.NETpad 2025: Anticipating a Tabbed Revolution

As we gear up for the future, it’s hard not to get excited about what’s coming with .NETpad in 2025, especially following the modernization initiatives set to roll out in 2024. The most significant and eagerly awaited feature? A tabbed user interface.

Yes, you read that right—tabs are on the horizon!

In 2023, Microsoft made waves by introducing a tabbed user interface in Notepad for Windows 11. This update allowed users to open new documents either in separate tabs within the same window or in new windows, a feature that's now a staple for efficient document management. Additionally, Notepad now reopens with all the documents and tabs you were using during your last session—a game changer for those accustomed to losing track of their work.

However, the reception of this groundbreaking feature seemed oddly muted. Many users were left wondering why it had taken so long. Diving deeper, it becomes clear that retrofitting a tabbed interface to an existing application isn't just a minor enhancement; it's a complex and demanding endeavor.

In the past, Notepad's simple structure involved only managing one document per application instance. For the modernization team, this simplicity was both a blessing and a curse. While tracking the state of three variables—the document name, its save status, and whether the document's content had changed—was manageable for a single window, moving to a tabbed interface introduces an entirely new level of complexity.

Consider the introduction of an Auto Save feature, which adds yet another layer of logistical challenges. Not only would developers need to ensure that each tab retains the correct information regarding its associated document, but they would also have to account for scenarios where multiple tabs may have unsaved changes or require independent auto-saves. This can lead to perplexing logic issues and increased risk of errors.

Despite the daunting task ahead, I am determined to rise to the challenge of implementing a tabbed interface for .NETpad. While I’ve faced hurdles such as theming and styles that complicate things further, I’ve begun working on basic tab support to pave the way for this transition.

In the present state of the WPF version of .NETpad, I've established several 'global' variables to keep track of application states during runtime. Among those variables, the essential ones are:

- DocumentName: The name assigned to each document. - SaveStatus: Information regarding whether a document has been saved or not. - ContentChanged: A marker for whether the content of the document has been altered since its last save.

As I forge ahead with these plans, it's clear that .NETpad 2025 is set to redefine how users interact with their documents. With the right innovations and some ingenuity, I am optimistic that this evolution will not only enhance functionality but also transform the user experience in ways that echo the changing landscape of software design.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach a new era for .NETpad, where tabs could revolutionize the way we work—because in the world of software, there's always something exciting on the horizon!