There is a large collection of modules that can transform the application for use in completely different scenarios, like - calendar, news reader, word processor, etc. The unique power of Emacs is that it can be transformed into something completely different from a text editor. It supports macro recording and shortcuts as well. The interface is customizable to suit your workflow.
Emacs can handle just about any type of text file. But once you master it, you can completely leverage its power. Just as Vim, Emacs too comes with a steep learning curve. It is also very rich with various features and, most importantly, extensible. In case you didn’t know, it was created by GNU Project founder Richard Stallman.Įmacs is cross-platform and has both command line and a graphical user interface. GNU Emacs is undoubtedly one of the oldest and versatile text editors out there. In either case, just head on to its official download page to get more details. You can also find it listed in your software center of the Linux distribution you use. If you don’t have it installed already, you can just try typing in the command (on Debian-based systems) to install it: sudo apt install vim Not to forget, you can use it for basic text editing or leverage its support for hundreds of programming languages, extensions, and file formats. If you are going to use Vim, you must be determined to climb up a very steep learning curve.īut after you have gone through all that, combed through its official documentation, and practice the commands/operations, you’ll find it worth all the time spent. I couldn’t type a single letter on it and the funny part is, I couldn’t even figure out how to close this thing. I remember the first time I tried to edit a text file with Vim, I was completely puzzled. Vim can be quite agonizing for first-time users. It is extremely popular for its wide range of advanced features. You will probably find it pre-installed in your Linux distribution. It may not be suitable for newbies but it’s something every aspiring Linux System administrator should get comfortable with.
Vim is an extensively configurable, cross-platform, and highly efficient text editor. If you’ve been on Linux for quite some time, you must have heard about Vim. To give you a head start, I must mention that when using the terminal, you will have to type the following to launch it (instead of neovim): nvim How to install it?įor Ubuntu-based distros, you can simply install it by typing: sudo apt install neovimįor other Linux distributions or platforms, you may refer to its official installation instructions to get started.
Of course, unless you’re acquainted with how Vim works, you may not notice the striking difference between the two.īut, overall, Neovim tries to take Vim up a notch. The project is being actively maintained and the progress is promising so far. If you’re comfortable with Vim, you will be good to go using Neovim. Neovim is a fork of Vim that aims to add more extensibility while simplifying it. Please note that this is not a ranking list. Here, I have compiled a list of the best command line text editors for Linux. But don’t restrict yourself to just that.
Your distribution has a terminal-based text editor installed by default. The average desktop Linux user may also need to edit files in the command line from time to time. Linux sysadmins need to do that on a daily basis. What if you need to edit files in the terminal? There is Gedit for quick text note down, there is VS Code for writing codes and more.īut those are all GUI-based editors. We have no dearth of good text editors on Linux. A text editor is a must-have application for any operating system.