How to add custom syntax highlighting for things like hashtags in Notepad?

Use the custom regex feature in theme JSON files, as shown in the README with the Twitter handle example. Define a regex pattern and color to match and highlight specific text patterns like hashtags.

Notepad vs UITextView for markdown editing in Swift?

Notepad adds live syntax highlighting and theming out of the box, making it ideal for markdown-focused apps. UITextView requires manual implementation for highlighting but offers more flexibility for general text editing.

Can I use Notepad in a SwiftUI app on iOS?

Yes, but you need to wrap it in a UIViewRepresentable since Notepad is based on UIKit. This adds a layer of complexity compared to native SwiftUI components.

How to change themes dynamically in Notepad while the app is running?

The README doesn't explicitly cover this, but you can update the theme property of the Storage object. However, this may require re-initialization or manual text storage updates, which isn't straightforward.

Is Notepad good for editing large code files on macOS?

It uses TextKit, which is performant, but for very large files, live regex-based highlighting might cause performance issues. Test with your specific file sizes to ensure smooth operation.

Notepad or CodeMirror for building a markdown editor on iOS?

Choose Notepad for native Swift integration and better performance in pure iOS apps. CodeMirror is web-based and better for cross-platform web views, but may feel less native on iOS.

How to implement line numbers or other UI overlays with Notepad?

Notepad doesn't support this natively. You would need to create a custom overlay view or extend the text view manually, which can be complex and error-prone.

Open-Awesome

Notepad

MITSwift0.3.0

A fully themeable markdown editor with live syntax highlighting for iOS and macOS.

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903 stars102 forks0 contributors

What is Notepad?

Notepad is a Swift library that provides a fully themeable markdown editor with live syntax highlighting for iOS and macOS applications. It solves the problem of integrating rich, customizable text editing into native apps without building complex text rendering systems from scratch.

Target Audience

iOS and macOS developers who need to embed a markdown editor or syntax-highlighting text view in their applications, particularly those using Swift and Apple's native frameworks.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Notepad for its simplicity, native integration with UITextView/NSTextView, and extensive theming capabilities that allow complete visual customization without sacrificing performance.

Overview

[iOS] A fully themeable markdown editor with live syntax highlighting.

Use Cases

Best For

Adding a markdown editor to iOS note-taking apps
Building code editors with custom syntax highlighting for macOS
Creating themeable text input fields in Swift applications
Extending UITextView with live markdown preview capabilities
Implementing custom regex-based text highlighting in native apps
Developing educational apps that require syntax-aware text editing

Not Ideal For

Applications requiring rich text editing with formats like HTML or RTF beyond Markdown
Projects that need built-in advanced text features such as spell-check, autocorrect, or auto-completion
Cross-platform development targeting non-Apple ecosystems like Android or web
Apps demanding deep custom text rendering or modifications beyond TextKit's standard capabilities

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fully Customizable Themes

Supports JSON theme files for defining custom colors and styles, with examples like the Twitter handle regex in the README, allowing precise visual control.

Live Markdown Highlighting

Provides real-time syntax highlighting as users type, enhancing the editing experience without requiring manual refreshes or external previews.

Native TextKit Integration

Built on Apple's TextKit framework, ensuring robust performance and seamless compatibility with UITextView/NSTextView on iOS and macOS.

Easy Drop-in Integration

Can be used as a direct UITextView subclass or extended to existing text views, simplifying setup as shown in the convenience initializer examples.

Cons

Limited to Markdown Syntax

Primarily designed for Markdown; supporting other languages requires complex custom regex patterns, which may be error-prone and less intuitive.

Manual Setup Complexity

When not using the Notepad subclass, developers must manually configure TextKit components, as detailed in the README, increasing integration overhead.

Apple Ecosystem Lock-in

Tightly coupled with UITextView/NSTextView, making it unsuitable for cross-platform projects and limiting adoption outside iOS/macOS apps.

Basic Feature Set

Focuses on syntax highlighting and theming, lacking built-in features for advanced text editing like syntax validation or error highlighting.

Frequently Asked Questions

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