Popular open-source text editor Notepad++ 6.0.0 has been released. This landmark release doesn’t contain many notable new features, but is merely the latest step in a product’s evolution that is constant and ongoing.

Version 6.0.0 does add one notable new feature – a Document Map panel that can be toggled on or off via the View menu – and also promises improved performance when loading large files into memory.

As its name suggests, Notepad++ is a replacement for the built-in Notepad text editor shipped with Windows. Notepad++ features many improvements over its limited namesake, including support for multiple open documents, which are displayed in a series of tabs for easy identification and switching, and expandability through the support of plug-ins.

Version 6's only new feature is a Document Map for navigating large files.

Notepad++ also supports the display of coding in various languages, including C++, HTML and Java, helping the end user by colouring the code to help provide visual cues to aid navigation and bug-checking. Version 6.0.0 adds support to PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expressions) to this list.

Notepad++ 6.0.0’s most notable new feature – the Document Map – will be of most use to those looking for a quick and easy way to jump around lengthy documents or code. This adds to three new features – drag-and-drop support inside Project Manager, move up and move down commands for the Project Panel and a customizable Zone Border – introduced in the last release, version 5.9.8, which debuted in January.

Notepad++ 6.0.0 is a free, open-source download for PCs running Windows 2000 or later.