How to install NotepadQQ on Linux
NotepadQQ is an exciting application that attempts to bring Linux users what Notepad++ does on Windows: an impressive, Microsoft Notepad-like text editor that supports various programming languages and other useful features. Here’s how to get it installed on your Linux system.
What Notepadqq is and what it offers
Notepadqq is a Linux text editor directly inspired by Notepad++ on Windows. If you’ve used Notepad++ and miss it after switching to Linux, Notepadqq is the closest native equivalent. Here’s a quick rundown of what it brings to the table:
- 100+ language support: Syntax highlighting for over 100 programming and markup languages, including Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Bash, and more.
- Regex search and replace: Powerful find-and-replace with full regular expression support.
- Multiple selections: Select and edit multiple locations in a file simultaneously.
- Themes and color schemes: Switch between a variety of editor themes to suit your preference or reduce eye strain.
- Real-time syntax highlighting: Code is highlighted as you type, making it easier to spot errors quickly.
- Math rendering in comments: Supports rendering mathematical expressions within code comments.
- Session restore and unsaved tab recovery: If you close the editor unexpectedly, Notepadqq can recover your open tabs and unsaved work.
- Encoding detection: Automatically detects file encoding, with the option to convert between formats.
- Tab and space warnings: Flags inconsistencies between tabs and spaces in your files — useful for Python developers in particular.
In short, Notepadqq is a solid, lightweight code editor for Linux users who want a familiar Notepad++-style experience without running Windows software.
How to install Notepadqq on Ubuntu
It’s important to know upfront that the Notepadqq project is no longer actively maintained upstream. The old Launchpad PPA for Ubuntu (which targeted Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic) is stale and should not be treated as a reliable install path for modern Ubuntu releases. Manually adding a Bionic-era PPA to Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 can introduce dependency conflicts and security risks.
The recommended approach for current Ubuntu users is to install via Snap or Flatpak, both of which are covered in their own sections below. These methods are self-contained, avoid repo conflicts, and are the safest way to get Notepadqq running on a modern Ubuntu system.
Legacy PPA note (unsupported): If you are on an older Ubuntu release and specifically need the APT package, the old PPA targeted Ubuntu Bionic. Be aware this PPA is unmaintained, the signing key setup is non-standard, and it is no longer recommended as a primary install method. For most users today, Snap or Flatpak is the right choice.
Debian installation instructions
Good news for Debian users: Notepadqq is available as a native Debian package in several Debian releases. Before reaching for any workaround, check whether the package is available in your release first.
Open a terminal window and run:
apt search notepadqq
You can also check packages.debian.org to see which Debian releases carry the package. If Notepadqq is available in your release, install it the straightforward way:
sudo apt install notepadqq
If the package is not available in your Debian release: Your best fallback options are the Snap or Flatpak methods covered below, both of which work on Debian with their respective runtimes installed.
A note on mixing Ubuntu PPA packages into Debian: Some older guides suggest downloading .deb files built for Ubuntu (such as those from the Bionic PPA) and installing them directly on Debian. We strongly advise against this unless you are prepared to manually resolve dependency issues. Ubuntu and Debian packages are not interchangeable, and forcing Ubuntu-targeted packages onto Debian can break your system’s package manager or pull in incompatible libraries. Use native Debian packages or a sandboxed format (Snap/Flatpak) instead.
Arch Linux installation instructions
Notepadqq is available for Arch Linux through the AUR (Arch User Repository). Note that the package is no longer in the official Arch Community repository, so sudo pacman -S notepadqq will not work. Use one of the AUR methods below instead.
Option 1 — Install via an AUR helper (recommended): If you have yay or another AUR helper installed, this is the quickest path:
yay -S notepadqq
Option 2 — Manual AUR build: If you prefer not to use an AUR helper, you can build and install the package manually:
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/notepadqq.git cd notepadqq makepkg -si
The AUR build pulls the package source from the upstream Notepadqq GitHub repository, so you’re getting the same codebase either way. If you need help setting up an AUR helper first, check out our guide to the best Arch Linux AUR helper apps.
Fedora installation instructions
The editor is installable on Fedora Linux for versions 30, 31, 32, and Rawhide (which will eventually become 33). To start the installation on your Fedora system, launch a terminal window. Once the terminal is open, execute the following dnf command.
sudo dnf install notepadqq
OpenSUSE installation instructions
On OpenSUSE Linux, the application can be installed on Tumbleweed, Leap 15.1, and 15.2 via the OpenSUSE OSS software repository. To start the installation, ensure that the “OSS” software repo is enabled on your computer. After that, execute the following Zypper installation command.
sudo zypper install notepadqq
How to install Notepadqq via Snap
A great way to get the app working on your PC is through the Snap store, as it is always up to date and self-contained within the Snap sandbox. To get it working, ensure you have the latest Snapd runtime installed and set up.
After setting up the Snapd runtime on your computer, you’ll be ready to proceed. Using the snap install command below, get the app working.
sudo snap install notepadqq
Flatpak installation instructions
The app is available as a Flatpak in the Flathub app store. This method of installation is a great way to go if your Linux distribution doesn’t support it natively. To start the installation, ensure you have the latest Flatpak runtime setup. Then, enter the commands below to get the app installed.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo flatpak install flathub com.notepadqq.Notepadqq
Project status, limitations, and whether Notepadqq is still a good choice
Before committing to Notepadqq as your daily driver, it’s worth understanding where the project stands today.
The upstream GitHub repository carries an explicit notice that Notepadqq is no longer actively maintained. Development has stalled, and there is no active team pushing regular updates. In practical terms, this means a few things you should be aware of:
- Stale distro packages: Many distribution repositories carry an outdated version of Notepadqq. What you install via APT, DNF, or Zypper may be significantly behind the last upstream release.
- Uneven repository support: As we’ve covered above, support across distros is inconsistent — some releases have a native package, others don’t, and the old Ubuntu PPA has been abandoned.
- Limited extension support: Notepadqq’s plugin and extension story is minimal compared with Notepad++ on Windows. If you rely heavily on plugins for workflow automation or language tooling, you’ll find the ecosystem here much thinner.
When Notepadqq still makes sense: If you need a lightweight, Notepad++-style editor on Linux for general text editing, quick code review, or working with a broad range of file types, Notepadqq still does the job well for those basic tasks. The Snap and Flatpak versions are the safest install paths since they’re sandboxed and avoid the distro-package staleness problem.
When you might be better served elsewhere:
- Running Notepad++ itself: If you specifically want Notepad++, it runs reliably on Linux via Wine, and the experience is close to the native Windows version.
- Actively maintained native editors: Editors like VS Code, Kate, Geany, or Mousepad are actively developed, well-supported across distros, and offer richer feature sets for most workflows.
- Snap or Flatpak as a middle ground: If you want Notepadqq specifically but don’t want to worry about repo availability, the Snap and Flatpak releases are the most pragmatic choice for modern systems.
The bottom line: Notepadqq is a capable editor that fills a real niche on Linux, but go in with clear expectations. It’s a mature, mostly-finished project rather than an actively evolving one — and for many everyday use cases, that’s perfectly fine.
