Notepad++ vs Visual Studio: Rating, Votes and Features
| Notepad++ | Visual Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | IDE | IDE |
| Developer | Notepad++ team | Microsoft |
| Created by | Don Ho | — |
| First release | 2003 | 1997 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Pricing | Free | Free with paid plans |
| Website | https://notepad-plus-plus.org | https://visualstudio.microsoft.com |
| Kind | Code editor | Full IDE |
| Written in | C++ | C++, C# |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Extension ecosystem | 2 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| AI assistance | None | Built in |
| Language servers (LSP) | No | Yes |
| Remote development | No | Yes |
| Built-in debugger | No | Yes |
| Best for | Quick edits | C#, C++, .NET |
| Resource use | Light | Heavy |