I just landed my first developer job, working on internal tools with Python, and I prefer using plain Notepad because it's quick and doesn't crash my home computer like Visual Studio 2022 does. However, during a video call, my boss freaked out when he saw me coding in Notepad. I don't trust these fancy IDEs because I feel they might take control of my coding process. Is there any rule that says I can't use Notepad at work? What should I do about my boss's reaction?
5 Answers
Not sure if this is a serious question or a joke! But seriously, Notepad for programming? You could definitely hurt your chances of getting hired if someone sees you using that. Proper code editors or lightweight IDEs exist for a reason; they're designed to improve your workflow and catch errors before they happen.
Honestly, I'd be worried if a coworker was coding in plain Notepad. It’s great for simple tasks, but when it comes to programming, it lacks important features that help keep everything organized and maintainable. A simple code editor like Notepad++ could be a much better fit since it offers basic syntax highlighting and other helpful tools without too much overhead.
It's understandable that your boss wants you to use better tools. Even basic IDEs like VSCode don’t have to edit your code for you; they just make life easier with features like debugging, syntax checking, and code suggestions. If you’re working on production projects, investing time in learning these tools will pay off.
While Notepad might work for you, it lacks a lot of features that keep code bases consistent and clean, like formatting options. Using an IDE or even a simple code editor helps prevent issues like formatting mismatches between tabs and spaces, which leads to spaghetti code. I'd really recommend you look into something more advanced to help with productivity.
There’s definitely no law against using Notepad, but it’s pretty common for companies to have specific rules about dev environments for security and productivity reasons. As an employee, you have to follow those guidelines unless you get a special exception. If you’re not using an IDE, you’re missing out on features that could make your coding life easier and more efficient.
Notepad has what I need—typing and saving! Plus, I can open multiple files. But yeah, I get it; it might struggle with formatting.