Nano is one of the simplest text editors you can use on Linux. It’s a simple and comes pre-installed on most distributions. If you need to edit a file from the terminal, Nano is a great choice.
Opening a File in Nano
To start Nano, open your terminal and type nano filename.txt. If the file doesn’t exist, Nano will create it for you.
Basic Navigation
Once the file is open, you can start typing right away. Nano is straightforward—there’s no need to switch between different modes like in Vim. You can use the arrow keys to move around the text.
Saving Your Work
When you’re ready to save, press Ctrl + O. Nano will ask you to confirm the filename—hit Enter to save. To exit Nano, press Ctrl + X.
Basic Commands
Nano displays all the key commands at the bottom of the screen, making it easy to find what you need. Here are some basics:
Cutting Text: To cut a line, press Ctrl + K.
Pasting Text: To paste it, press Ctrl + U.
Searching: To search for a word, press Ctrl + W, type the word, and hit Enter.
Undo: To undo the last action, press Alt + U.
Redo: To redo an undone action, press Alt + E.
Editing Tips
Use Ctrl + G: This command opens Nano's help screen, where you can see all the available commands.
Wrapping Text: If you’re editing long lines of text, toggle line wrapping by pressing Alt + L.
Simple Navigation: Use Ctrl + A to jump to the beginning of a line and Ctrl + E to go to the end.
Conclusion
Nano is a great tool for quick and simple text editing in Linux. Its easy to use, thus makes it perfect for beginners who need to make edits without complexity. With a few commands, you can navigate, edit, and save your files. Give Nano a try, and you'll find it's a handy addition to your Linux toolkit.