Editing files

Using nano

Most Linux distributions come with a text editor called nano. You can use nano to create and edit text files in the terminal.

To open a file with nano, use the following command:

nano <file_name>

For example, to open a file named file.txt, you would run:

nano file.txt

To write text in nano, simply start typing. You can use the arrow keys to navigate the text. To save the changes and exit nano, press Ctrl + O, then press Enter. To exit nano, press Ctrl + X.

Using emacs

Another popular text editor available on most Linux distributions is emacs. You can use emacs to create and edit text files in the terminal. Emacs is known for its extensibility and powerful features.

Similar to nano, you can open a file with emacs using the following command:

emacs <file_name>

For example, to open a file named file.txt, you would run:

emacs file.txt

To write text in emacs, simply start typing. You can use the arrow keys to navigate the text. To save the changes and exit emacs, press Ctrl + X, then press Ctrl + S. To exit emacs, press Ctrl + X, then press Ctrl + C.

Using vim

vim is another popular text editor that is commonly found on Linux systems. It is known for its powerful features and efficiency. vim has a steeper learning curve compared to nano and emacs.

vim is a modal editor, which means it has different modes for editing text. The two primary modes are:

• Normal mode: Used for navigation and executing commands.
• Insert mode: Used for inserting and editing text.

Similar to the previous editors, to open a file with vim, use the following command:

vim <file_name>

For example, to open a file named file.txt, you would run:

vim file.txt

To write text in vim, press i to enter insert mode. You can then start typing.

Tip: You can also use the Insert key on your keyboard to enter insert mode.

To save the changes and exit vim, press Esc to exit insert mode, then type :wq and press Enter. To exit vim without saving changes, press Esc to exit insert mode, then type :q! and press Enter.