - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • I Still Use Windows 95 (archived, 2008)
    Luckily you can get an efficient, clean Desktop Environment that works well and is actively developed: Xfce ( https://xfce.org/ ) I think you will like it. It has a very early-2000's feel IMO. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to Notepad++ and Xfce

When comparing Notepad++ and Xfce, you can also consider the following products.

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