As a longtime Notepad++ user, I hate those buttons as well. Fortunately, the settings contain the option to hide the menu, the icons, the buttons on the tabs, t

As a longtime Notepad++ user, I hate those buttons as well. Fortunately, the settings contain the option to hide the menu, the icons, the buttons on the tabs, the status bar, etc. resulting in a very minimalistic experience, which is how I use it. I recommend giving it another look.