Notepad++

Notepad++ is a free, open-source source code editor for Windows that has long served as the go-to Notepad replacement for developers, sysadmins, and anyone who edits plain text or code files regularly. It's distributed under the GNU General Public License and has remained free throughout its development history.

Built on the Scintilla editing component and written in C++ using the native Win32 API and STL, Notepad++ is designed for speed rather than feature bloat. The developers specifically optimize routines to reduce CPU usage and power consumption without sacrificing usability, which results in a noticeably smaller footprint than heavier code editors or full IDEs.

Syntax highlighting is supported for dozens of programming and markup languages out of the box, and a large plugin ecosystem extends functionality further - from compare tools to FTP clients built directly into the editor. For quick edits, config file tweaks, or lightweight scripting work where a full IDE would be overkill, Notepad++ remains one of the fastest tools available on Windows.