Brief: For years, Notepad++ lovers yearned for the availability of Notepad++ for Linux. Finally, an easy workaround lets you install and use Notepad++ on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.
Notepad++ is a free and open source, source code editor and is favorite to many programmers like me. The uncluttered experience with other features makes it an ideal choice for source code editing.
The problem with Notepad++ is that it is exclusive to Windows platform and the developer has repeatedly refused to develop it for Linux. This is why Linux users had to settle for Notepad++ alternatives.
Good news is that Notepad++ is now (unofficially) available as a Snap package for Linux user. Though this Notepad++ Linux application is not natively developed for Linux platform and actually runs on Wine, it’s now a command (or click) away for you.
How to install Notepad++ in Linux
Notepad++ snap package uses an embedded Wine that helps it run on Linux. So, basically, you are running Notepad++ through Wine without setting up Wine first. It’s not the best way but it is definitely a convenient way to use Notepad++ in Linux.
All Ubuntu versions have Snap enabled by default. This means you can install Notepad++ on Ubuntu from the Software Center.
For other Linux distributions, make sure that Snap support is enabled. After that, install Notepad++ with this simple command:
sudo snap install notepad-plus-plusOnce the installation completes, you can launch it from the search or by typing notepad-plus-plus in Terminal.
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Features of Notepad++
- Notepad++ supports Syntax highlighting and Syntax Folding
- These highlighting and folding can be user-defined depending on your preference.
- Search / Replace option in one or all of the notepad++ open documents.
- Customizable GUI with various options.
- Multi-tab view and automatic word and function completion.
- Bookmark and multiple language support.
Notepad++ supports various plugins that can help you in comparing two docs, even compiling codes, text works, Macro recording and playback etc. Here’s the notepad++ plugin central which you can download and import. Importing a plugin as easy as downloading and placing the .dll file and placing it under Plugin folder in the installation directory or importing it via Settings > Import > Import plugin(s) .
Features listed above are for present in almost all code editors. So what’s more Notepad++ has to offer? Let us see below.
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Multi-Editing
Support for multi-editing can be enabled by navigating to Settings > Preferences > Editing > Enable (Ctrl+Mouse click / selection).
To use this feature, press control and click on the different places where you want to edit. This feature can be used efficiently when you have a very large no. of identical changes to make and you don’t want every occurrence to be changed. Let’s say I have a class which I want to rename in a file. I can select all (or some) and edit it.
Column mode editing
You can use Alt + Mouse dragging or Alt + Shift + Arrow keys for a column mode editing. This allows you to select text from multiple lines as if they are part of a table and you are selecting the columns only.
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Function list
Function list displays all the functions and methods of a file in a separate panel in the right side. You can navigate to a function with a double-click. Here’s an “Inheritance” example in Java. The right panel – Function List shows all the methods and has a refresh button to check your recent changes.
Compare Plugin
Compare plugin helps a lot to find out the differences between two of the versions of a file. The screen looks like this when you compare,
I am not a hardcore developer but Notepad++ does help me identifying the messed up code and correcting it sometimes, comparing a version with the previous one to find out the changes, editing multiple tags with multi-edit mode etc.
Conclusion
Notepad++ is one of the popular code editors and the fact that most of the users run Windows, it is available for Windows only. Some Linux users have surely missed it.
This Snap package provides an easy way to install Notepad++ on Linux. While there is almost no hope of getting an official Notepad++ application for Linux, this unofficial app should keep the die-hard Notepad++ fans content.