NotepadNext is a lightweight, open-source code editor app designed for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Leveraging the Scintilla open-source library for its text editing capabilities, it is developed to be a successor to Notepad++, focusing on modern technologies and user experiences.
Recently, NotepadNext’s devs announced the new 0.7 release, introducing new features and improvements that promise to enhance the user experience for developers and casual users. Let’s take a look at them.
NotepadNext 0.7: Key Features and Improvements
Enhanced Integration with Windows
One of the standout features of the 0.7 release is the addition of NotepadNext to Windows’ “Open With” suggestions for text files. This improvement significantly streamlines the workflow for users, making it more convenient to open and edit text files with the app directly from the file explorer.
Python Language Enhancements
Recognizing the importance of Python in the programming world, NotepadNext v0.7 has introduced support for the new “match/case” keywords, which are part of Python’s pattern-matching syntax introduced in Python 3.10. This addition ensures syntax highlighting and other language-specific features are up to date with the latest Python standards.
GUI Customization and Accessibility
To make the app more accessible and user-friendly, NotepadNext 0.7 allows setting the GUI translation via the preferences dialog.
This means that users can now customize the interface language to their preference, a feature that significantly benefits the community of NotepadNext users. Additionally, a new preference option has been added to streamline this process.
User Interface Enhancements
NotepadNext 0.7 introduces a visual indicator of zoom level, making it easier for users to see and adjust the text size within the editor. Persistent bookmarks between sessions have also been added, allowing users to mark and return to specific lines of code or text across multiple editing sessions.
Furthermore, a QuickFind wrap indicator has been implemented, improving document search functionality.
Styling and Visual Improvements
The update brings a new style to Python decorator attributes, enhancing the visual distinction and readability of code. The window title now also indicates if the application is running in admin mode, giving users a clear indication of their access level.
Bug Fixes and Language Support
The 0.7 release addresses several bugs and performance issues. Notably, it fixes the file filter on file dialog boxes, ensures the File List items remain in order, and properly handles the cancellation of the Export As dialog.
Additionally, the update includes a significant update to the Chinese Simplified translation, improving the experience for Chinese-speaking users.
Refer to the release announcement for detailed information about all changes.
Install on Linux
The easiest way of installing the NotepadNext code editor app on Linux is by using AppImage or a Flatpak package. For the AppImage, download the file and give it an executable status. For example:
chmod +x NotepadNext-v0.7-x86_64.AppImageCode language: CSS (css)Then, double-click on the AppImage file, and NotepadNext will start. The Flatpak app version is available via Flathub.
