Leafpad AlternativesText & Code Editors like Leafpad

Leafpad is described as 'Lightweight text editor that emphasizes simplicity. As development focuses on keeping weight down to a minimum, only the most essential features are implemented in the editor' and is a popular Text Editor in the development category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Leafpad for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and Flathub apps. The best Leafpad alternative is Notepad++, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Leafpad are Vim, Zed Editor, Kate and Neovim.

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Alternatives list

  1. Notepad++ icon

    Notepad++

     4926 likes
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    Notepad++ is a free, open-source code editor supporting several languages, offering features like syntax highlighting, plugin support, dark mode, portability, privacy, and efficient resource usage, making it highly customizable and suitable for various programming needs.

    246 Notepad++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    Notepad++ screenshot 1
     

    • Notepad++ is the most popular Windows alternative to Leafpad.

    • Notepad++ is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Leafpad.

    • Notepad++ is Free and Open SourceLeafpad is also Free and Open Source
    • Notepad++ is Privacy focusedLeafpad is not according to our users
  2. Vim icon

    Vim

     1340 likes
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    Vim ("Vi IMproved") is an advanced text editor that allows syntax highlighting, word completion and has a huge amount of contributed content. It also has a GUI version called GVim.

    212 Vim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • OpenSolaris
    • MorphOS
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Vim screenshot 1
     
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    Comments about Vim as an Alternative to Leafpad
    rescuezilla
    Negative
    1

    I love vim, but it has an extremely steep learning curve and is terminal-based. Leafpad is a grandma-friendly graphical application for viewing and editing plain text files (in other words notepad.exe for Linux).

    Guest
    Negative
    1

    Leafpad is GUI and very simple. Vim is a terminal based power tool. They are completely incomparable.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Leafpad Icon
    Vim icon

    • Some users think Vim is a great Leafpad alternative, some don't.

    • Vim is the most popular Mac & Linux alternative to Leafpad.

    • Vim is Free and Open SourceLeafpad is also Free and Open Source
    • Vim is CustomizableLeafpad is not according to our users
  4. Zed Editor icon

    Zed Editor

     101 likes
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    Blazing fast code editor offering real-time multi-user collaboration, language-aware syntax highlighting, integrated terminal, multi-buffers for tab-free editing, built-in Vim mode, searchable outline, AI coding assistance, advanced keyboard commands, and cross-platform support.

    85 Zed Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zed Editor screenshot 1
     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    EmEditor icon
    EmEditor

    Versatile Windows editor offering lightweight, ultra-fast performance with robust support for text, code, and CSV files, AI-assisted writing, macros, Unicode, plugins, syntax highlighting, advanced search, column editing, split v...

    https://www.emeditor.com
    Learn More
  6. Kate icon

    Kate

     310 likes
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    The Kate project develops two main products: KatePart, the advanced editor component which is used in numerous KDE applications requiring a text editing component, and Kate, a MDI text editor application.

    142 Kate alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Kate screenshot 1
     
  7. Neovim icon

    Neovim

     186 likes
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    Refactored version of Vim, simplifying maintenance, improving developer contributions, and enabling new user interfaces. Features extensible plugin architecture, lightweight resource usage, syntax highlighting, no registration, ad-free, and distraction-free mode.

    104 Neovim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chocolatey
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Neovim screenshot 1
     
  8. gedit icon

    gedit

     693 likes
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    Official text editor of the GNOME desktop environment. Has syntax highlighting and is suitable for programming, with support for several languages. It is extensible with plugins.

    190 gedit alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • GNOME
    • OpenSolaris
    • Flathub
    The Default look under GNOME with Adwaita
     
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    6
  10. GNU Emacs icon

    GNU Emacs

     387 likes
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    GNU Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor—and more. At its core is an interpreter for Emacs Lisp, a dialect of the Lisp programming language with extensions to support text editing. The features of GNU Emacs include:

    178 GNU Emacs alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • F-Droid
    • Haiku
    • Debian
    • MacPorts
    • Homebrew
    The GNU Emacs Manual calls Emacs the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor
     
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    1
    Comments about GNU Emacs as an Alternative to Leafpad
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Leafpad is a simple GUI editor anyone can use. Emacs is a great power tool but is overkill for anything Leafpad would be appropriate for.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Leafpad Icon
    GNU Emacs icon

    • GNU Emacs is the most popular Android alternative to Leafpad.

    • GNU Emacs is Free and Open SourceLeafpad is also Free and Open Source
    • GNU Emacs is Customizable and Privacy focusedLeafpad is not according to our users
  11. GNU nano icon

    GNU nano

     289 likes
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    GNU nano is a small and friendly text editor. Besides basic text editing, nano offers many extra features like an interactive search and replace, go to line and column number, auto-indentation, feature toggles, internationalization support, and filename tab completion.

    152 GNU nano alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    GNU nano screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about GNU nano as an Alternative to Leafpad
    rescuezilla
    Negative
    1

    Nano is not a drop-in Leafpad replacement, but definitely suitable for users willing to use a terminal to view and edit plain text. It's lightweight and provides clear explanation on how to save/exit files. Nano is a great application for newbie Linux users to editing configuration files on headless machines like routers and server, since they don't need the advanced features and learning curve of Vim/vi.

    Leafpad Icon
    GNU nano icon
    • GNU nano is Free and Open SourceLeafpad is also Free and Open Source
  12. Edit icon

    Edit

     19 likes
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    Open-source command-line text editor for Windows with a modern interface inspired by MS-DOS Editor, featuring key bindings, lightweight build under 250KB, multi-file handling with ctrl + P, keyboard-optimized navigation, and direct file editing for developers.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Edit screenshot 1
     
  13. Lite XL icon

    Lite XL

     52 likes
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    Lite XL is a lightweight text editor written mostly in Lua — it aims to provide something practical, pretty, small and fast, implemented as simply as possible; easy to modify and extend, or to use without doing either.

    58 Lite XL alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Lite XL screenshot 1
     
  14. Notepad3 icon

    Notepad3

     63 likes
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    Notepad3 is a fast and light-weight text editor with syntax highlighting for programming jobs. Auto-completion, Multi-language, Dark mode more.

    210 Notepad3 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Supports RTL languages out of the box.
     
12 of 103 Leafpad alternatives