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Notepad++CudaText
Free

Free as in speech and free as in beer, in the author’s own words, under the GNU General…

 Free

Free of charge, including for business use.

Windows Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Opens instantly and uses little memory, thanks to pure Win32 and the Scintilla component
  • Syntax highlighting for many programming and natural languages, with tabs and split view
  • Fast startup even with many plugins
  • More than 300 syntax lexers
  • Windows only; there is no official macOS or Linux build
  • The plugin ecosystem is older and less active than that of modern editors
  • Configuration through JSON files may take getting used to
  • Many features depend on installing plugins
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Open source
License: GPL-3.0 License not stated
No account needed No account needed
Works offline Works offline

Checked September 20, 2026

Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.