Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups
Register | Login

VS Code VS Notepad++

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

Flagsmith
Flagsmith lets you manage feature flags and remote config across web, mobile and server side applications. Deliver true Continuous Integration. Get builds out faster. Control who has access to new features. We're Open Source. featured
Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

VS Code logo VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Notepad++ logo Notepad++

A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.
  • VS Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • Notepad++ Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-07

VS Code features and specs

  • Cross-platform
    VS Code works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing a consistent development experience across different operating systems.
  • Extensibility
    A vast library of extensions allows users to add functionalities like debuggers, linters, and themes, making it highly customizable.
  • Integrated Git
    Built-in Git integration makes it easy to manage version control tasks directly within the editor.
  • Performance
    Lightweight compared to full-fledged IDEs, ensuring good performance even on systems with limited resources.
  • IntelliSense
    Advanced code completion and refactoring tools help improve coding efficiency and reduce errors.
  • Community Support
    A strong and active community provides extensive support, tutorials, and third-party extensions.
  • Debugging
    Robust debugging tools for various languages and frameworks are available out of the box.
  • Free and Open-Source
    VS Code is completely free to use and open-source, which is beneficial for both individual developers and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of VS Code

  • Limited IDE Features
    While extensible, it may lack some advanced features found in dedicated IDEs out of the box.
  • Extension Management
    Managing and configuring a large number of extensions can become cumbersome and sometimes lead to performance issues.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, it has a steeper learning curve for beginners due to its numerous features and customization options.
  • Memory Usage
    Despite being lightweight, it can consume a significant amount of memory when multiple extensions are installed.
  • Update Frequency
    Frequent updates may sometimes introduce bugs or require users to adapt to new changes quickly.
  • Internet Dependency
    Some features and extensions may require an internet connection to function optimally.
  • Telemetry
    By default, VS Code collects usage data, which might be a concern for users sensitive about data privacy. However, this can be disabled.

Notepad++ features and specs

  • 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 of Notepad++

  • 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.

VS Code videos

+ Add

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

More videos:

  • Review - 7 reasons why I switched to Visual Studio Code from Sublime Text

Notepad++ videos

+ Add

Notepad++ Review

More videos:

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VS Code and Notepad++)

VS Code

Notepad++

Text Editors
78 78%
Text Editors
22% 22
IDE
75 75%
IDE
25% 25
Developer Tools
100 100%
Developer Tools
0% 0
Software Development
68 68%
Software Development
32% 32

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and Notepad++. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VS Code and Notepad++

VS Code Reviews

  1. dksinden
    · Working at SpeechKit ·
Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
Visual Studio Code, commonly known as VS Code, is a powerful and extensible code editor developed by Microsoft. With its rich ecosystem of extensions and features like IntelliSense, debugging, and Git integration, VS Code enhances your coding productivity.
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
Finally, the Visual Studio Code website has numerous tabs for you to learn about the software. The documentation page walks you through steps like the setup and working with different languages. You’re also able to check out some tips and tricks and learn all of the Visual Studio Code keyboard shortcuts. Along with a blog, updates page, extensions library and API...
Source: kinsta.com
Jupyter Notebook & 10 Alternatives: Data Notebook Review [2023]
Previously, VS Code was more suited to developers or engineers due to its lack of data analysis capabilities, but since 2020, the VS Code team has collaborated with the Jupyter team to create an integrated notebook within VS Code. The end result is a fantastic IDE workbook for data analysis.
Source: lakefs.io
The Best IDEs for Java Development: A Comparative Analysis
Overview: Although not a traditional IDE, VS Code has gained popularity as a lightweight code editor.
Source: dev.to
20 Best Diff Tools to Compare File Contents on Linux
Visual studio code is a code editor made by Microsoft. It supports several development operations like debugging, task running, and version control. It works on Linux, macOS and Windows operating systems.
Source: linuxopsys.com

