Leafpad is a free and open-source graphical text editor for Linux, Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), and Maemo that is similar to the Microsoft Windows program Notepad.

Created with the focus of being a lightweight text editor with minimal dependencies, it is designed to be simple-to-use and easy-to-compile.

Leafpad has a small install size compared to other graphical text editors and has minimal features such as codeset options, undo/redo, and the ability to choose fonts.

This led to members of the Xfce team creating a fork of Leafpad called Mousepad, specifically to address the lack of printing support.

[10] Mousepad was rewritten in December 2012 with version 0.3.0, which replaced the original Leafpad-based code with a complete rewrite.

[42] A LinuxInsider review focused on the simplicity of Leafpad, saying that it leaves a small footprint on a system's resources, making it a good choice for compact Linux distributions.

The review concluded by praising the print preview option of Leafpad as a good WYSIWYG representation of the final printout.

[14] A MakeTechEasier.com review noted that Leafpad was a lightweight alternative to the text editor Gedit, and said that Leafpad's simplicity was both an advantage for people seeking a simple text editor, and a disadvantage for those seeking additional features or functionality.

[43] An article by Admin Magazine comparing various text editors also focused on the lightweight nature of Leafpad.