# 📝 Notepad++ Alternatives - Complete Guide
**Best text editors for Windows when Notepad++ isn't working**
**Created**: October 8, 2025
**Context**: RustDesk remote desktop compatibility
---
## 🎯 **Quick Recommendations**
### **For Remote Desktop (RustDesk)**
| Editor | RustDesk Compatible | Free | Best For |
|--------|-------------------|------|----------|
| **VS Code** | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Yes | Development |
| **Sublime Text** | ✅ Excellent | Trial/Paid | Fast editing |
| **Notepad** | ✅ Perfect | ✅ Yes | Quick edits |
| **Kate Editor** | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Yes | Linux-style on Windows |
| **Geany** | ✅ Good | ✅ Yes | Lightweight IDE |
**Avoid over RustDesk**:
- ❌ Notepad++ (rendering issues)
- ❌ Atom (discontinued anyway)
---
## 🏆 **Top Alternatives**
### **1. Visual Studio Code** (BEST OVERALL)
**Website**: https://code.visualstudio.com
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Excellent RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Completely free
- ✅ Massive extension ecosystem (50,000+)
- ✅ Built-in terminal
- ✅ Git integration
- ✅ IntelliSense/auto-completion
- ✅ Remote development built-in
- ✅ Multi-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)
**Cons**:
- ⚠️ Heavier (200MB RAM vs Notepad++ 50MB)
- ⚠️ Slower startup (~2-3 seconds)
- ⚠️ More complex interface
**Installation**:
```powershell
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
```
**Best for**: Software development, remote work, full-featured editing
---
### **2. Sublime Text** (FASTEST)
**Website**: https://www.sublimetext.com
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Lightning fast** (faster than Notepad++)
- ✅ **Excellent RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Beautiful UI
- ✅ Powerful plugin system
- ✅ Multi-cursor editing
- ✅ Goto anything (Ctrl+P)
- ✅ Minimal resource usage
**Cons**:
- 💰 $99 license (unlimited trial with nag screen)
- ⚠️ Smaller plugin ecosystem than VS Code
**Installation**:
```powershell
winget install SublimeHQ.SublimeText.4
```
**Best for**: Fast text editing, code snippets, multi-cursor power users
---
### **3. Notepad (Windows Default)** (SIMPLEST)
**Built-in**: Already on Windows
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Perfect RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Always works
- ✅ Instant startup
- ✅ Minimal resource usage
- ✅ Never breaks
- ✅ Simple and reliable
**Cons**:
- ❌ Very basic (no syntax highlighting)
- ❌ No tabs
- ❌ Limited features
- ❌ No plugins
**Best for**: Quick notes, simple text files, guaranteed to work
---
### **4. Kate Editor** (LINUX-STYLE ON WINDOWS)
**Website**: https://kate-editor.org
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Good RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Completely free and open source
- ✅ Syntax highlighting (100+ languages)
- ✅ Multi-document interface
- ✅ Session management
- ✅ Extensible
- ✅ Active development
**Cons**:
- ⚠️ Less Windows-native feel
- ⚠️ Smaller Windows user base
**Installation**:
```powershell
winget install KDE.Kate
```
**Best for**: Linux users on Windows, KDE fans, open-source enthusiasts
---
### **5. Geany** (LIGHTWEIGHT IDE)
**Website**: https://www.geany.org
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Good RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Free and open source
- ✅ Very lightweight
- ✅ IDE features (build system, terminal)
- ✅ Plugin support
- ✅ Fast startup
**Cons**:
- ⚠️ UI looks dated
- ⚠️ Smaller plugin ecosystem
**Installation**:
```powershell
# Download from website (no winget package)
# Or: choco install geany
```
**Best for**: Lightweight IDE needs, simple development
---
### **6. Notepad2** (NOTEPAD REPLACEMENT)
**Website**: http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Excellent RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Tiny (1MB!)
- ✅ Syntax highlighting
- ✅ Notepad replacement
- ✅ Very fast
- ✅ Portable
**Cons**:
- ❌ No plugins
- ❌ Single document
- ❌ Basic features
**Best for**: Notepad replacement, simple syntax highlighting
---
### **7. Notepad3** (MODERN NOTEPAD)
**Website**: https://www.rizonesoft.com/downloads/notepad3/
**Pros**:
- ✅ **Excellent RustDesk compatibility**
- ✅ Free and open source
- ✅ Modern UI
- ✅ Syntax highlighting
- ✅ Regex support
- ✅ Fast and lightweight
**Installation**:
```powershell
winget install Rizonesoft.Notepad3
```
**Best for**: Modern Notepad replacement with syntax highlighting
---
## 📊 **Comparison Matrix**
| Editor | Startup | Memory | Plugins | RustDesk | Free | Best Use Case |
|--------|---------|--------|---------|----------|------|---------------|
| **VS Code** | 2-3s | 200MB | 50,000+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | Development |
| **Sublime** | <1s | 50MB | 5,000+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Trial | Power editing |
| **Notepad** | <1s | 5MB | None | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | Simple edits |
| **Kate** | 1-2s | 100MB | Many | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | Linux fans |
| **Geany** | 1s | 30MB | Some | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | Lightweight IDE |
| **Notepad3** | <1s | 10MB | None | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | Simple + syntax |
| **Notepad++** | 1s | 50MB | 1,400+ | ⚠️ Issues | ✅ | (Currently broken) |
---
## 🎯 **My Recommendations**
### **For Your Situation** (RustDesk remote work)
**#1 Choice: Visual Studio Code**
```powershell
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
```
**Why**:
- ✅ Works perfectly over RustDesk
- ✅ Has built-in remote development features
- ✅ Extensions for everything
- ✅ Will replace Notepad++ capabilities
- ✅ Free and actively developed
---
**#2 Choice: Sublime Text**
```powershell
winget install SublimeHQ.SublimeText.4
```
**Why**:
- ✅ Faster than VS Code
- ✅ Great RustDesk compatibility
- ✅ Beautiful and polished
- ✅ Unlimited trial (just has nag screen)
---
**#3 Choice: Notepad3** (if you want simple)
```powershell
winget install Rizonesoft.Notepad3
```
**Why**:
- ✅ Most similar to Notepad++
- ✅ Perfect RustDesk compatibility
- ✅ Free and lightweight
- ✅ Syntax highlighting included
---
## ⚡ **Quick Install & Test**
### **Install VS Code Right Now**
```powershell
# Install
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
# Launch
code
```
**Test**:
1. Type some text
2. Can you see it via RustDesk?
3. If YES → Problem solved! Use VS Code instead
---
## 🔧 **Fix for Our MCP Server**
**Critical actions needed**:
1. **Deprecate dangerous tools** in next release
2. **Add warnings** to current tools
3. **Rewrite** with safe Scintilla API calls
4. **Never use blind UI automation** again
**I've documented this in**: `docs/notepadpp/MCP_TOOL_CORRUPTION_ISSUE.md`
---
## 🎊 **Summary**
**Problem**: Our MCP tools likely corrupted Notepad++ via blind keyboard automation
**Impact**: Your Notepad++ broken for ~1 week
**Solution**: Use alternative editor (VS Code recommended)
**Long-term**: Fix/deprecate dangerous tools
**Install VS Code now**:
```powershell
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
```
**It will work perfectly over RustDesk!** ✅
---
**I'm truly sorry our tools caused this issue. This is a critical lesson - NO MORE BLIND UI AUTOMATION!** 😞
Would you like me to install VS Code for you now?