Notepad++ Reviews

  1. andreew
    the best assistant at work

    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
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 highlighting, code folding, and auto-completion, Notepad++ helps you write clean and error-free code.
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
If you’re a beginner who needs a text editor, Notepad++ is far easier to understand than some of the other options on this list. Not only that, but you’ll enjoy the ability to locate words and replace them all, while also revealing certain bits of code with highlighting. As for advanced users, Notepad++ also does the trick, with its syntax highlighting for HTML, PHP, and...
Source: kinsta.com
Top 10 Free CSV Readers in 2023!
Notepad++: A popular text editor for Windows that has a CSV plugin for viewing and editing CSV files.
Source: www.retable.io
Top 10 Notepad++ Alternatives for Mac in 2022
First, you can get a better version of Notepad++ Mac. For instance, Setapp caters to your own Notepad++ Mac. You can also Notepad++ Mac using an emulator. Typically, the emulator is a form of creating a layer of compatibility where you can run the Notepad++ Mac on your operating system. Another thing you can do t enjoy Notepad++ Mac is by using Wine. This can help you have e...
Source: www.imymac.com
The Top 7 Notepad++ Alternatives for You
I have provided you with mainly free Notepad++ alternatives here. This is not that surprising because Notepad++ is free also. When choosing a Notepad++ alternative you need to consider what you are going to use it for and your level of programming experience.
Source: www.technize.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VS Code should be more popular than Notepad++. It has been mentiond 1143 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

VS Code mentions (1143)

  • Build Python Docker Development Environment on Win11 from Scratch
    Download VSCode through the following URL Https://code.visualstudio.com/. - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • How to Handle File Uploads with Node.js and Express - Multer Edition
    A text editor or lightweight IDE such as Visual Studio Code. - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • What's Happening in Developer Tools? (OpenAI Just Bought Windsurf for $3B)
    Microsoft's Visual Studio Code is a free code editor that relies on community plugins for support across various languages and frameworks. It also has an AI offering, Copilot, that provides code completion and it just added its own agent. VSCode supports multiple LLMs, but initially, there seemed to be a preference for ChatGPT, in part given its early lead and no doubt influenced by the fact Microsoft was an early... - Source: dev.to / 8 days ago
  • Your first MCP Server (quick)
    Explore different MCP Clients too! You can continue using ollmcp as we did earlier, or try other clients like Claude Desktop, Visual Studio Code, and more to see how different environments interact with your server. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • An Introduction to TypeScript for JavaScript Developers
    Better Tooling – Enhanced autocompletion, refactoring, and navigation in IDEs like VS Code. - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
View more

Notepad++ mentions (175)

  • How to Run Windows Applications on Linux Using Bottles: A Step-by-Step Guide
    Are you transitioning from Windows to Linux but struggling to replace tools like Notepad++ or WinMerge? Thanks to Wine and Bottles, you can now run Windows-only applications natively on Linux. This guide will show you how to install Windows apps on Linux effortlessly, perfect for .NET developers or anyone needing Windows tools in a Linux environment. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Currency converter in Rust + WebAssembly
    Then we need to modify Cargo.toml file located in your folder that you created with the above command, right click and edit I use notepad++ (to download notepad++ use this link (https://notepad-plus-plus.org/) so you will get the option to edit file directly. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • What I learned from my NodeJS course (part 1)
    Always working in the js-fundamentals.js file Open the file with any text editor. For now, use Notepad++. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • 6 free Markdown (.md) WYSIWYG desktop Editors – Part3
    Where to get it: Https://notepad-plus-plus.org/ Plugin: inside Plugin Admin. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Hack WKHTMLTOPDF PDF to enable Adobe Acrobat Field Editing
    This issue was a difficult to research, but I did find a complaint on GitHub. The problem is due to the fact that an "interactive" flag is missing, but I don't believe that this is even a feature within WKHTMLTOPDF (apart from the --enable-forms option). WK also generates a 1.4 versioned PDF. Is the interactive option even available in v1.4 PDFs? The hack to make PDFs compatible with Adobe Acrobat required... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VS Code and Notepad++, you can also consider the following products

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

Vim - Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

IntelliJ IDEA - Capable and Ergonomic IDE for JVM

GNOME - An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to put you in control and get things done.

Microsoft Visual Studio - Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft.

UltraEdit - UltraCompare is the name of an advanced level of file and folder comparison platform that is loaded with an advanced level of features and functions.

Loading...