PSPad

The default notepad application that comes bundled with Windows is a very basic tool that does not have a lot to offer and isn’t very helpful to developers or programmers. There are plenty of other applications out there that take Notepad’s functionality to the next level, but the downside is that most of them cost money. The Jan Fiala-developed application PSPad offers the sort of functionality you would expect to get from a premium text and code editor, but it offers it for free.

There is much to like about this application. First up, you will like that downloading and installing it on your Windows-powered machine will only take a moment. The download weighs in at 4.4MB, so that won’t take long to complete. And installing the application is simple process of following the instructions presented by the setup wizard.

Once PSPad is up and running, you are going to appreciate its intuitive and easy to use interface. The File, Projects, Edit, Tools and all the other useful and handy menus you are going to need are at the top, while below them there’s a toolbar that displays the most useful shortcuts needed when editing code.

Once PSPad is up and running, you are also going to appreciate the application’s functionality – it is a properly good text and code editor that developers in particular will appreciate. There’s a lot to say here, so I will focus on the parts I found to be important. PSPad provides support for a long list of file types, from C++ and CSS to JavaScript and PHP. PSPad highlights syntax in code and there’s a spellchecker, both of which will come in handy when editing code. On top of that there’s a built-in FTP client, there’s a macro recorder, a full HEX editor, and more.

Suffice it to say that PSPad is a treat for anyone who works with programming environments and needs a powerful code editor. And keep in mind that PSPad is free.

PSPad has the winning combination: it’s a powerful editor with a lot of functionality to offer and it is offered free of charge.