How to Comment Code in Notepad++

Commenting code in Notepad++ is a fundamental and efficient process, primarily handled through its intelligent, built-in shortcut keys that adapt to the programming language you are using. These shortcuts allow you to quickly toggle comments on or off for single lines or blocks of code.

Understanding Notepad++'s Commenting Shortcuts

Notepad++ offers several convenient keyboard shortcuts to streamline the commenting process:

CTRL + K (Toggle Line Comment): This is the most frequently used shortcut. It comments out the current line or all selected lines if you have a block of text highlighted. Pressing it again on an already commented line will uncomment it. Notepad++ automatically detects the file type and applies the correct single-line comment syntax (e.g., // for C++, # for Python, REM for batch files).
CTRL + Q (Toggle Block Comment): This shortcut is designed for languages that support block comments (like /* ... */ in C/C++/Java/JavaScript). Select a block of code, press CTRL + Q, and Notepad++ will enclose it within the appropriate block comment tags. Pressing it again will remove the block comment.
CTRL + SHIFT + Q (Toggle Stream Comment): Similar to CTRL + Q, this shortcut often performs the same block commenting action, depending on the language and Notepad++'s configuration.

How Notepad++ Adapts to Different Languages

Notepad++ is a highly versatile text editor that recognizes syntax for numerous programming and scripting languages. When you save your file with a specific extension (e.g., .py, .js, .html, .cpp, .bat), Notepad++ automatically applies the correct highlighting and, more importantly, the appropriate commenting syntax when you use its shortcuts.

For example:

In a .js (JavaScript) file, CTRL + K will add //.
In a .py (Python) file, CTRL + K will add #.
In an .xml (XML) file, CTRL + K will add  around the line.

Special Considerations for Batch Scripts

When working with Windows batch scripts (files typically ending in .bat or .cmd), Notepad++'s default syntax highlighting correctly identifies two primary types of comments:

REM (Remark): This keyword is used for single-line comments.
:: (Double Colon): This is another common method for single-line comments in batch files, often favored for slight performance advantages in very large scripts.

Important: While both REM and :: are valid for Notepad++'s highlighting, Notepad++'s built-in commenting shortcuts (CTRL + K, CTRL + Q, and CTRL + SHIFT + Q) are specifically configured to insert the REM keyword when you comment lines in a batch script. If you prefer to use :: for your comments, you will need to add them manually.

Manually Adding Comments

Even with the powerful shortcuts, there might be times you need to add comments manually:

Specific Multi-line Styles: For languages where shortcuts don't provide the exact multi-line comment structure you desire (e.g., Python's triple-quote docstrings """...""").
Nested Comments: If your language allows and your shortcuts don't handle them.
Alternative Comment Syntax: As seen with :: in batch files, if you prefer a syntax not used by the shortcuts.

To comment manually, simply type the appropriate comment syntax for your language directly into the file.

Quick Reference: Commenting Shortcuts

Shortcut	Function	Common Example (C-like)	Notes
`CTRL` + `K`	Toggle Line Comment	`// My line of code`	Adds or removes single-line comment markers based on language.
`CTRL` + `Q`	Toggle Block Comment	`/* My block of code */`	Adds or removes multi-line comment markers for a selection.
`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `Q`	Toggle Stream Comment	`/* Another block */`	Often works similarly to `CTRL` + `Q` for block comments.

Examples of Commenting in Action

Here are some examples of how comments appear using Notepad++'s shortcuts across different languages:

# This is a single-line Python comment (using CTRL+K)
print("Hello, Python!")

"""
This is a multi-line string literal,
often used as a docstring or block comment in Python.
(Added manually or via specific plugins)
"""

// This is a single-line JavaScript comment (using CTRL+K)
/*
This is a block comment in JavaScript
that can span multiple lines (using CTRL+Q).
*/
console.log("Hello, JavaScript!");

REM This is a comment in a batch file (using CTRL+K)
ECHO Hello Batch World!
:: This is another type of batch comment (added manually)

For more information on Notepad++ and its features, visit the official Notepad++ website.