Before settling on one, check out a few of these alternative text editors.
micro
microis designed to be a terminal-based text editor that is simple and yet powerful.
Other micro features include syntax highlighting, split-screen, macros, built-in plugin manager, autocompletion, and more.
Vim
You might be thinking, isn’t Vim thedefault editor?
Well, you’re not wrong, but hear me out.
WhileVimoften comes pre-installed on many Linux distributions, it’s far from your average default editor.
You might find Vim intimidatingno menus, no visible controls, just a blinking cursor.
Vim has multiple modes for different tasks, like normal mode, insert mode, and visual mode.
Vim is highly customizable, providing many plugins that enable you to modify Vim.
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek
Personally, I use Vim when I need advanced editing in the terminal.
Moreover, if the file doesn’t exist, Vim will create a new file with that name.
However, just like Vim, be prepared for a learning curve.
Emacs has its own set of keybindings and commands that can take time to master.
nano
Want a simple, straightforward, and easy-to-use text editor?
It’s designed to be lightweight and user-friendly, which makes it an ideal alternative for beginners.
But don’t mistake simplicity for lack of capability.
nano can handle most tasks you throw at it, from editing configuration files to writing code.
Its features include undo/redo, syntax coloring, smooth scrolling, interactive search-and-replace, auto-indentation, and more.
Nano is usually pre-installed on Ubuntu-based distributions and available through your default Linux package manager.
nethe nice editor
Want a powerful tool that is a simpler option than Vim or Emacs?
Try using thenethe nice editor.
This editor offers advanced features in a more user-friendly way compared to classic text editors.
ne features include multiple windows, syntax highlighting, macros, and even basic scripting.
you might find ne editor in your Linux distribution’s official repositories.
Let’s take a look at several GUI editors.
Geany
Want a good multi-tab editor with some tools?
Look no further thanGeany.
It has been a reliable editor for many years and is loved by many programmers.
Geany’s interface is simple and organized, without unnecessary clutter.
It supports features like code folding, built-in terminal, syntax highlighting, and others.
Kate comes with the KDE Desktop Environment that can handle everything from simple text files to complex programming projects.
What’s cool about Kate is that it’s packed with useful features.
It also supports Unicode and bidirectional text, and even detects different line endings automatically.
The beauty of Linux is in variety of choices.
Try out different editors to see what suits you best.
You may even prefer using different editors for different tasks.
Remember, the best editor is the one that works best for you.
