Free Notepad++ Alternatives for BSD

Notepad++ is not available for BSD but there are plenty of alternatives with similar functionality. The best free BSD alternative is Geany, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Notepad++ and many of them are free and available for BSD so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free BSD alternatives to Notepad++ are Kate, Vim, gedit and GNU Emacs.

filter to find the best alternatives

Notepad++ alternatives are mainly Text Editors, but if you're looking for Code Editors or IDEs you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android, Linux, Open Source, Mac, iPad, Windows and iPad + Code Editor. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Notepad++.
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Alternatives list

  1. Geany icon

    Geany

     576 likes

    Geany is a powerful, stable and lightweight programmer's text editor that provides tons of useful features without bogging down your workflow.

    154 Geany alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    • Haiku
    Geany screenshot 1
     
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    13
    Geany vs Notepad++ Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    victorkam26
    1

    Simple, light and good replacement.

    Top Negative Comment
    Stefan Monov
    0

    Breaks some of my basic workflows. E.g. can't drop files onto the Geany window (to open them), can't use F3 for "find next"... OTOH the UI is nice and sleek.

    AntumDeluge
    Positive
    1

    So far Geany is the best cross-platform alternative to Notepad++ I have tried. Its UI isn't hard to figure out & has a similar feel.

    3 of 13 comments
    • Geany is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • Geany is Minimalistic and CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  2. Kate icon

    Kate

     312 likes

    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.

    146 Kate alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Kate screenshot 1
     
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    5
    Kate vs Notepad++ Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    RR JJ
    9

    Great syntax highlighting, and good plugin support. Fast and easy to use.

    Top Negative Comment
    Max Fisher
    1

    Kate doesn't have as robustness as Notepad++ has. And feature wise it hasn't got "cache" thing when you want to close a tab and the editor shouldn't be asking whether save it or not.

    avg-gaymer
    Positive
    0

    although it certainly isnt a 1:1 replacement, kate has provided the closest "notepad++ for linux" experience for me - a text editor that can be just a text editor, but with some nice extra features if you want them.

    3 of 5 comments
    • Kate is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
  4. Vim icon

    Vim

     1347 likes

    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.

    215 Vim alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • OpenSolaris
    • MorphOS
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Vim screenshot 1
     
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    9
    Vim vs Notepad++ Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Marcin
    6

    Serves same purpose, similar features, different approach, multiplatform, ubiquitous.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    31

    Vim is a console app and require to know its commands to use it, while Notepad++ is UI driven, anyone can use it.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Xandros Darkstorm
    Negative
    2

    Notepad++ is a gui application, while vim is strictly for terminals.

    3 of 9 comments
    • Vim is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • Vim is CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  5. gedit icon

    gedit

     695 likes

    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.

    193 gedit alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • GNOME
    • OpenSolaris
    • Flathub
    The Default look under GNOME with Adwaita
     
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    3
    gedit vs Notepad++ Comments
    rmpbklyn
    Negative
    6

    no sorting and don't reconize regular expression when 'replace' or search

    Guest
    Negative
    12

    Gedit can't fold code, can't make ident lines, and the ident is strange!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    4

    Some essential plugins missing especially around code formatting tools

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • gedit is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • gedit is CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  6. GNU Emacs icon

    GNU Emacs

     387 likes

    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:

    181 GNU Emacs alternatives

    Cost / License

    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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    3
    GNU Emacs vs Notepad++ Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    4

    Emacs is the be-all-end-all text editor. It takes a while to learn, but its code and text editing commands are extremely powerful. There's also a package manager for things like auto completion, automatic running, and more language support.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    2

    I don't want a fake psychologist nor to play tetris, I really just want a powerful IDE.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    Emacs is a security hazard and its usage implies a certain political opinion.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • GNU Emacs is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • GNU Emacs is CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  7. GNU nano icon

    GNU nano

     290 likes

    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.

    153 GNU nano alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    GNU nano screenshot 1
     
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    1
    GNU nano vs Notepad++ Comments
    johnhk
    Positive
    0

    It one of the better TerminalBased (CLI) editors. I from a WindowsOS enviroment, so I differentiate between CLI and GUI editors. But as a cli-text-editor its very windows-user-friendly.

    • GNU nano is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
  10. Micro icon

    Micro

     83 likes

    Micro is a terminal-based text editor that aims to be easy to use and intuitive, while also taking advantage of the full capabilities of modern terminals.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    • OpenBSD
    Micro screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Micro vs Notepad++ Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    it has alot more features in unix because it has a terminal attatched to it simple easy to use also hackable

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Micro is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • Micro is CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  11. CudaText icon

    CudaText

     54 likes

    CudaText is a cross-platform text editor, written in Lazarus / Free Pascal.

    196 CudaText alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Haiku
    Multi-selections, Replace dialog at bottom
     
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    2
    CudaText vs Notepad++ Comments
    johnhk
    Positive
    0

    Very serios contender to npp. Developed by the dude that also gave us SynWrite. Very Cool

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Cudatext is great, but it NOT working out of the box is the big letdown. You need to faff first and nobody got time for dat....

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • CudaText is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
    • CudaText is CustomizableNotepad++ is not according to our users
  12. SciTE icon

    SciTE

     150 likes

    SciTE is a SCIntilla based Text Editor. Originally built to demonstrate Scintilla, it has grown to be a generally useful editor with facilities for building and running programs. It is best used for jobs with simple configurations - I use it for building test and demonstration...

    157 SciTE alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    SciTE screenshot 1
     
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    2
    SciTE vs Notepad++ Comments
    xxavx
    Positive
    -1

    A simpler version of Notepad++. Supports all the jazz you'll need: syntax higlighting, it's clever with Tabs, mass renaminc, etc. No macros though.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    A simple and hackable notepad.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • SciTE is Free and Open SourceNotepad++ is also Free and Open Source
  13. Leafpad icon

    Leafpad

     68 likes

    Leafpad is a 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.

    104 Leafpad alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Cygwin
    • MacPorts
    Leafpad screenshot 1
     
  14. Textadept icon

    Textadept

     39 likes

    Textadept is a fast, minimalist, and ridiculously extensible cross-platform text editor for programmers. Written in a combination of C and Lua and relentlessly optimized for speed and minimalism over the years, Textadept is an ideal editor for programmers who want endless...

    93 Textadept alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    running in windows 7. (aero disabled)
     
12 of 27 Notepad++ alternatives