For decades, Notepad has been the digital equivalent of a sticky note on my screen. Since multi-tab support and spell check came, I stopped saving otherwise ephemeral notes where I'd just jot down grocery lists or tasks for workdays. It's also my app of choice to jot down a phone number before I forget it. But recently, I found myself reaching for it less and less. I wanted something that could handle my chaotic brainstorming sessions and email drafts with panache, but I didn't want to use a heavy word processor like Microsoft Word either. Another Microsoft tool, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), emerged as the surprising answer in my quest.

As soon as I name VS Code, most people think of a CMD-like interface devs use for coding in C++ and Python. Comparing Notepad to VS Code feels a bit like comparing a paper airplane to a fighter jet. It's unfair, but that massive difference is exactly why I made the switch. The sheer volume of features packed into VS Code makes Notepad look positively prehistoric. However, for a compulsive note-taker like me, it still has utilities that standard text editors lack. VS Code lets me think without worrying about formatting and other technicalities I'd need in a plaintext editor.

Plaintext vs. power

VS Code is inherently superior

Notepad is the everyman of Windows apps, but at heart, it remains a plaintext editor ‌that somehow evolved into a playground for basic scripting and note-taking simply because it was there. I've never used another program for creating AutoHotkey scripts and adding eggs to the weekly shopping list in two tabs of the same window.

Unfortunately, I ran into a wall with this Swiss Army knife of a program. It does a lot of things well, but is exceptional at none of them. For basic note-taking, there is little to enjoy besides plaintext formatting options. I couldn't create a checklist that I could actually check off, or format headings quickly. Heading formatting is available now, but in comparison, VS Code offers Markdown support right from the get-go. Markdown is a lightweight markup language that is equally useful to coders and note-takers like me.

In VS Code, I can type a `#` to create a big, bold header, use asterisks for italics, and create bulleted lists that automatically indent correctly. It renders these live if you have the right extension, or you can just enjoy the structured look of the raw text. It turns a wall of words into immediately readable, formatted text, even though it's not an Office suite product.

VS Code is a practical IDE

And that matters for notes too

While Notepad is for notes, VS Code was born out of necessity for coders. It is practically an integrated development environment (IDE) that blows Notepad's coding-oriented cousins, like Notepad++, out of the water. The latter merely offers syntax highlighting, while Microsoft's tool packs IntelliSense. It is a godsend for programmers that saves them from typing out 'console.log' a thousand times.

For users like me, this means VS Code learns from the document I'm working on. If I’m writing an article and I mention "antidisestablishmentarianism" once, the next time I type "anti," VS Code suggests the full word. It saves keystrokes and reduces typos. Notepad just stares at me, blinking its cursor, waiting for me to slip up.

Furthermore, VS Code treats a folder like a workspace. In Notepad, if I want to work on three related notes, I have three separate windows (or tabs) floating in the void. In VS Code, I open a folder, and a sidebar populates with every file in that directory. I can jump between my Ideas, Drafts, and Archive text files instantly without leaving the window. It creates a cohesive workspace that feels professional, even if I'm just organizing a collection of PC part recommendations.

I simply cannot ignore extensions

The key ingredient to a supercharged workflow

Notepad doesn't have support for plugins the way VS Code uses them to supercharge the user experience. This secret sauce fills the VS Code marketplace with thousands of free extensions that tailor the experience to my needs.

For instance, the program's integrated Zen Mode extension is my go-to when I plan a focused writing session. It strips away the toolbars and sidebars, leaving me with just the text. Code Spell Checker by Side Street Software is another popular extension you'll find on practically every VS Code install. It is way more robust than Windows 11's spell checker for Notepad. For more writing tasks, I've also found extensions that give me word counts, reading time estimates, etc.

Users coming from Notepad++ may miss the ease of hex editing or specific macro recording, but VS Code addresses that deficiency with an extension as well. Lest I forget, they enable web browser-like theming for my writing environment, too. I can go for what looks like a cyberpunk terminal or a clean, paper-white sheet, but on Notepad, Microsoft giveth, and I cannot complain.

If you're wondering how both programs are Microsoft products, yet so far apart, it all boils down to initiative. Unlike Notepad, VS Code is largely free and open-source. Microsoft develops it, yes, but the source code is available on GitHub to foster community-driven innovation for extensions and the like. It's worth noting that the official download from Microsoft includes proprietary telemetry (tracking usage data), but you can get the community-driven version called VSCodium. It is identical, but with all the telemetry stripped away. Needless to say, I didn't have a choice like this with Notepad.

Make the switch even for basic tasks

I’m not saying you should delete Notepad. It still launches faster than anything else for a split-second copy-paste job. But relying on it for anything more than a digital scratchpad is doing yourself a disservice. If I'm to choose between VS Code and Notepad's zero file management, poor formatting options, and a lack of customization, VS Code always wins.

The IDE might be intimidating with a professional UI and a slight learning curve, but it's a significantly better writing experience even when I'm ignoring most of the coder-centric bits. It’s time to let the sticky note retire and upgrade to a proper notebook.