Text Editors in Linux and How to Use Them

Text editors are essential for anyone working in a Linux environment, whether you’re a system administrator, developer, or enthusiast. They allow you to quickly create, modify, and manage files from the terminal or through graphical interfaces. Linux offers a variety of editors, from lightweight command-line options like nano and vim to more feature-rich graphical editors like VS Code and Sublime Text. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular text editors in Linux, highlighting their unique features and providing practical usage guides. Whether you need a simple tool for quick edits or a powerful editor for complex programming, you’ll find the right fit here. We will specifically focus on vim and nano, offering detailed instructions for each

Popular Text Editors in Linux

There are quite a few options for text editors for Linux. The most popular ones are listed below for reference while this article will focus on Vim and Nano.

• Vim: A highly configurable and powerful text editor that is an improved version of the original Vi. It offers advanced features like syntax highlighting, code folding, and a robust plugin system.

• Nano: A user-friendly, lightweight text editor that is easy to use, making it a great choice for beginners. It provides simple commands displayed at the bottom of the interface, making navigation intuitive.

• Emacs: A highly extensible and customizable text editor known for its powerful editing capabilities. It supports a wide range of programming languages and comes with built-in tools for version control, debugging, and more.

Vim

Vim serves as a powerful command-line text editor designed for efficient text manipulation and navigation. Its modal editing system enables users to perform tasks quickly using keyboard shortcuts. Although it has a steep learning curve, Vim offers extensive features like syntax highlighting and customizable macros, making it ideal for coding and advanced editing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, Vim equips you with the tools you need for a streamlined editing experience.

Vim Installation

Vim could be provided with your distro but might also require manual installation. Proceed with the commands below to install based on the distribution you’re using.

• Debian/Ubuntu
  • sudo apt update
  • sudo apt install vim
• Fedora
  • sudo dnf install vim
• CentOS/RHEL
  • sudo yum install vim
• Arch Linux
  • sudo pacman -S vim
• openSUSE
  • sudo zypper install vim

Operating with Vim

1. Once installed proceed to open the software by typing vim filename.txt. The command will create filename.txt in your current working directory and open vim to edit it. Alternatively, you can type vim /path/to/filename.txt to create the file in a specific path.
2. Vim works in two modes, Normal mode and Insert mode. Normal mode works for reviewing while insert works for adding text to it and making changes. Proceed to press “i” on your keyboard to enter insert mode. 
   1. At this point, the bottom left of the editor will have “–INSERT–” displayed.
3. Proceed to enter text as needed.

   

4. Once done, proceed to press the “Esc” key on your keyboard to exit the Insert mode and enter Normal mode.
5. Type :w to save the file. To save and quit type :wq!. To quit without saving changes type :q!.
6. The content of the file can be reviewed within the editor or by using the cat command.

   

Additional Vim Operations

Within Normal mode there are other basic functions which can help make changes.

• Deleting a line can be done with dd once you’re on the line you wish to remove.  
• Undoing a change can be done with u.
• Redoing a change can be done with Ctrl+r.
• Searching can be done with a forward slash / and then search term so for example /search_term to search forward.
  • Searching backwards is done as such ?search_term.
  • Navigating the results is done with n to go to the next occurrence of the search term or N to go to the previous one.

GNU nano

GNU Nano is a lightweight, user-friendly command-line text editor that simplifies file editing for everyone. Its straightforward interface displays helpful commands at the bottom, guiding you through the process. With features like syntax highlighting and search functionality, Nano is perfect for quick edits and simple coding tasks, ensuring a smooth editing experience.

Nano Installation

Nano could be provided with your distro but might also require manual installation. Proceed with the commands below to install based on the distribution you’re using.

• Debian/Ubuntu
  • sudo apt update
  • sudo apt install nano
• Fedora
  • sudo dnf install nano
• CentOS/RHEL
  • sudo yum install nano
• Arch Linux
  • sudo pacman -S nano
• openSUSE
  • sudo zypper install nano

Operating with Nano

1. Once installed proceed to open the software by typing nano filename.txt. The command will create filename.txt in your current working directory and open nano to edit it. Alternatively, you can type nano /path/to/filename.txt to create the file in a specific path.
2. Nano is more straightforward than Vim as it allows to write text immediately upon opening it.

   

3. Once you wish to save the file, proceed to press Ctrl+O to save it. You will see a prompt that says “File Name to Write: filename2.txt.” In this case, I am saving the file in the current working directory as filename2.txt. Press “Enter” to confirm.
4. To exit the editor press Ctrl+X.
5. The content of the file can be reviewed within the editor or by using the cat command.

   

Additional Nano Operations

Nano provides the ability to perform other tasks such as the items below.

• Searching for text can be done with Ctrl+W followed by typing the search term and pressing “Enter”.
• Undoing changes can be done with Ctrl+Z.
• Cutting a line is done with Ctrl+K and pasting it with Ctrl+U
• For further help check with Ctrl+G to open the manual.

Further Assistance

For any further assistance involving text editing in Linux, do not hesitate to reach out to the Hivelocity Support team via a chat, support ticket, or phone at 888-869-4678. 

 

-Written by Pascal Suissa