Windows 11 already comes with Notepad or OneNote/Word if you're subscribed to Microsoft 365, but these applications have become increasingly feature-heavy over time. If all you need is a simple text editing tool, Microsoft has introduced something new called “Edit,” a command-line-based text editor. According to Microsoft, it will soon be available on Windows 11.

Microsoft has been developing this new CLI-based text editor named Edit, and it's currently accessible to everyone via GitHub. Rather than functioning as a standalone application, Edit runs inside PowerShell or Command Prompt, allowing users to edit and preview files directly within the terminal.

In a statement to Windows Latest, Microsoft confirmed that “Edit” is intended to be included as the default text editor—but only for use within the Terminal environment. It won't replace Notepad; however, you'll be able to launch “Edit” from the Terminal simply by typing “edit.”

At the moment, if you want to use Edit, you must download it manually from GitHub.

Hands on with Edit – text editor (CLI-based) for Windows 11

Windows Latest installed the latest version of the tool using the Winget command to fetch and install the CLI text editor, which completed without any issues. We chose Winget because it automatically updates the system path, eliminating the need for manual configuration.

To start using it, open a new Terminal window, type edit, then press Enter. You’ll enter a text editor interface reminiscent of older tools. However, both mouse and keyboard controls are supported.

We used the Open option in the editor to load a file, although you can also launch a specific file directly using the command edit filename.extension. We tested the editor by opening several system files like log and ini files, and the editor handled them without any trouble.

The editor includes essential text editing capabilities such as Find and Replace, both of which are particularly helpful when working with large files.

Additionally, there are some extra features, like the Document Picker, which shows a list of files you've opened during the current session.

This allows you to quickly switch between files if needed. Please note that this list is session-specific—once you close the editor, your history is cleared. Think of it as an alternative to the tabbed interface found in Notepad.

Other useful features include Word wrap, which adjusts text to fit the screen, and Go to line, which enables jumping to a specific line number in the file. But why would someone choose to use Edit?

It’s designed to be efficient and lightweight

Edit is a compact application weighing just 230 KB. Despite its small size, it offers most of the functionality found in larger text editors and supports both mouse and keyboard input. Keyboard shortcuts are also available, and everything operates inside a Terminal window.

Some users have pointed out that the app lacks syntax highlighting. When we opened a code file, no syntax coloring was applied.

A developer has since forked the project and added syntax highlighting support, which you can try if this feature is important to you.

The above is the detailed content of Microsoft says Windows 11 will soon ship with 'Edit' text editor by default. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!