Kate

Kate covers the Notepad++ role and then some: syntax highlighting for hundreds of languages, multi-cursor editing, regex search/replace across files, split views, embedded terminal, project support, and LSP integration that gets you real code intelligence without a full IDE. It opens huge files gracefully and starts fast.

The plugin ecosystem is a fraction of Notepad++’s, so specific beloved plugins may have no equivalent — check yours before assuming. On GNOME it brings KDE dependencies (GNOME users: gedit/GNOME Text Editor for light use, or jump to a code editor). It occupies the middle ground; people either settle here happily or continue on to VS Code-class editors.