Supercharge Notepad++: Extensibility Made Easy with NppSharp

NppSharp is an open-source C#/.NET scripting runner and plugin wrapper created by Chris Mrazek on GitHub that allows you to bypass complex C++ Win32 setups to write native Notepad++ plugins using C#.

While traditional C# plugin methods rely on older boilerplate like NppPlugin.NET or NppCSharpPluginPack (which use export utilities to expose C++ compatible entry points), NppSharp handles the native interop bridge for you. You simply write standard C# class libraries or scripts that interface with its exposed API. 🛠️ Core Requirements Visual Studio (or any modern C# IDE). Notepad++ installed on your system.

NppSharp.dll placed inside your Notepad++ plugins/ directory. 📝 Step-by-Step Implementation 1. Setup Your Class Library

Create a standard C# Class Library project targeting .NET Framework or .NET (depending on the specific NppSharp version requirements). Reference the NppSharp.dll assembly in your project to unlock the required attributes and interfaces. 2. Decorate Your Plugin Class

Your main entry class must inherit from NppSharp’s plugin base types or implement its script interface. You tell Notepad++ what your plugin is called using attributes:

using NppSharp; [PluginDescription(“My Custom C# Plugin”, “1.0.0”, “Author Name”)] public class MyNppPlugin : NppPlugin { // Your initialization code here } Use code with caution. 3. Define Menu Commands

To make functions click-able inside the Notepad++ Plugins menu, add the [PluginMenuCommand] attribute directly onto public methods.

[PluginMenuCommand(“Reverse Selected Text”)] public void ReverseText() { // Fetch the Scintilla editor handle provided by NppSharp var editor = this.CurrentEditor; string selected = editor.GetSelectedText(); if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(selected)) { char[] arr = selected.ToCharArray(); Array.Reverse(arr); editor.ReplaceSelectedText(new string(arr)); } } Use code with caution. 4. Handling Notepad++ Events

NppSharp acts as an intermediary for native NPPN_* notifications. You override built-in methods to capture events such as opening a new file, saving, or changing tabs:

protected override void OnFileSaved(string filePath) { // Custom logic triggered instantly when a user presses Ctrl+S } Use code with caution. 🚀 Compilation and Deployment

To deploy your plugin, configure your build process or manually move the output files: How to install a Notepad++ plugin offline? – Stack Overflow