I love Notepad++ and why you need it
Notepad++ is a must have text editor if you run a website.
It can be used as a replacement for the default Notepad in Windows or used side by side.
This magic little tool understands all the coding languages as well as regular doc format text.
It recognizes .css files, php files etc etc and retains their unique logic and layout. Here is a snippet of a css file opened in Notepad++
Using other text editors tends to lose the logic and readability.
Here is a hypothetical use:-
Let’s say we had an error occur on our site.
We used something like Developer tools in our browser to locate the error.
The error said there was a missing bracket or colon at line 342 of the stylesheet.css.
If we downloaded a copy of that file, opening the file with a general text editor, it would be hit and miss trying to accurately find line 342.
Not in Notepad++. All the lines are numbered.
You could easily find and edit the line, then upload it again. Sure! you would research how or why it happened but this tool makes the fix so much easier.
Notepad++ is freeware. It is created by Geeks and Enthusiasts because that is what floats their boat. No disrespect intended.
While it is a small download, it is incredibly powerful and serves the rank beginner to the seasoned code junky.
Download the latest version of Notepad++
Once downloaded:-
- Click the installer
- All the default settings are fine for most users.
- Just accept and say yes, yes, yes.
- Then you are up and running.
- You can Pin it to desktop, taskbar, or start menu.
- When you right click a file in Windows, you will now also see ‘Edit with Notepad++’ as a new option.
