NotepadNext Installation Guide for Windows, Linux, and macOS

NotepadNext is a cross-platform, open-source text editor inspired by the classic Notepad++. It is designed to handle code editing, note-taking, and complex text processing with ease. The editor maintains the core functionality of Notepad++ while providing improved performance and broader platform support.

NotepadNext Installation Guide

Windows

The Windows installer and a standalone ZIP archive are available on the official releases page. Using the installer provides additional features, such as an auto-updater and Windows context menu integration. Alternatively, you can install the application via Winget using the following command:

winget install dail8859.NotepadNext

Linux

Linux users can download a standalone AppImage from the releases page. Alternatively, the application is available for installation as a Flatpak via Flathub:

flatpak install flathub com.github.dail8859.NotepadNext

macOS

You can download the disk image (DMG) from the releases page or install the application using Homebrew:

brew tap dail8859/notepadnext
brew install --no-quarantine notepadnext

macOS Tuning

By default, macOS enables font smoothing, which can make text look significantly different than it does on Windows. To disable font smoothing system-wide for a sharper appearance, run the following command in the terminal:

defaults -currentHost write -g AppleFontSmoothing -int 0

You must reboot your computer for this change to take effect.

Building from Source

Current development utilizes Qt Creator and the Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) compiler. While Qt 6.5 is the officially supported version, older versions of Qt may work but are not actively tested. Contributions to maintain compatibility with older versions are welcome, provided they do not require overly complex architectural changes.

The application builds successfully on various Linux distributions and macOS. Other platforms and compilers should also remain compatible with minor adjustments.

If you are familiar with developing C++ Qt desktop applications, simply open src/NotepadNext.pro in Qt Creator to build or run the project.