Nextpad++
Fully native code editor for macOS with syntax highlighting for 80+ languages, plugin system, advanced search, split view, macro recording, and a Scintilla-powered engine. Free, open source, universal binary for Apple Silicon and Intel, with native integration.
Features
Properties
- Privacy focused
- Lightweight
- Support for Themes
Features
- Syntax Highlighting
- Ad-free
- Works Offline
- No Tracking
- Dark Mode
- No registration required
- Full-Text Search
- Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
- Regex substitution
- Search and Replace
- Split-screen view
- Support for regular expressions
- Macro Recording
- Command palette
- Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
- Apple Silicon support
- Tabbed interface
- Integrated Search
Nextpad++ News & Activities
Recent News
- Maoholguin published news article about Nextpad++
Notepad++ original creator calls out recently released macOS fork as an unauthorized fakeWe recently reported on the launch of what appeared to be a Notepad++ fork for macOS, after the app...
- Maoholguin published news article about Nextpad++
Notepad++ finally comes to Mac through a native fork with plugin support after 23 yearsA new Notepad++ fork for Mac has been released, bringing the long-running Windows code editor to ma...
Recent activities
- rickiethadragon replied to a comment / review on Nextpad++
- sabree liked Nextpad++
- Kamaji_Miller reviewed Nextpad++
Controversy aside, I’ve been using a nextpad ++ or whatever it’s called for a week now and I like it. It’s nice to have another option on macOS.
- reviewed Nextpad++
Be cautious. Owner attempted to steal the name(+logo)/TRADEMARK Notepad++ for his own benefit. Basically attempted to steal the identity of Notepad++ by presenting his project to look like it's the official (by Notepad++ developers) port. Even the domain he used for the project (notepad-plus-plus-mac.org) was the EXACT mirror of the Notepad++ domain (notepad-plus-plus.org) - its only differentiation being that '-mac' was added at the end. Oh yeah, he chose '.org' too.
Even their rebrand...
POX added Nextpad++ as alternative to Neon Vision Editor- Maoholguin updated Nextpad++
- Arkath liked Nextpad++
What is Nextpad++?
Nextpad++ is an independent port of Notepad++ for macOS. No Wine, no emulation. A macOS native port of Notepad++ for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Nextpad++ brings the beloved Windows code editor to Apple's desktop platform as a fully native Mac application. This is the actual Notepad++ codebase ported to run natively on macOS — built from source in Objective-C++, using platform-native APIs, with no compatibility layer in between.
- Native macOS app — no Wine, Porting Kit, CrossOver, or emulation
- Universal Binary — runs natively on Apple Silicon (M1–M5) and Intel
- Apple-notarized — ships signed and approved for macOS Gatekeeper
- Free and open source — GPL-3.0, no ads, no subscriptions, no telemetry
- Full feature parity — syntax highlighting, plugins, macros, find-in-files, regex, split view, document map, and more
The goal is not just to make Notepad++ "run" on Mac — it's to make it feel like it belongs there, with native menus, shortcuts, file dialogs, dark mode, and system integration.
Features:
- Syntax highlighting for 80+ programming languages, with customizable color themes and user-defined languages
- Plugin system with a native Plugin Admin — ~50 plugins already ported, with all ~140 expected by end of April 2026
- Scintilla-based editing component with code folding
- Multi-document tabbed editing
- Split view — view and edit two documents side by side or two parts of the same document
- Powerful search: regular expressions, find-in-files, bookmark lines, incremental search
- Macro recording to automate repetitive editing tasks
- Native macOS UI: menus, dialogs, keyboard shortcuts, dark mode following system preferences
- 137-language UI out of the box
- Document map, character panel, clipboard history, column editor, command palette
- Scintilla as the editing engine — battle-tested, high-performance, the same component powering the Windows version
Nextpad++ information
Developed by
Andrey Letov Licensing
Open Source (GPL-3.0) and Free product.Written in
Rating
Average rating of 2.2Alternatives
54 alternatives listedSupported Languages
- English
AlternativeTo Categories
Office & Productivity, System & Hardware, DevelopmentGitHub repository
- 810 Stars
- 39 Forks
- 57 Open Issues
- Updated
Comments and Reviews
Be cautious. Owner attempted to steal the name(+logo)/TRADEMARK Notepad++ for his own benefit. Basically attempted to steal the identity of Notepad++ by presenting his project to look like it's the official (by Notepad++ developers) port. Even the domain he used for the project (notepad-plus-plus-mac.org) was the EXACT mirror of the Notepad++ domain (notepad-plus-plus.org) - its only differentiation being that '-mac' was added at the end. Oh yeah, he chose '.org' too.
Even their rebrand deliberately uses name parts of 2 different projects (and is 100% made of those name parts): Notepad++("pad++") and Notepad Next("pad" "Next") = Nextpad++.
Owner is disrespectful towards whole open-source community. Vibe coded (Unofficial) port.
Would HARD avoid, unless there are absolutely no other tools that could do the job. Perhaps there are, check
Notepad++ :)
what the hell is wring with vibe coding. If done right its a awesome tool to hace, and also developers have been vibe coding with AI years and years before ai hit the mainstream browser as a chatbot for the public. You are being really judgemental over something thats petty really. Maybe the dude dont like notepad for whatever reason, so maybe he was mocking it as in a for of theraputic gratification. And to be honest Notepad ++ is ok but its not the greatest either. Also Scintilla sucks, ove got a personal syntax highlighter for c++ that supports over 350 semantic syntax tokens for C++, C, and DSL out of the box. One liner drop in, and thats it. Scintilla dint have that at all, their highlighting system with all due respect doesnt match that, i can easily and many other language to it if i was publishing it. I made it for myself cause i code inx++alor andcannit stand fighting a syntax highlighter that isnt doing its jib accoding to my visual preferences. bUT ANYWAY YOU BEING A LITTLE HARD on people.. iT AINT THAT SERIOUS TO COME ON HERE AND BADMOUTH AND SLANDER SOMEINE INSINUATING THAT HIS APP MIGHT BE MALWARE. Thats Not cool bro and alsi my caps key was stuck, so anyway Have a Nice day how bout that
Controversy aside, I’ve been using a nextpad ++ or whatever it’s called for a week now and I like it. It’s nice to have another option on macOS.
Be cautious of the security, it looks like it was largely just AI coded. If you open up random files in the Github you see AI comments like:
// Phase 2: title-bar close button moved to shared PanelFrame.
Copyright issue was resolved
Looks ugly like bad cross-platform generic app