Mastering the skills to quickly and effectively edit files through the command line is crucial for every Linux system administrator. Whether it is a configuration file, user file or text document, file editing is involved every day.

It's a good idea to choose a command line text editor you like and master it. While it is beneficial to know a variety of text editors, mastering at least one is essential for handling more complex tasks.

In this tutorial, we will introduce you to the most common command line text editors in Linux and discuss their pros and cons.

However, we will not provide a comprehensive guide on how to use each editor, as this may be a separate article with detailed explanations.

1. Vi/Vim Editor

The first on our list is the infamous Vi / Vim ( Vim comes from Vi Improved Edition), a very flexible text editor that can do many different things on text.

For example, you can use regular expressions in Vim to replace text fragments in a file. Of course, this is not its only advantage, it also provides easy navigation to lines, words, paragraphs, and text highlighting.

Vim may not be the most friendly text editor, but it is often favored by developers and Linux experts. If you want to install Vim command line text editor on your system, you can use commands related to your Linux distribution:

Install Vi/Vim Editor in Linux

 <code>$ sudo apt install vim [在<strong>Debian, Ubuntu 和Mint</strong> 上] $ sudo yum install vim [在<strong>RHEL/CentOS/Fedora</strong> 和<strong>Rocky/AlmaLinux</strong> 上] $ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/vim [在<strong>Gentoo Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo apk add vim [在<strong>Alpine Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo pacman -S vim [在<strong>Arch Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo zypper install vim [在<strong>OpenSUSE</strong> 上]</code>

If you want to see our full coverage of Vim, please refer to the link below:

You may also like:

• How to use Vi/Vim as a complete text editor in Linux
• Learn 'Vi/Vim' editor tips to improve your skills
• 8 Fun 'Vi/Vim' Editor Tips

2. Nano Editor

Nano is most likely one of the most widely used command line text editors. The reason is its simplicity and most Linux distributions have it preinstalled.

Nano doesn't have the flexibility of Vim, but it's absolutely competent if you need to edit large files. In fact, pico and nano are very similar.

Both show their command options at the bottom, so you can choose which one to run. The command can be completed by pressing the Ctrl key and the combination of letters displayed at the bottom.

Nano offers the following out-of-the-box features:

• Get help
• Write
• typesetting
• Read the file
• Find
• Previous page
• Next page
• Cut text
• Paste text
• Current location
• Spell check

Install Nano Editor in Linux

 <code>$ sudo apt install nano [在<strong>Debian, Ubuntu 和Mint</strong> 上] $ sudo yum install nano [在<strong>RHEL/CentOS/Fedora</strong> 和<strong>Rocky/AlmaLinux</strong> 上] $ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/nano [在<strong>Gentoo Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo apk add nano [在<strong>Alpine Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo pacman -S nano [在<strong>Arch Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo zypper install nano [在<strong>OpenSUSE</strong> 上]</code>

You can refer to our comprehensive guide on using the Nano Editor in Linux command line.

3. Emacs Editor

This is probably the most complex text editor on our list. It is the oldest command line editor for Linux and UNIX-based systems. Emacs can help you increase productivity by providing an integrated environment for different kinds of tasks.

First, the user interface may appear a bit confusing. The good news is that emacs has a very detailed manual that can help you with file navigation, editing, customizing and setting commands. Emacs is the ultimate tool for advanced *Nix users.

Here are some of the features that make it the preferred editor:

• The Emacs server platform allows multiple hosts to connect to the same Emacs server and share a list of buffers.
• Powerful extensible file manager.
• Customization beyond ordinary editors - some people call it the operating system within the operating system.
• Custom commands.
• Switch to a Vi(m)-like mode.

Install Emacs Editor in Linux

Emacs is a multi-platform editor that can be easily installed with the following commands:

 <code>$ sudo apt install emacs [在<strong>Debian, Ubuntu 和Mint</strong> 上] $ sudo yum install emacs [在<strong>RHEL/CentOS/Fedora</strong> 和<strong>Rocky/AlmaLinux</strong> 上] $ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/emacs [在<strong>Gentoo Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo apk add emacs [在<strong>Alpine Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo pacman -S emacs [在<strong>Arch Linux</strong> 上] $ sudo zypper install emacs [在<strong>OpenSUSE</strong> 上]</code>

4. Micro Text Editor

Micro is a modern and intuitive terminal basic text editor that bridges the gap between traditional command line editors and contemporary user expectations.

Unlike the steep learning curve associated with editors like Vim or Emacs , Micro offers a more user-friendly approach to suit both beginners and experienced users.

A prominent feature of Micro is its support for mouse functions, allowing users to select, copy and paste text like they do in a graphics editor.

In addition, it has a powerful plug-in system that allows users to expand their capabilities according to their needs. Its appeal is further enhanced by syntax highlighting, split screen and customizable shortcuts.

In short, Micro Editor incorporates two best aspects: the power and efficiency of terminal editing, and the ease of use and familiarity of modern text editors.

Install Micro Editor in Linux

There is a useful script that can install ' Micro ' for you by downloading the latest prebuilt binary using the curl command.

 <code>$ curl https://getmic.ro | bash</code>

This script installs the micro binary file to the current directory.

5. ne (nice editor)

The "ne" text editor, meaning " Nice Editor ", is a lightweight, user-friendly terminal editor designed to bridge the gap between simple editors such as " nano " and the more complex " vim " or " emacs ".

Install ne in Linux

ne is a multi-platform editor that can be easily installed with the following commands:

 <code>$ sudo apt install ne [在Debian, Ubuntu 和Mint 上] $ sudo yum install ne [在RHEL/CentOS/Fedora 和Rocky/AlmaLinux 上] $ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/ne [在Gentoo Linux 上] $ sudo apk add ne [在Alpine Linux 上] $ sudo pacman -S ne [在Arch Linux 上] $ sudo zypper install ne [在OpenSUSE 上]</code>

in conclusion

There are other command line editors, but they are hardly able to achieve the features provided by the above three. Whether you are a Linux novice or a Linux expert, you will definitely need to learn one of the editors mentioned above.

If we missed any command line editor in this article, be sure to let us know by comment.

The above is the detailed content of My Favorite Command Line Editors for Linux: What's Yours?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!