Editing Text File in Linux Terminal

To edit a text file from the command line in Linux, you use a text editor. The two most common and powerful command-line text editors are Nano and Vim.

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1. Nano (Recommended for Beginners)

Nano is a simple and user-friendly editor that’s great for quick changes. It displays a list of commands at the bottom of the screen, so you don’t need to memorize them. It’s often pre-installed on Linux systems.

To open and edit a file with Nano:

1. Type nano followed by the filename you want to edit. If the file doesn’t exist, Nano will create a new one.

   nano filename.txt

2. Make your changes. You can use your arrow keys to move the cursor, and type as you would in a regular text editor.

3. To save your changes, press Ctrl + O (the letter O). This stands for “Write Out”.

4. To exit Nano, press Ctrl + X. If you made changes you haven’t saved, it will prompt you to save before exiting.

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2. Vim (Powerful but Steeper Learning Curve)

Vim is a highly customizable and powerful editor favored by experienced users and system administrators. It operates in different “modes,” which can be confusing at first.

To open and edit a file with Vim:

1. Type vim followed by the filename.

   vim filename.txt

   Vim opens in Normal Mode, where you can navigate but not type.

2. To start editing, press the letter i on your keyboard. This switches you to Insert Mode, and you’ll see -- INSERT -- at the bottom of the screen.

3. Make your changes.

4. To save and exit, you first need to return to Normal Mode. Press the Esc key.

5. Then, type :wq and press Enter.

   • : puts you in command-line mode.
   • w stands for “write” (save).
   • q stands for “quit.”

Other useful Vim commands:

• :w (save without quitting)
• :q (quit without saving; only works if no changes were made)
• :q! (force quit, discarding any changes)