Notepad2
6.4#63 in text editorsFree planFree planWindows
VisitNotepad2 vs Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code
8.2#3 in text editorsFree planFree planWebLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Notepad2 | Visual Studio Code |
|---|---|---|
| Column editing | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Notepad2 can launch external commands and open files with external tools; the FAQ gives HTML Tidy as an example used from its Open with dialog. | The editor includes Git source control and can connect to GitHub Codespaces and remote development environments. |
| Languages | Syntax highlighting covers languages and formats including HTML, XML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, C/C++, SQL, Perl, Python, PowerShell and batch files. | JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, and HTML support are included, and extensions add support for other languages. |
| Large-file handling | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows | web,windows,macos,linux |
Notepad2 plans
- Notepad2Free
Visual Studio Code plans
- Visual Studio CodeFree
Pick Notepad2 if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.
Pick Visual Studio Code if…
VS Code suits developers who want a free editor for desktop or browser coding, with built-in tools and a large extension library. It also fits users who want to combine AI agent workflows with direct coding, provided they have a GitHub account to start building with agents.