A shell that follows the tab
Studio starts one real login shell beside each file, with interactive programs and true-colour output.
Coming from Windows
Looking for
Notepad++ for Mac?
Notepad++ is a Windows editor, and its maintainers do not publish a macOS version. Linelark is a native Mac editor built for the same way of working: open it, keep it open, and put the file first. It is not a port of Notepad++.
Independent product · Not affiliated with Notepad++8.7 MB · macOS 14+
69curated language definitions
11text encodings
4pane layouts
1/tabStudio terminal sessions
Start with the files
Your files do not need migrating.
Source code, notes, configuration files, logs, and ordinary folders are not locked to Notepad++. Open them in Linelark and they work. What changes is the app around them: Mac shortcuts instead of Windows ones, different settings, different plugins, no macros, and a different arrangement of panes and tools.
Workflow comparison
What carries over.
This compares workflows, not feature lists. Notepad++ is its own Windows project, and it does things Linelark does not.
| Workflow | Notepad++ | Linelark on Mac | Migration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native platform | Windows | macOS 14+ | Works differently |
| Tabbed text and code editing | Yes | Yes | Carries over |
| Find, replace, and Find in Files | Yes | Yes | Carries over |
| Column selection and column editing | Yes | Yes | Carries over |
| Encoding and line-ending control | Yes | 11 encodings · LF / CRLF / CR | Carries over |
| Multiple views of one file | Two views | Two, three, or four panes | Carries over |
| Session and unsaved-work recovery | Yes | Yes, including crash restore | Carries over |
| Document map and bookmarks | Yes | Yes | Carries over |
| Integrated terminal | Run commands and plugins | One real shell per tab in Studio | Works differently |
| Plugin ecosystem | Established plugin system | Reviewed JavaScript catalog and plugin API | Works differently |
| Recorded macros | Yes | Planned, not yet scheduled | In roadmap |
| Code folding | Yes | Planned, not yet scheduled | In roadmap |
Notepad++ capabilities cross-checked against its official user manual . Linelark capabilities reflect Studio 1.19.0.
Bring these with you
The editing you already know.
- Folder-wide searchSearch an open folder with file filters and jump straight to a result. What Replace in Files preserves.
- Column editingUse rectangular selection or generate text and number sequences with the Column Editor. How column mode works here.
- Encoding controlDetect, preserve, reinterpret, and convert encodings and line endings.
- Document map and bookmarksMove around a long file without leaving the editor.
Expect these to change
The app around the file.
- Shortcuts use ⌘Mac conventions replace Windows Ctrl-based muscle memory.
- Plugins do not transferNotepad++ plugins are built for its Windows application and API.
- Macros do not transferLinelark 1.19.0 does not record or import Notepad++ macros.
- Panes go furtherChoose two, three, or four panes and open one shared buffer in more than one place.
Built for the Mac you have
A Mac app, not a Windows app in a wrapper.
Linelark is written in SwiftUI and AppKit. It follows system appearance, uses standard Mac menus and shortcuts, and opens files and folders straight from Finder. It launches quickly and is built to stay open all day without weighing the machine down.
Text stays byte-correct
Legacy encodings and line endings are kept as they are, not quietly rewritten to UTF-8.
Sessions come back
Restore layouts, tabs, untitled documents, and unsaved edits after a normal quit or a crash.
Light enough to stay open
No bundled browser runtime, and no indexer running in the background. Tools start when you need them.
Linelark is not a Notepad++ port.
Version 1.19.0 does not run Notepad++ plugins, import its settings, record macros, or fold code. Linelark has its own reviewed JavaScript plugins, but Notepad++ plugin binaries will not load. If what you want is native Mac editing, careful file handling, flexible panes, folder search, and a terminal tied to the current file, that is what this is built for.
Questions from switchers
Questions about switching.
Can I install Notepad++ directly on macOS?+
Not as a native Mac application. The official Notepad++ project targets Windows. Its FAQ suggests compatibility tools such as Wine or virtual machines when another operating system is required.
Can Linelark open files created in Notepad++?+
Yes. Ordinary text and code files are not tied to either editor. Linelark supports UTF-8, UTF-16, Windows code pages, Mac Roman, Shift-JIS, EUC-JP, ASCII, and LF, CRLF, or CR line endings.
Will my Notepad++ plugins and macros work?+
No. Notepad++ plugins and recorded macros depend on Notepad++ itself and do not transfer. Linelark Studio 1.19.0 uses its own reviewed JavaScript plugin format.
Is Linelark affiliated with Notepad++?+
No. Linelark is an independent native macOS editor and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or derived from Notepad++.
Does Linelark support Apple silicon and Intel Macs?+
Yes. Linelark Studio 1.19.0 supports macOS 14 Sonoma or newer on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
Can I leave Linelark open all day like Notepad++?+
That is what it is built for. Linelark launches quickly, restores your session, and does not index projects in the background. Actual memory use depends on open files, pane layouts, and active Studio terminals.
A native editor for Mac
Open your files
on the Mac.
Download the Apple-notarized Studio edition for macOS 14 and newer.
Download Studio 1.19.0 8.7 MB · every version, with checksums